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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 Roma (in outback Queensland) may be useful for genealogy and family history. The registers have spaces 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 the State;  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 other remarks (medical history or treatment, 'sent to Dunwich', a friend/relative's address, etc.)

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

About 31% of the patients listed here were born outside Australia, and 18% were born in a State other than Queensland. About 20% are children (aged under 18 years).

Explanation of names below:

• Date range: Currently this list only covers the earliest surviving registers, 2 Aug 1904 to 23 June 1905 and 14 Jan 1911 to 15 July 1911, but in the future I will add names from 1914-1918.
• Scroll through the list. Many names were spelled incorrectly in these registers, and my cross-references only cover a few likely spelling mistakes.
• Cross-references 'see' or 'consider' indicate an alternative interpretation of handwriting or a possible spelling variant.
• Names without a surname, eg 'George (Aboriginal)', are listed under the first letter of the name.
• '..' means that no name was stated, the name was illegible, or part of the page is missing.
• 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'MALLEY.
• If there is more than one entry for a name, the same person may be mentioned more than once, or there may be several people with the same name. The only way to find out is to consult the original source. Obtain copies of *all* such entries (some are probably more detailed or more accurate than others).
• For names below, I can supply digital images of the original records (this link leads to instructions).

Genealogy is my business (not just a hobby), so I charge fees for my time, regardless of the result. I've spent over 35 years learning about (and indexing) original records, and it takes time/money to consult my index, travel to a record office in Brisbane, find the relevant volume and page, take digital photos and send them to you.

If you want a digital image of the original document (sent via the Internet), my fee is $10 for one entry plus $5 for each additional entry. If the same name is listed twice, that is two entries. Order ALL entries for the name! Often one is incorrect, incomplete or illegible but another gives full and accurate details. See how to send requests and payment (my email address is on that page).

Other Suggestions

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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