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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Forfarian on Sunday 10 April 16 22:59 BST (UK)

Title: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Forfarian on Sunday 10 April 16 22:59 BST (UK)
Does anyone know where I might find a complete list of the full names of the various BMD registration districts in Victoria?

I've been delving in the Vic BMD indexes, and have found loads of relevant information, but they seem to have this inconvenient habit of abbreviating the reg district names, and there are quite a few I can't work out as I don't have any sort of list to compare with the abbreviations.

I asked the Vic BMD office about this, and they said they didn't have a key to the abbreviations and if I wanted to know where an event took place I'd have to order a certificate. Not helpful when (so far) I have index listings of 901 events and they charge $20 a time.
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Jean Price on Sunday 10 April 16 23:10 BST (UK)
Good Morning,

How about this

http://www.historyaustralia.org.au/ifhaa/misc/vicnames.htm (http://www.historyaustralia.org.au/ifhaa/misc/vicnames.htm)


Regards
Jean in Canterbury, NZ
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: majm on Sunday 10 April 16 23:22 BST (UK)
http://zades.com.au/gandd/index.php/thisthat/vicbdmind

Cheers,  JM



Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: judb on Monday 11 April 16 02:31 BST (UK)
It's my understanding that the index entries were compiled by hand by volunteers many years ago and a variety of abbreviations were used.

Some other links from Rootschat's Australia Resources board
Place names in Victoria abreviations
·   http://talltrees.sirrah-comp.com/resources/vic_abbr.htm
·   http://www.historyaustralia.org.au/ifhaa/misc/vicnames.htm

I realise you have a huge number of events but perhaps R'chatters can help with some of them, especially if you have some with similar abbreviations.

Judith
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: rusted on Monday 11 April 16 05:07 BST (UK)
Some of those abbreviations in the index are quite horrible aren't they?
I am sure that a few of the Victoria centric people here could help untangle them, a bit of information could help though as often the same abbreviation was used for several towns, so for example if you have Cast. as the abbreviation then it would help if we knew if his family grew around Hamilton then Casterton would possibly be right, but if it was central Victoria then it would be Castlemaine.
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Forfarian on Monday 11 April 16 09:15 BST (UK)
Thanks, everyone. That is very useful.

It's not easy from 12,000 miles away to read the minds of those registrars who didn't write the name of their district in full. I didn't know about the issue with Casterton vs Castlemaine, and I am not very familiar with other Australian resources apart from the wonderful Trove.

Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: judb on Monday 11 April 16 10:37 BST (UK)
Would you like to give us some of your possibles and we can have a go..............perhaps not all 901 though  :o

You may find the Victorian Wills site useful as the residences are given and you may be able to match them with any deaths you have. Useful also, sometimes, in listing children, depending on the bequests.

prov.vic.gov.au/index_search?searchid=54

It can be a very frustrating site though.  Although the index entries load quickly (usually) the actual documents can be very slow to load and at times won't load at all.  Of course, not everyone left an estate or a will. 

Good luck, Judith

Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Forfarian on Monday 11 April 16 10:45 BST (UK)
Thanks. I will ask as and when I am stumped. And thank you for the hint re wills. I have to go out now but will have another look later.
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: JACK GEE on Monday 11 April 16 11:14 BST (UK)
Hello Forfarian,
a bit like Judb if you have any trouble with abbreviation list them and we will have a crack. Us locals have trouble - i can understand your predicament.

cheers jack gee
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Forfarian on Monday 11 April 16 16:48 BST (UK)
Thanks. Might not be for a while for unrelated reasons which may prevent me looking much at family history for a while.
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Colin Charman on Tuesday 02 August 22 12:25 BST (UK)
Can anyone tell me what registration district "ADALE" is an abbreviation for?

It is used for Mabel Wilson's birth in 1899
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: judb on Wednesday 03 August 22 01:32 BST (UK)
Possibly Armadale (Melbourne suburb)


Abbreviation   Place Name   Comments
Adale   Armadale   Births 1892-1913. Deaths 1887-1953
https://bdmabbreviations.steveparker.id.au/

Judith
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Dalet on Wednesday 03 August 22 03:15 BST (UK)
If you have the registration number in this case 1899 #203, then look at registrations either side it and this may give a clue.

So 1899 #202 is ARDALE and 1899 #204 is ARMADALE.

Regards Dale
Title: Re: List of Registration Districts in Victoria?
Post by: Colin Charman on Wednesday 03 August 22 07:11 BST (UK)
Thanks to both of you for your help