Convict Tickets of Leave in NSW 1788 to 1850

APPENDIX 10: TICKET OF LEAVE NUMBERING SYSTEM 1810-1827

The numbering system under Governor Macquarie ran sequentially from number 1 in 1810 to 2,587 in October 1821. Between October and December of 1821 the series seems to have continued up to at least number 2710. The records also show a sequential number each year. For example number 504 was the 290th ticket issued in 1811, and number 1282 was the 202nd ticket for 1817. Table 101 shows the ranges of numbers for those years.

Governor Brisbane's series commenced in December 1821, and was continued by Governor Darling from November 1825 until a new system was introduced in March 1827. Brisbane's series also ran sequentially, starting with 1 and ending in March 1827 with 2422. Again the records have a second number, running sequentially on an annual basis. For example, number 2261 was the 125th ticket issued in 1826. Table 101 shows the range of numbers for those years.

In some cases it was not possible to determine whether a ticket number shown on the indents belonged to Macquarie's series or to Brisbane's. However, in most cases the correct series could be identified by working out the approximate date of issue of the number under both sequences, then checking against the date of arrival of the convict's ship, musters and census records for a convict's status at various times.

From March 1827 the new system introduced under Governor Darling makes it clear which year a ticket was issued, by including the last two numbers of the year as the first two numbers in the ticket number. For example, number 270038 was the 38th ticket issued in 1827 (and the first under the new system).

TABLE 101 MACQUARIE'S SERIES        
FIRST SECOND YEAR MONTH REF LINE
  1 1810 6 COD18  
  40 1810 7 TICK2 6
  212 1810 12 TICK2 11
  214 1810 12 COD18  
1 215 1811 1 COD18  
29 243 1811 2 TICK2 15
31 245 1811 2 TICK2 16
41 255 1811 2 TICK2 18
63 277 1811 2 TICK2 22
101 315 1811 2 TICK2 25
118 332 1811 2 TICK2 28
160 374 1811 2 TICK2 30
182 396 1811 2 TICK2 32
290 504 1811 12 COD18  
1 505 1812 1 COD18  
53 557 1812 9 TICK2 38
73 577 1812 12 COD18  
1 578 1813 1 COD18  
18 595 1813 7 TICK2 44
55 632 1813 12 COD18  
1 633 1814 1 COD18  
4 636 1814 1 TICK2 46
37 669 1814 4 TICK2 49
105 737 1814 12 COD18  
  1080 1816 12 CALCULATED  
1 1081 1817 1 CALCULATED  
136 1216 1817 9 BUT31-35 102
202 1282 1817 12 CALCULATED  
1 1283 1818 1 CALCULATED  
179 1461 1818 1 BUT27-30 83
317 1599 1818 12 CALCULATED  
1 1600 1819 1 CALCULATED  
76 1675 1819 1 BUT27-30 27
151 1750 1819 1 BUT27-30 28
205 1804 1819 12 CALC BIGGE 119  
1 1805 1820 1 DO  
515 2319 1820 12 SHAW 84  
1 2320 1821 1 CALCULATED  
190 2587 1821 10 BUT27-30 87
TABLE 102 BRISBANE'S SERIES        
  (Continued by Darling to 1827)        
FIRST SECOND YEAR MONTH REF LINE
1 1 1821 12 REEL909  
4 4 1821 12 CALCULATED  
1 5 1822 1 CALCULATED  
67 71 1822 9 BUT31-35 143
216 220 1822 12 CALCULATED  
1 221 1823 1 CALCULATED  
472 692 1823 9 BUT27-30 143
478 698 1823 9 BUT27-30 70
705 925 1823 12 BUT27-30 26
714 934 1823 12 CALCULATED  
1 935 1824 1 CALCULATED  
121 1055 1824 3 BUT27-30 48
231 1165 1824 5 BUT27-30 55
292 1226 1824 7 REEL909  
293 1227 1824 7 REEL909  
294 1228 1824 7 TICK2 90
356 1290 1824 8 TICK2 93
364 1298 1824 9 TICK2 94
371 1305 1824 9 TICK2 95
540 1474 1824 12 CALCULATED  
1 1475 1825 1 CALCULATED  
3 1477 1825 1 TICK2 105
7 1481 1825 1 TICK2 106
10 1484 1825 1 TICK2 107
42 1516 1825 2 TICK2 111
44 1518 1825 2 TICK2 113
138 1612 1825 3 TICK2 118
188 1662 1825 4 TICK2 122
217 1691 1825 5 TICK2 124
278 1752 1825 5 TICK2 128
310 1775 1825 6 TICK2 129
352 1826 1825 7 TICK2 133
585 2059 1825 11 TICK2 146
649 2123 1825 12 TICK2 154
662 2136 1825 12 CALCULATED  
1 2137 1826 1 CALCULATED  
30 2166 1826 2 BUT27-30 10
69 2205 1826 3 BUT27-30 29
71 2207 1826 3 TICK2 158
86 2222 1826 4 TICK2 160
96 2232 1826 4 TICK2 161
125 2261 1826 4 BUT27-30 15
136 2270 1826 5 BUT27-30 149
140 2274 1826 5 TICK2 163
167 2301 1826 5 TICK2 164
185 2319 1826 6 TICK2 166
251 2385 1826 12 CALCULATED  
1 2386 1827 1 REEL909  
37 2422 1827 3 REEL909 LAST NO.
38 270038 1827 3 REEL909 1st of new

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    ©   Copyright Sid Hammell 1992: last updated 27 June 2005
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