What's in N.S.W Inquest Documents?

Inquests are held by coroners and their predecessors to determine the manner and cause of death in certain circumstances.

Not all deaths result in an inquest. In some circumstances and based on the evidence, a coroner may dispense with an inquest if he/she is satisfied that the circumstances surrounding the death are sufficiently disclosed.

Not all inquest papers survived. Indeed, in many cases, only the registers survived. Basically, the registers provide the same information as one might find on a death certificate. For this reason, genealogical researchers often consult them when no death date is available. The later the records, the more likely the papers are to have survived.

It is also important to note that newspapers frequently provided detailed descriptions of the Inquest proceedings and often included full transcripts of the depositions.

Searching these records is complex and they are held in different indexes for different periods. If we locate an inquest in one of the registers and find that the papers have not survived, we will search newspapers of the period to locate the report on the inquest in the newspapers, if it exists, for a further fee.

Place an Order for Inquest Papers