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Judy Webster's Genealogy Tips and Indexes for local, interstate & overseas folk with historical records in Queensland and other Australian States. © Copyright, Judy Webster.    Search this site Why I use and recommend Findmypast

Hospital admission registers for Croydon in far north Queensland are very useful for genealogy and family history. Croydon was declared a goldfield in 1886, and within a year its population soared to over 6,000. During the early years, 70% of those admitted to Croydon Hospital were born in Britain or Ireland, and about 15% were born in Australia's southern states (especially the Victorian goldfields). The registers have space for the following details (which, if supplied by the patient, may be more accurate than those on a death certificate):

name;  date admitted;  age;  birthplace;  occupation;  religion;  ship of arrival;  how long in colony;  place of residence;  marital status;  place of marriage, at what age, and name of spouse;  names and ages of children living;  number and sex of children deceased;  father's name and occupation;  father's present residence if living (or 'father dead');  mother's maiden name;  disease or reason for admission;  date of discharge or date and cause of death;  sometimes additional remarks (medical history, social circumstances etc.)

Note the provision for ship of arrival, place of residence, marital status, and father's present residence (details not found on a Qld death certificate). A hospital register is sometimes the only surviving source of information about immigration.

Explanation of names below:

• Date range: 25 Mar 1888 - 4 Apr 1925 (with only 2 small gaps).
• Scroll through the list. Many names were spelled incorrectly in these registers, and my cross-references only cover some of the known spelling mistakes.
• Cross-references 'see' / 'consider' indicate an alias, alternative interpretation of handwriting, or possible spelling variant.
• Names without a surname, eg 'Adam (Aboriginal)', are listed under the first letter of the name.
• '..' means that no name was stated, or the name was illegible.
• A question mark means handwriting was difficult to decipher, and the spelling is in doubt.
• Names beginning with 'Mc' precede other 'M' surnames.
• Apostrophes have been removed from names such as O'DONOHUE.
• If there is more than one entry for a name, the same person may have been admitted more than once, or there may be several people with the same name. Check *all* such entries, because some may be more detailed or more accurate than others.
• For names below, see how to get information, or copies of the original records.

Names beginning with:  A - L    M - Z.

A - L  or  M - Z.

Genealogy is my business (not just a hobby), and I've spent over 35 years learning about (and indexing) original records, so I charge fees for my time (to consult my index, travel to a record office, find the volume and page, obtain copies and send them to you).

You don't pay for '(see...)' cross-references. For example, if the list said
    BLOGGS Joe
    BLOGGS Joe
    BLOGGS Joseph (see BLOGGS Joe)
then you'd request '2 x BLOGGS Joe' and pay for 2 entries (not 3, because the 3rd entry is just a cross-reference).

Option No.1:  Croydon Hospital INDEX: Record Series & Quote.

$4 for one entry, plus $2 for each additional entry (same name or different names). This option is especially useful for common names. If you get details from my index, you will sometimes see that the record must be for a different person with the same name, and you won't waste money ordering a copy that's irrelevant.

What I'll tell you (from my index):

• 'Patient was admitted sometime BETWEEN [year] and [year]'.
• Possible contents of the original document.
• Notes (if any) that I made during indexing (sometimes with identifying details).
• No-obligation quote (it will be a discount price) for a digital image of the original document.

To send a request, follow these steps:

1. Calculate the cost ($4 for one entry, plus $2 each for extras).
2. Send payment by bank deposit or PayPal as explained here (opens in a new window).
3. In an email, type 'Croydon Hospital INDEX: record series & quote', and...
4. List the entries you want. Don't send biographical details - just the names.
5. In your email, tell me the payment date, amount and method, and (if you have one) an alternative email address.
6. Send your email to the address shown on the payment page.

Option No.2:  Croydon Hospital: Digital COPY.

If you choose to skip the above Series/Quote service and pay full price, see the price list for Croydon Hospital records.

Other Suggestions

Note that the spelling is Croydon, not Croyden.

Indexes to other records for Croydon (Northern District insolvency files; Croydon Midwife's Diary c1886-1929; Croydon Cemetery Monumental Inscriptions to c1980s; Croydon burial register index to c1986).

Records for other hospitals, and conditions for patients in the old days.

My other genealogy sites have additional advice and names.

Search this site  (do NOT use apostrophes; read search results page carefully)

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