> inquest from 17 April 1824 Sydney for a still born female child; > parents I believe were Sarah and Edward Hutton with witnesses Mary Bevett and Esther Dalton. I've just had a look on Ancestry, Karen, and it seems that they have nothing at all for 1824. As 'Source Information' for this database they say: "Ancestry.com. New South Wales, Australia, Registers of Coroners' Inquests, 1796-1942 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Original data: Registers of Coroners' Inquests and Magisterial Inquiries, 1834-1942 (microfilm, NRS 343, rolls 2921-2925, 2225, 2763-2769). State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Sydney City Coroner: Registers of Inquests and Inquiries, 1862-1926 (microfilm, NRS 1783, rolls 1391-1396). State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. Reports of Inquests, 1796-1824 (microfilm, NRS 2232, rolls 2232, 2233). State Records Authority of New South Wales, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia. C The Crown in right of the State of New South Wales and is used under licence with the permission of the State Records Authority. The State of New South Wales gives no warranty regarding the data's accuracy, completeness, currency or suitability for any particular purpose." So at first I thought there should be some records for 1824, but when I tried browsing in their 1796-1824 batch of records, which you do by first choosing a year, the given list of years stopped at 1822. Then I tried a different approach, searching the database for all inquests in 1824 exactly, and it said there were none. (Also said there were none for 1823, but for 1822 there were 185.) There is just one other slight chance of finding this inquest on Ancestry, as in the 'Browse' list of years for the 1796-1824 batch, there's a category 'Year not stated'. But unfortunately Ancestry won't let me look at that, as there's a bug in their program that prevents people with a 'UK Heritage' subscription to ancestry.com.au actually seeing more than the top level of information - for example I can see the 185 names for 1822, but no more than that. They tell me that they are working on resolving the issue, but they don't know when they will actually fix it. However, I believe this is not a problem for people with one of the other types of subscription - maybe someone else can check that last chance for you. Sorry I couldn't be more positive. Sue

Dear Karen and Sue, I apologise for not adding that any death is tragic in most families, particularly that of a child. The record that is/maybe available is a one line entry in a book, which has been microfilmed and is part of the Archives Rescources Kit, which can be found at many larges libraries. A separate Archives in Brief lists which ones. Every Coroner throughout the State submits details of Inquests held to the City Coroner. He causes a one line entry in the above book, so on one page there maybe an Inquest at Bourke, the next at Ballina, and the next at Batemans Bay, or one in the city, then a suburban one. I do not recall when that book started to become a record, but it is probably in Archives in Brief No. 4. The details relate to where and when the Inquest was held, and on whom, along with details as to whether there was a Post Mortem examination of the body, and the details of the Doctor performing same. Later Death Registrations carried details of the finding of the Coroner, recorded on the certifcate. Any Death where the exact cause is not known is usually the subject of a report to the Coroner, who decides if there will be the necessity for an Inquest, however back in those times, it may well be that an Inquest was held on all. There could also be a couple of lines in the newspaper. Sincerely, Bill >> inquest from 17 April 1824 Sydney for a still born female child; >> parents I believe were Sarah and Edward Hutton with witnesses Mary Bevett > and Esther Dalton. > > I've just had a look on Ancestry, Karen, and it seems that they have > nothing > at all for 1824. >