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Series VPRS
9604
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Register of File Numbers for Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 General Correpondence Files (Refer to Microfiche Copy, VPRS 14628)
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| Date Range: |
Series |
? 1928 - Circa 1954 |
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Series in Custody |
? 1928 - Circa 1954 |
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Contents |
Circa 1860 - By 1927 |
| Public Access: |
Closed |
| Location: |
North Melbourne |
| Format of Records: |
Physical |
  | Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series |
| Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series |
Date Range
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Agency Title
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Agency Number
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| 1995 - cont |
Sinclair - Knight Mertz |
VA 3748 |
| 1995 - cont |
Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation Victoria [SMEC Victoria] Pty Ltd |
VA 3750 |
| 1995 - cont |
Barwon Region Water Authority |
VA 3756 |
| 1996 - 2002 |
Department of Natural Resources and the Environment |
VA 3972 |
| 2002 - cont |
Department of Sustainability and Environment |
VA 4554 |
| Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series |
- How to use the Records
This series is unavailable for public inspection. A reference copy of this series is located in VPRS 14628 Register of File Numbers for Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 General Correspondence Files (Microfiche Copy of VPRS 9604). Researchers should use VPRS 14628.
It is not necessary to consult this series (or its microfiche copy) as the records description list for VPRS 3844 General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of VPRS 6008, pre 1928 files), Single Number System provides detailed description of files.
However, if there does not appear to be a relevant file in VPRS 3844 and there is no entry in VPRS 9474 Register of General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 files), Single Number System, it will be necessary to track individual items of correspondence. To do this, follow the steps below.
1. Consult VPRS 6009 Classified Registration Cards to General Correspondence and retrieve the cards which refer to items of interest. The cards are arranged according to primary and secondary subject headings. Note: consult the records description lists for all consignments in the series.
2. Examine the relevant index card to locate a particular item of correspondence. Note the correspondence number and its date.
3. Consult VPRS 6010 Attachment Books (Microform Copy of VPRS 6012) to locate the correspondence. Examine the fiche which contains correspondence within the required date and number range.
4. Locate the correspondence number in the 'Correspondence Number' column. Note the number which is adjacent to it in the 'Attached to' column.
5. If the 'Attached to' column contains a whole number (e.g. 126) rather than a later correspondence number, the correspondence will be found in VPRS 3844 General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of VPRS 6008, pre 1928 files), Single Number System. These 'Attached to' numbers are old file numbers within VPRS 3844. Consult the microfiche copy of this series - VPRS 14628 Register of File Numbers for Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 General Correspondence Files (Microfiche Copy of VPRS 9604) to find the new number which replaced the old. Note the new number, consult the records description list for VPRS 3844 and retrieve the file.
For example, using VPRS 6010, correspondence numbered 27/4072 is shown as attached to 126. 126 is an old file number (referred to as an old key number). Microfiche copy of VPRS 9604 (this series) contained in VPRS 14628 shows that the new number that replaced 126 is 536. File 536 can be retrieved from VPRS 3844; all the correspondence is in 536.
If the number in the 'Attached to' column is a later correspondence number, locate that number in the Correspondence Number column of the relevant fiche. Repeat this step until the 'Attached to' column is empty. The correspondence will be filed in VPRS 6008 General Correspondence Files, Annual Single Number Systems, under the last correspondence number. Consult the records description lists for VPRS 6008 and retrieve the file with that number.
For example, correspondence numbered 1927/5333 was attached to 27/7919, which was in turn attached to 27/10223, and so on through several more attachments until 28/9781. All the correspondence is filed with 28/9781 on the file of that number.
6. If the 'Attached to' column contains both a later correspondence number and an old file number, there are two files. Follow step 4 above for the correspondence number and step 5 above for the old file number.
- Function / Content
This series was first created by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission (VA 723) to list inactive files upon their separation from the original recordkeeping system. The first part of the Register was created sometime in 1928, when all alphabetically arranged inactive and closed files, were allocated sequential numbers which were later superseded by a new numerical sequence as recorded in the later parts of the same Register and in the newly created Register of General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 files), Single Number System, VPRS 9474.
Both these series provided access to and facilitated retrieval of inactive files removed from the original recordkeeping system. This collection of inactive files was later serialised as VPRS 3844 General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of VPRS 6008, pre 1928 files), Single Number System.
Relevant parts of VPRS 9604 (this series) and VPRS 14628 - its microfiche copy - listed files in O.S. (old system ?) and old file number order and provided cross references to new file numbers. VPRS 9474 did the same in reverse.
It is not necessary to use these registers for research purposes. The record description list for VPRS 3844 provides detailed information about the content of the series.
- Recordkeeping System
*Original Recordkeeping System
Files contained in VPRS 3844, prior to their alphabetical re-arrangement, appear to have been part of a typical nineteenth-century correspondence system in which all inward correspondence was registered individually within an annual single number sequence. It is not certain whether outward correspondence was registered separately, although that appears to have been the case, at least for the portion of the series created by the Victorian Water Supply Department. The only related record created by the Victorian Water Supply Department that has been found is VPRS 11167 Attachment Book.
From the commencement of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission in 1906, each inward letter was registered and given the next available number from an annual sequence obtained from the register of inward correspondence. The whereabouts of the register for the period 1906 to 1954 is unknown.
The letters' subject classification was then registered in VPRS 6009 Classified Registration Cards for General Correspondence. If a letter was received relating to a subject that had been dealt with in a previous letter, the earlier paper was attached to the new letter. The file thus created was stored and controlled by the number of the later paper. In this way files were continually top-numbered whenever a new piece of related correspondence was received. The top-numbering was recorded in VPRS 6012 Attachment Books.
From 1908 all correspondence was indexed in VPRS 9606 Subject and Nominal Index Cards to General Correspondence soon after registration.
Papers received from the Commissioners of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission were treated as inward correspondence and were registered and indexed in the series named above.
*Re-arrangement of Inactive General Correspondence Files: ?1928-?1952
It is possible that the Records Branch stored or periodically put away inactive files created through the top-numbering process, in alphabetical order by subject within each year.
It appears that sometime in 1928 all alphabetically arranged inactive and closed files, were allocated sequential numbers as documented in the first part of the Register of File Numbers for Alphabetically Rearranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 General Correspondence Files - VPRS 9604. That number was later referred to as an old key number. Over the years, as the files were added on to this inactive collection and more numbers allocated, the initial alphabetical order turned into a number of inconsistently applied sequences and consequently retrieval of files was difficult.
*Final Re-arrangement of Inactive Files: ?1952-1954
In order to provide a more efficient method of retrieval, about 1952, an archival project was undertaken by the Records Branch of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission [SRWSC] and finalised in 1954. At that time, all pre 1928 inactive files and O.S. [old system?] files were grouped together and re-arranged into one alphabetical sequence by subject in a more structured way than previously. Upon completion of the alphabetical re-arrangement according to the primary and secondary subjects, each file (bundle) in this collection was allocated a new sequential number as documented in the relevant part of the Register of File Numbers for Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 General Correspondence Files (VPRS 9604) and in the newly created Register of General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of VPRS 6008 - pre 1928 Files), Single Number System (VPRS 9474).
The subject of the correspondence became the file title. Generally, the titles referred to local bodies, such as waterworks trusts, which dealt with irrigation, flood and other water matters in their local areas. Other titles included government agencies such as the Board of Examiners of Water Supply Engineers, and general subjects.
The new files were arranged lexicographically by primary and secondary subject. Within each secondary subject files were arranged chronologically. All files were then given numbers from a single sequence. For example, new files numbers 1154 to 1172 relate to the primary subject Kerang Centre and Irrigation District. Within this sequence the secondary subjects are arranged from Boundaries - 1910 to Rating - 1911-19.
It appears that in the course of the same project a number of old key number files were destroyed.
Files were placed in boxes and stored in the basement. Prior to the transfer of this collection to the PROV in 1982, the files were culled again. This process was documented in the VPRS 9474.
*Relationship between VPRS 9604, VPRS 9474 and VPRS 3844
The two series which linked the old and new sequences were VPRS 9474 Register of General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of VPRS 6008 - pre 1928 files), Single Number System and VPRS 9604 Register of File Numbers for Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of pre 1928 General Correspondence Files. VPRS 9474 listed the new file numbers in sequential order and gave the relevant old key number for each, while the later parts of VPRS 9604 did the reverse.
Both series facilitated retrieval of files contained in VPRS 3844 General Correspondence Files (Alphabetically Re-arranged Inactive Portion of VPRS 6008 - pre 1928 files), Single Number System.
*Series and Contents Date Range
The initial allocation of numbers to inactive files started most probably in 1928. There is evidence that till 1927 files were still being registered within the original, annual number system. For example, file allocated with old key number 126 was last registered within the active system (at the time) as correspondence number 27/4072. VPRS 3844 comprises pre 1928 files. The final alphabetical re-arrangement of this series was completed in 1954. These dates have been taken as the overall date range of the series.
*Content of the Register
The original part of this Register was most probably first created sometime in 1928 and listed files periodically separated from the active recordkeeping system. It consists of a number of alphabetical sequences arranged by title / subject of the files and allocated sequential numbers (old file number). The complete range of allocated numbers is 1 to 2993.
There appears to be some inconsistency in the alphabetical arrangement of the separate sequences. General files appear at the start of most sequences, but not all. In some, entries for personal history files are found lexicographically by title. In most, however, personal history files are listed together in the middle of the sequence - presumably where Personal would be. There is a similar inconsistency in relation to entries for water permits. These are usually listed together under Water, but are occasionally found under Permits or, even less frequently, lexicographically by applicant name. It appears that, gradually, all files relating to a district were arranged under heading for that district. Districts were arranged lexicographically.
The second part (refer to numbered pages 1 - 16) was created sometime between 1952 and 1954, during the final rearrangement of the inactive collection of files into what is now known as VPRS 3844. It listed O.S. files (old system?) in numerical sequence from 1 to 507. O.S. files appear to be correspondence inherited by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission from the Victorian Water Supply Department (VA 2787) that were never formally incorporated into the active recordkeeping system maintained by the Commission.
It appears that the third part of the Register (Pages 18 - 125) was intended to capture all files after their final rearrangement. Hence, the numerical range of file numbers is 1 to 3500, which seems to be a total number of files being dealt with at the time of the final rearrangement (2993 files listed in the first part and total of 507 O.S. files). Some of the files were destroyed and subsequently not included on this list. Others were listed as subsequent parts instead of separate files. This list also included files removed from the active system at the time of the project. Eventually, not all of the initially allocated numbers were used - entries go only to 3441 with a number of gaps.
Second and third parts of the register provide cross references to new file numbers as listed in VPRS 9474. At the front, there is a brief note containing instructions for retrieval of the sequentially numbered files.
The recordkeeping processes described in this series registration were deduced from the analysis of the extant records and from the Records Branch operations manuals prepared in 1977 and 1987. However, neither manual describes the recordkeeping processes in the detail that the series note has attempted to do. It is possible that the steps described in the series registration did not actually occur in the sequence set out. The operations manuals are in VPRS 11185 Policy, Procedures and Operations Manuals (Library Set).
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