Media: hardcover - 238 pages
Editor: C. Baxter
Year: 1988

Preface
Twelve years after the colonisation of New South Wales by Europeans, Philip Gidley King became Governor. Determined to institute a number of reforms aimed at reducing the costs of the colony, controlling prices and regulating land dealings, he ordered the collection of annual general musters.

Although the originals of the New South Wales General Musters for 1800,1801 and 1802 have not survived, a copy of various sections of the Musters are found in the volumes labelled “Settlers' Muster Book 1800” held by the Parliamentary Library of New South Wales. Other parts of the General Muster for 1801, along with lists recording births, deaths, pardons and executions, were included in despatches sent by Governor King to England. Labelled “Governor King’s Lists 1801”, these Lists and those from the “Settlers' Muster Book 1800” have been transcribed in the main text.

In order to cover the whole of the colony for the years 1800-1802, it was considered important to include a document recording residents of Norfolk Island as well. No muster collected during those years has survived, therefore, the only available comprehensive document, the “Norfolk Island Victualling Book 1802”, has been transcribed in the main text. Although recording only those victualled by the government, approximately three-quarters of the population of Norfolk Island was victualled in 1802, indicating that the majority of people resident in Norfolk Island in that year are included.

These three documents are of immense importance as primary source records. In the early years of the colony, few references were made to ordinary individuals. When references were made, little secondary information was recorded, making it difficult to distinguish one person from another. These documents provide information concerning occupations, land, stock, crops, residence, status, relationships and so on, often with that critical piece of secondary information — the ship of arrival.

These documents were also the bases upon which land, population and economic estimates and projections were made. They reflect patterns of land ownership, population distribution, and employer/employee relationships discussed in contemporary letters and reports. Much of the information contained in these three documents is not available elsewhere. As a result, for those interested in the early years of the colony of New South Wales, this volume contains social and biographical information of unparalleled importance.

Fron the Introduction

Hlstorical Background
The first muster or systematic check of the population was taken in February 1788, shortly after the arrival of the First Fleet in New South Wales. From 1795 musters appear to have been held annually, and were usually supervised by the Governor or Lieutenant-Governor and an officer of the Commissary. Musters were the means by which the government counted the population and controlled the convicts. Musters also noted whether individuals were victualled from the government stores or were self-supporting, thereby assisting officials to determine the colony's ability to support itself without recourse to the public stores.

The purpose of this volume is to bring together documents relating to musters and commissary records taken over the years 1800 to 1802, of which a substantial number have survived. These documents shed light on the early social history of the colony, at the time when few records exist for ordinary people. Sydney’s first newspaper did not commence publication until March 1803, and many individuals who were not recorded in the newspaper or in later records appear in the Lists included in this volume. The Lists also reveal patterns of employment and land use, which are of more general historical interest. The surviving documents fall into three groups:
Settlers’ Muster Book 1800
Governor King’s Lists 1801
Norfolk Island Victualling Book 1802
Settlers’ Muster Book 1800

Contents

Acknowledgements
Personnel
The Publisher
Major Sponsors to this Volume
Foreword
Preface

INTRODUCTION
Historical Background
Method of Collection
Statistics
Inconsistencies and Difficulties
Research Value
Unusual and Interesting Entries

EXPLANATORY NOTES
Editing Parameters
Method of Checking
General Notes
Notes on the Appendices
Future Corrections and Additions
Abbreviations
Bibliography

SETTLERS’ MUSTER BOOK 1800
List 1
List 2
List 3
List 4
List 5
List 6
List 7
List 8
List 9

GOVERNOR KING’S LISTS 1801
List 1
List 2
List 3
List 4
List 5
List 6
List 7
List 8
List 9
List 10

NORFOLK ISLAND VICTUALLING BOOK 1802

INDEX

APPENDICES
1. Additional Information
2. Occupations — Number and Rate
3. Occupations — Description
4. Letter - King to Portland 1800
5. State of Settlement 1801
6. Population Statistics
7. Norfolk Island Statistics