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Series VPRS 11737
Adoption of Children Register (known as Adoption Register from 1960)
About this Series Related Series Accessing the records in this Series
Date Range: Series 1929 - cont
  Series in Custody 1929 - 1971
  Contents 1929 - 1971
Public Access: Closed
Location: North Melbourne
Format of Records: Physical
 
Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1929 - cont County Court VA 686
Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series
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Date Range Agency Title Agency Number
1988 - cont Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages (including 1983-1986 Assistant Government Statist, Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages) VA 983
Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series
  • How to use the Records
    This series contains adoption orders signed by the judge until1960. Applications for adoption orders were registered in this Register from 1960. Applications were registered in chronological order (approximately).

    Refer to the consignment details for this series and retrieve the register for the appropriate year to get the adoption registration number. The registration number is required to locate the adoption files located in VPRS 11735.

  • Function / Content
    The adoption of children was first regulated by the Adoption of Children Act 1928 (No.3605). This Act established adoption as a legal transfer of custody and of parental responsibility and gave responsibility for making adoption orders to the courts. Prior to this time, adoptions were informal arrangements often made by private infants' homes.

    Under the 1928 Act an adoption application could be heard by the Supreme Court, County Court or Court of Petty Sessions. The choice of court depended upon the circumstances of the case and the wishes of the parties. The Adoption of Children Act 1958 (No.6192) removed the power to grant adoption orders from the jurisdiction of the Court of Petty Sessions. Since that time the County and Supreme Courts only have had the power to grant adoption orders, although in practice most have been granted by the County Court.

    In1929, the Melbourne County Court (VA 686) began to create Adoption Case Files, Adoption of Children Register (called Adoption Register from 1960), Register of Applications for Adoptions and Index Books of Adoptions (by surname of adoptive parents).

    This series is the Adoption of Children Register (known as Adoption Register from 1960). The information recorded includes:

    - Date of Hearing
    - Application / file number
    - Name, age, date of birth and sex of the adopted child
    - Name, age and occupation of the adoptive parents
    - Name of guardian
    - Signature of the judge
    - Adoption order made.

    Controlling Agency
    Following the proclamation of section 8 of the Adoption (Amendment) Act 1987 (No.67) the court records were transferred to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

    The Registrar became responsible for the management and control of records concerning adoptions which were in possession of the County Court, Supreme Court, and the Magistrates Courts at the commencement date of section 8 of the Act.

  • Recordkeeping System
    On receipt of an application for an adoption order, with all the supporting documents from agencies, solicitors or applicants, an adoption case file was created. These are known as Adoption Case Files (VPRS 11735). Each application for an adoption order was registered under a sequential numbering system up until 1942 and since then under an annual single number system. Registration numbers were allocated from the Register of Applications for Adoptions from 1929 to 1960 (VPRS 11736) and since then from the Adoption Register (Known as the Adoption of Children Register prior to 1960 (VPRS 11737).

    Indexing
    1929-1960
    A name index found in the front cover of each Register of VPRS 11736 provided the registration number.

    1961 - ct
    A separate name index (VPRS 11738) was created to facilitate access to VPRS 11735 Adoption Case Files and to VPRS 11737 Adoption of Children Register. Entries were made in the index in alphabetical order by the surname of the adoptive parents.
More research resourcesMore research resources
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
1955 - cont County Court Index Books of Adoptions (by Surname of Adoptive Parents) (Records Not Transferred) VPRS 11738
Controlled SeriesControlled Series
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Date Range Series Title Series Number
Previous SeriesPrevious Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
- 1960 County Court Register of Applications for Adoption (Records Not Transferred) VPRS 11736
Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series
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Transfer Date Series Title Series Number
List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series
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Consignment Number Contents Date Range Public Access No. of Units
P0001 1929 - 1971 Closed 173
Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers
Display entries per page
Date Range Series Title Series Number
1955 - cont County Court Index Books of Adoptions (by Surname of Adoptive Parents) (Records Not Transferred) VPRS 11738
More research resourcesMore research resources

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