Convict Guide - published 2006 - Manual / Resource - Page 209
Guide to New South Wales State archives relating to convicts and convict administration
grants; he did not wish to risk alienating his most essential
administrative official by altering it. (Liston, Governor Brisbane, pp.767). The following year Goulburn maintained that he was the only
channel through which the Governor could give directions to the various
members of the civil establishment. Documents not passing through his
Office were 'informal'. (HRA vol. 11, pp.258, 260). This claim led to the
final breach between the two men. (Liston, Governor Brisbane, p.80).
Brisbane was recalled and left the colony late in November 1825.
Goulburn was relieved of his position but continued to serve as Colonial
Secretary until 7 January 1826.
Reorganisation
under Darling
Governor Darling reorganised the whole administrative structure which
was overseen by the new Colonial Secretary, Alexander Macleay.
(McMartin, Public Servants and Patronage, pp.143ff, Fletcher, Ralph
Darling, pp.87-88). Darling issued further instructions changing the
channels of communication in the colony on 1 September 1829.
'Application upon Subjects relating to any particular Department' were
to 'address themselves in the first instance to the Head of that
Department, who in all Matters of unquestionable regulation, will at
once afford such information as may be required. In Cases where it may
be necessary to bring the Subject under the Consideration of the
Governor, the Head of the Department will forward the Application with
every necessary Information, accompanied by his own remarks to the
Colonial Secretary'. (Sydney Gazette 5 September 1829, p.1b).
Convicts had the right to petition the Governor on a wide range of
matters. These documents were often written by well-educated
convicts, or by a clerk at the local court who charged a fee. (Hirst,
Convict Society, p.128) A substantial quantity of petitions has survived
from 1810 onwards. In the early years they were mostly concerned with
requesting a ticket of leave or a pardon and these have been indexed in
the Index to the Colonial Secretary's Papers, 1788–1825.
Subjects of petitions
As the number of convicts increased and the convict system became
more complex, a wider range of matters were the subject of petitions.
By the 1830s a convict could request:
a ticket of leave or a pardon (petitions for mitigation of sentence);
to have a ticket of leave restored after losing it for bad conduct;
to spend bank money;
to marry;
to have a spouse assigned;
to be assigned elsewhere for personal or family reasons;
to have family sent from Britain at Government expense;
to live out of barracks;
to have Fridays off (in addition to living out of barracks) to support
family;
to receive rations while husband was at a penal settlement;
to be informed on the progress of an earlier application. (Hirst,
Convict Society, p.129).
Applications to
Colonial Secretary
206
The operation of the system can be illustrated by looking at what was
involved in applying for a ticket of leave. Convicts had to apply to the
local Bench of Magistrates who checked their records and if satisfied
forwarded the application to the Principal Superintendent of Convicts.
Where necessary he checked additional records, and made a
State Records Authority of New South Wales
