Hello listers, I have just come across an interesting site that just may hold some answers for family researchers. Below, I have copied and pasted a summary of what the site is all about, followed by just a few entries. If you are interested.....the site is http://members.ozemail.com.au/~hdharris/missingpeople.html INDEX TO MISSING PEOPLE FOUND IN VICTORIA POLICE CORRESPONDENCE RECORDS. Compiled by Helen D. Harris OAM (c) Helen D. Harris OAM, 2000. The details listed below were located in uncatalogued and unindexed police correspondence files held in the Public Record Office, Victoria, Australia. These items all have one thing in common: they were written by people outside Australia, to the police department in Victoria, in an attempt to locate 'missing' individuals. The persons sought could be long-lost relatives or friends; husbands or wives who had deserted their spouses; suspected bigamists; or even people who had been in Victoria and who had committed a crime while overseas. The files contain widely differing material: some people supply only basic details about the sought person, others give a great deal of background information. The response from the police department likewise differs enormously. At times the department simply responded that the letter writer had supplied insufficient detail for any identification to be made; on other occasions the department went to a great deal of trouble to locate the missing person. There are over 2,000 boxes of material covering the period 1853 to 1940; there can be up to 300 files within each box. Many of the files relate to routine police business, but interspersed with these are files relating to missing people. What follows is a selection of these cases only - it would be the task of a lifetime to index every file in every box. Please note that I do not have this material in my possession; it is held at the Public Record Office. However, for a fee of $AUS20 per file plus photocopying costs, I am willing to organise copies of a file. Accessing these files requires a visit to the PRO, ordering the relevant box of material, locating the file, ordering a photocopy and collecting that copy about a week later. ARRANGING PHOTOCOPIES OF THE FILES. 1. Note the names, date and detail of the file, including the number of pages involved. 2. Work out the cost of photocopying, at 55c. per page, (including GST) as charged by the Public Record Office. Add $AUS20 retrieval fee for each file. (No GST charged on retrieval fee.) 3. Send a cheque in Australian Dollars made out to Harriland Press to P.O. Box 92, Forest Hill, Australia, 3131. If you wish to send a cheque in a foreign currency please allow $Aust7 bank fee. New Zealand orders are advised to email me for alternate arrangements. Please include two International Reply Paid Coupons for return postage if outside Australia, (obtainable from any post office) otherwise a $1 Australian stamp. 4. Remember to supply your own address, including if possible an email address. 5. You will be emailed when your letter arrives and the photocopies are ordered, and again when your order has been posted to you. Please be advised that there is currently some 14 days delay in photocopying orders at the Public Record Office. NAMES OF PEOPLE LISTED AND DETAILS PROVIDED: ADAMS, - Mrs. of Whitechapel London England wrote in 1896 re her son Lewis, who left for Australia in 1891. He was a cigar bundler and was in delicate health. 12 pages. ADAMS, Lewis. See entry for ADAMS, - Mrs. ADMES, Miss Annie of Newcastle on Tyne England wrote in 1897 re her uncle John TODD, who was from Alston Northumberland. She is a daughter of the late Thomas who died in Cumberland. 6 pages, List 4A AGA, Hilmar de Wahlien. See entry for THOMAS, R.J. AHERN, John, Enrly? Co. Tipperary Ireland, wrote in 1862 re only son Michael, in police force, but he has heard he is dead. 'Oh! you will in charity drop a line to a broken-hearted distracted Father ...'. Rumour is false, son is still alive. 3 pages, List 5. AHERN, Michael. See entry for AHERN, John. AISTRUP, Adolf. A Dane, he was charged with embezzlement of $2,000 from his employees in Shanghai in 1905. A $500 reward was posted, and the notice, including his photograph, is all that is on the file. 1 page. ALCOM, James and Nancy. See entry for GRIFFITH, W.A. ALDWELL, William. See entry for THOMPSON, Albert E. ALLCOCK, Elizabeth writes from Manchester in 1892. Her brother William left Liverpool England when 16-17 years of age by stowing away in a ship. He is now 30-34 years of age. The family thought him dead, but a nephew Denis CARNEY saw him in Melbourne, and she now seeks his location. 3 pages Carol ROTHWELL Melbourne Australia ROTHWELL, ECKERSLEY from 1770's - Clifton, Lancashire THORNLEY, ELLISON from 1800 - Clifton, Lancashire WALLWORK - Originally from Durham, but later Pendlebury, Lancs HOLLAND - Originally from Wellington, Shropshire, later Swinton, Lancs. WOODWARD - Westleigh, then Swinton. http://home.iprimus.com.au/crothwell/familytree.html (My Rothwell Family....with links to the other surnames) ALSO other Surnames through marriages:- FOGG, BROOKBANK, HYDE, VINEY, JOLLY, JACKSON, SNAPE, TONG, HART, MOORES, LLOYD, WEBB, JONES, COOP, CHAPMAN http://home.iprimus.com.au/crothwell/Research.htm (GENEALOGY FOR BEGINNERS)