Australia, South Australia, Prison Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This record contains records of prisoners which may contain aliases, discharge dates, ages, places of origin, residences, and physical descriptions. They are taken from Adelaide Gaol, Gladstone Gaol, Port Lincoln Gaol, and Yatala Labour Prison.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in this record:


 * Date of Arrival in Prison
 * Name
 * Offense
 * Name of Court
 * Date and Length of Sentence
 * Age
 * Whether or Not Could Read or Write
 * Marital Status
 * Religion
 * Occupation
 * Date of Arrival into Colony
 * Place of Origin
 * Discharge Date
 * Physical Description

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of person
 * Age of person
 * Date of incarceration

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the age and date of admission to get estimated birth year for civil and church records
 * Use their occupation to see if they are in any trade or occupation records
 * Use their residences to check immigration records
 * Use their religion to check church records
 * Check court records

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * The name given may be an alias
 * Try variations of given names and surnames. Nicknames or initial are sometimes used in records and spelling was not standardized until the late 19th and 20th centuries. Sometimes names were often spelled as recorders heard them. Some women returned to their maiden names after the death of their husbands.
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible matches and try expanding the date range.
 * Look in other sections of Australia to find records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in South Australia. Add these articles in the order as shown below. If an article does not exist, omit it from the list. If none of the articles exist, omit this section.
 * Australia Guided Research
 * Australia Record Finder
 * Australia Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

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