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We are discussing Tracing family history
With Antoinette Buchanan, Stephanie Ryan and Jennifer Higgins

Question:
I have traced a great grandfather William White who died at Liverpool Asylum for Old, Infirm and Destitute on 29 April 1904. Enquiries at Liverpool library for records of his stay there revealed that his particular time span were missing, but that they could be available at other centres, where would these be, please?

Answer:
Stephanie - I am assuming these records are linked to Liverpool NSW rather than to Liverpool England. An asylum such as this would be a government institution. State Records of NSW has the responsibility of archiving and providing access to its State Government materials. This is one example of a strategy for searching and using their search tool.

1. Check the State Records of NSW site .

2. Select Archives Investigator on the right hand side of the home page.

3. Type in keywords ‘Liverpool Asylum’ using the ‘all words’ option.

4. Liverpool Asylum for the Infirm and Destitute (1862-1933) is one of the options. Click on ‘detail’ on the right. Scroll to the end of the page where you will find at least half a dozen record series which cover the time span in which you are interested.

5. Click on ‘detail’ for the record series of interest and check the ‘descriptive note’ which should reveal the microfilm reels or the shelf list. Underneath ‘descriptive note’ is ‘home location’ which lets you know where the records are held in State Records reading rooms in Sydney (Kingswood or The Rocks). State Records has a ‘Contact us’ link at the bottom of each page. Addresses, opening hours and helpful advice are available here.

6. Check those records yourself or use a research agent. I could not find an index of these records in the State Records ‘Indexes Online’ so it would be a matter of searching the records which should be in date order. Check whether or not a library near you holds the State Records reels you have identified from the descriptive note of the record series. Some libraries, particularly in NSW may have them. The State Library of Queensland does not hold them.

7. Find a professional researcher at the website of the Professional Historians Association (NSW) if this is your preferred option. You may wish to get a quotation before any research is carried out to see if it is worth the cost.

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