New datasets in the Biographical Database of Australia
www.bda-online.org.au/
Join historian, author & Biographical Database of Australia (BDA) Board Member Michael Flynn for an introduction to the BDA & a discussion of the latest datasets added to this valuable research resource in 2022-2023 + a 2024 preview.
BDA is based on transcripts of contemporary archival & print records of colonists, including convict, immigrant, military, muster, land, court, newspaper & census records & full transcripts of parish registers, including godparents & witnesses – all being progressively linked to create a timeline profile for each individual.
The site aims to provide research & fact checking tools for genealogists, local & specialist historians, students & academics wishing to explore family, social & employment networks, overseas origins, ethnicity, settlement patterns & the growth of towns & regions. Most of all BDA can help distinguish persons of the same common name (convict, immigrant, military or Australian born) & break down research brick walls.
2022-2023 highlights include:
– Convicts sent to NSW from India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), South Africa, Mauritius & Burma 1823-1826
– a listing of landholders in NSW 1813, including a guide to land districts in relation to modern Greater Sydney suburbs
– the First Fleet victualling list 1788, effectively the 1st census of colonists arriving in Australia from Europe transcribed & digitized for the 1st time
– full text transcripts of Catholic baptisms & marriages in Sydney & regional NSW 1832-1837: Yass, Goulburn, Bungonia, Wollongong, Blue Mountains; Maitland, & for the Bathurst region 1839-1844 including Kings Plains (Carcoar-Blayney area), the Lachlan River, Cangarooby (aka Kangarooby near Gooloogong & Cowra), Tubbo (Dubbo), Vale of Clwydd (Hartley), Mudgee, Wattle Flat, Summer Hill (Orange), Cullin Roy (Cassilis), Breeza, Namoi River & Peel River.
– 1838-1856 Baptisms, Marriage Banns & Burials for Christ Church St Lawrence C of E, near Sydney’s Central Station.
–records of convicts absconding & apprehended in NSW 1832-1838 including descriptions & employers.
– Full transcript of 5,723 records from the Randwick NSW Asylum for Destitute Children 1852-1915.
– Profiles of 1,149 soldiers of the 50th Regiment stationed in NSW 1833-1841: Sydney, Georges River, Longbottom, Parramatta, Windsor, Liverpool, Bong Bong, Berrima, Wingello, Illawarra + TAS: Ross, Flinders Island, Westbury, Avoca, Perth, George Town.
– Bathurst & Central West NSW Catholic baptisms & burials 1839-1844 + St Lawrence Sydney C of E baptisms 1838-1856.
– 1788-1820 Association biographies (contributed by descendants c1968-2014, mostly for persons born in or arriving as settlers or convicts in NSW, Tas; Norfolk Island 1788-1820)
– Biographies of 205 prominent 19th century members of the Free Presbyterian Church of Australia.
About the Presenter:
Michael Flynn, author of The Second Fleet, Britain’s Grim Convict Armada of 1790, was employed as research officer, historian & genealogist by the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office for 21 years up to his retirement in 2022. Having been involved with BDA on a voluntary basis since its inception in 2006, he now has more time to devote to this steadily expanding colonial database & website. He has been a member of the Society of Australian Genealogists since 1980
