The following is a list of abbreviations used by Jess Hill in her work on convict women 1788-1818. The abbreviations are listed in chronological, and then alphabetical order. Although every effort has been made to collate and relate the abbreviations to appropriate sources this has not always been possible. The notation (source not located) indicates the problem references. Repositories holding the records have been indicated where possible. These are Museums of History State Archives Collection, previously known as Archives Office of NSW (henceforth AONSW), Mitchell Library (henceforth ML) and the Society of Australian Genealogists (henceforth SAG).
| # | |
| *, **, *** | meaning of symbol unknown |
| 2/ plus number | AO. NSW. Reference eg see Phebe Hines |
| 4/ plus number | AO. NSW. Shelf Location |
| 1788/1820 | A Register of Pioneer Families, 1788-1820 Pioneer Association, 1989 (SAG A5/14/2a-e) |
| 1789/1790 | Sydney Cove 1789-1790, John Cobley, Sydney, 1963 (SAG B3/1/8b) |
| 1806 | 1806 Muster (SAG B7/30/1806) |
| 1811 | 1811 Muster (SAG B7/30/1811) |
| 1814 | 1814 Muster (SAG B7/30/1814) |
| 1818 | 1818 Muster of Convict Women (AONSW 4/1237.2) |
| 1820 | 1820 Muster of Convict Women (AONSW 4/1237.2) |
| 1821 | 1821 Muster of Convict Women (AONSW) |
| 1822 | 1822 Muster (SAG 87/30/1822) |
| 1825 | 1825 Muster (SAG B7/30/1825) |
| 1828 | 1828 Census (SAG B7/30/1828) |
| 1841 | 1841 Census (card index AONSW) |
| 4/353 | Male Orphan School Admission Book, (AO NSW 4/353) |
| 4/1227 | 1819 Population Book, (AONSW 4/1227 Reel 1252) |
| A | |
| A 1193 | (ML Reference) e.g. see Mary Ploughwright https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/npApx7x1 |
| A3/30/15 | Australia’s Founding Mothers, Helen Heney, Sydney 1978 (SAG A3/30/15) |
| Als | Alias |
| A/P | Absolute pardon |
| ABGR | Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record. 4 Vols. (SAG A5/90/201-3, A5/90/301) |
| Advent of John Nicol | Life & Adventures of John Nichol – Mariner, Edinburgh, 1822 |
| AJCP | Australian Joint Copying Project (ML) |
| Anne Needham | Women of the Neptune 1790, Sydney, 1992 (SAG B7/40/Pam.2) |
| AO RL | AONSW Reel – prefix to microfilm number |
| Aus. Founding Mothers | Australia’s Founding Mothers, Helen Heney, Sydney 1978, (SAG A3/30/15) |
| B | |
| B 1633 M/L | ML Reference, Liverpool baptismal register |
| B4.899/1/3 | Punishment Short of Death, Margaret Hazzard, Melbourne, 1984 (SAG) |
| B7/1/15 | St Phillip’s Church Registers, (SAG Reference 5 Vols. B711/15/d-h) |
| B/C | born colony |
| Bigge Reports | with Box number-B.T. Boxes (Mitchell Library) or The Evidence of the Bigge Reports, John Ritchie, Melbourne, 1971 (SAG B3/82/la-b) or facsimile edition of the Bigge Report in 3 Vols, Adelaide, 1966 (SAG B3/82/2-4) |
| Bonwick Transcripts | B.T. Boxes (Mitchell Library) |
| C | |
| Canc | cancelled |
| C/C | [meaning of abbreviation unknown] – possibly Colonial Conviction or Colonial Court |
| C/F | came free |
| ch | children |
| C/I | Convict Indent |
| CO | Colonial Office |
| COD | Copy of Document (AO. NSW. Series prefix) |
| cons | [meaning of abbreviation unknown] |
| C/P | Conditional Pardon |
| C’reagh | Castlereagh, NSW |
| Crimes F/F | Crimes of the First Fleet Convicts, John Cobley, Sydney, 1970 (SAG B3/23/4) |
| CS | Colonial Sentence or prefix to ML microfilm reel |
| CSL | Colonial Secretary’s Letters (AONSW Series) |
| C’town | Campbelltown, NSW |
| C/U, C/Unbound | Convicts Unbound, Marjorie Tipping, Ringwood VIC, 1988 (SAG D3/23/6) |
| E | |
| empl | employed by |
| F | |
| F/A or F of A | The Founders of Australia, Mollie Gillen, Sydney, 1989 (SAG A5/90/47) |
| F.F.Biog | The First Fleeters, Fidlon & Ryan, Sydney 1981 (SAG A7/50/3) |
| F.G. | Family Group-used in printed edition of 1828 Census, Sydney, 1978 |
| File 4306 | Tasmanian Papers [source probably Mitchell Library] |
| FOS | Female .Orphan School Admission Books 1817-1832, (AONSW 4/350-51) |
| F/S | free by servitude |
| Fth | father |
| G | |
| G/D | Gaol Delivery |
| Geeves | [meaning of abbreviation unknown] |
| G/S | Government servant |
| H | |
| Hwksby | Hawkesbury |
| Hobart Town Gazette | facsimile series 1816-19 (SAG D9/82/1) or ML microfilm |
| H.R.A. | Historical Records of Australia series (SAG Reference A3/87/1-33 |
| I | |
| IGI Index | International Genealogical Index |
| Indent | Convict Indents |
| J | |
| J.COBLEY 1788 | Sydney Cove 1788, Jolm Cobley, London, 1962 (SAG B3/1/8/a) |
| D. Collins 1788 | An Account of the English Colony in NSW, David Collins, facs. copy, Sydney 1975 (SAG B3/13/2a,b) |
| JCP | Australian Joint Copying Project (ML) |
| JD NI | Norfolk Island 1788-1813, the People & their Families, James Donohoe, Sydney, 1986 (SAG B4.899/2/4) |
| JD VDL | Tasmania 1803-1820, the People & their Families, James Donohoe, Sydney, 1988 (SAG D5/14/1) |
| JD R/C | The Catholics of New South Wales 1788-1820 & their Families, James Donohoe, Sydney, 1988 (SAG B3/92/2) |
| J Mc C or J Mc L | John McClelland published typed copies of Convict Indents etc (ML) |
| K | |
| King’s List 1801 | 1801 Muster |
| KJ | Kerrison James Index (SAG B7/1/10b-11) |
| L | |
| Let. Rcd. | Colonial Secretary Letters Received (AONSW) |
| Licences | Publican’s Licenses or Marriage Licenses |
| L/J | The Crimes of the Lady Juliana Convicts 1790, John Cobley, Sydney 1989 (SAG B3/23/8) |
| l/w | living with |
| M | |
| m | married |
| Microfiche 66812 | AONSW Genealogical Research Kit, now known as Archives Resources Kit (ARK) https://mhnsw.au/guides/archives-resources-kit/ |
| M/L card | Mitchell Library index card |
| M. Licences Descent | ‘Marriage Licenses: Abstract & Indexes in the Library of the Society of Australian Genealogists’ Descent, Journal of the Society of Australian Genealogists, 1984 |
| MOS | Male Orphan School Admission Registers 1819-184 7, (ML C 200) |
| MSS | manuscripts |
| MUTCH | T.D. Mutch, Index of Births, Death & Marriages (SAG B7/1/1a-d) |
| N | |
| N/B | [meaning of abbreviation unknown] |
| N.I. or NI | Norfolk Island |
| NIVB | Norfolk Island Victualling Book, (SAG B7/30/1792-6) |
| N/castle, NIC | Newcastle, NSW |
| N/P | native place |
| NS/DG | Notorious Strumpets and Dangerous Girls, Philip Tardiff, Sydney, 1990 (SAG D3/23/8) |
| O | |
| O.B | Old Bailey Sessions Papers (OBSP) Microfilm series (ML) |
| off/st | off stores |
| On/st | on stores i.e. victualled by Government |
| O/R | [meaning of abbreviation unknown] |
| P | |
| Pet and Mem | Petitions and Memorials, Colonial Secretary’s Papers (AONSW) |
| PET p 412 | probably Col.Sec Petitions |
| PETIT | Col. Sec. Petitions |
| Pion. or Pioneers SAG Z | The Pioneers of Sydney Cove, Herbert Rumsey, n.d. (SAG ZB5/35/1) |
| P’m or P’matta | Parramatta, NSW |
| P.R. SAG | Primary Record Collection (SAG) |
| PRO Reel | Public Record Office Reel (Series held at AONSW & ML) |
| Prot | Protestant |
| Pte | Private Soldier |
| Q | |
| Q.R. | Quarterly Returns |
| Q.S. | Quarter Sessions |
| q.v. | ‘quod vide’ (which see) treated in this work |
| R | |
| Reg. Gen. Book 0 No 84 | Registrar General’s Land Title’s Office register |
| Rev Knopwood’s Records | [location of record unknown] |
| Rev Youll’ s Records | [location of record unknown] |
| R.G./RG. lndex | NSW Births, Deaths & Marriages |
| Rl or RL -reel | Microfilm located at AONSW (unless accompanied by ML) |
| Rumsey or Rumsey Pioneers | The Pioneers of Sydney Cove, Herbert Rumsey, n.d. (SAG ZB5/35/1) |
| S | |
| SAG | Society of Australian Genealogists |
| S.G. | Sydney Gazette & NSW Advertiser (ML) |
| S/B | Special Bundles |
| S/cove | Sydney Cove 1791-2, John Cobley, Sydney, 1965 (SAG B3/1/8c) |
| S/e, S/E | self employed |
| Smee | Third Fleet Families of Australia, Dr Craig Smee, Sydney, 1991 (SAG A5/14/7) |
| St Anne’s Ryde | Church Register, St Anne’s, Ryde, Church Register |
| St J. | Church Register, St John’s, Parramatta or St James’ Sydney |
| St Jas. Reg. | Church Register, St James, Sydney |
| St. M. | Church Register, St. Matthew’s, Windsor |
| St Math. W’ sor | Church Register, St Matthew’s, Windsor |
| St Ph. Reg. | Church Register, St Phillip’s, Sydney |
| Sun | The Sun, Sydney newspaper |
| Surgeons Jnls | Surgeon Superintendents’ Journals (PRO Reel series AONSW) |
| Svt | Servant |
| Syd Hospital Return | [location of record unknown] |
| Syd. Gaz | Sydney Gazette & NSW Advertiser (ML) |
| T | |
| Tas. Papers File | State Library – https://collection.sl.nsw.gov.au/record/9gkdOA49 |
| T/L, TL, T/Leave | Ticket of Leave |
| U | |
| U/M | unmarried |
| Ux | ‘uxor’ -wife |
| V | |
| VB plus year | Victualling Book usually Norfolk Is. Victualling Book (see NIVB above) |
| VDL | Van Diemen’s Land-now Tasmania |
| Vic. Cr. or VIC Crit | various books by Victor Crittenden |
| W | |
| W | widow or widower |
| W’sor | Windsor, NSW |
| X | |
| X with number | AONSW previous number system |