Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1910-01-01 - (Creation)
Level of description
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Status
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Harbour and Light Department was constituted in 1880 under the Chief Harbour Master, Fremantle. The Department was responsible for control of all maritime matters, including lighthouses and other navigation aids and the administration of the shipping and pilotage legislation. The Department controlled the ports of Albany, Vasse (Busselton), Bunbury, Geraldton, Port Irwin and Cossack and it operated lighthouses at Bunbury, Bluff Leading Light, Breaksea Island, Cossack, Fremantle, Point Moore, Port Irwin, Point King, Rottnest Island and Vasse. The Department passed control of Fremantle Port to the Fremantle Harbour Trust in 1903 and to Bunbury and Albany soon afterwards. Control of lighthouses was passed to the Commonwealth in 1915.
Following the passing of the Marine and Harbours Act 1981, the name of the Harbour and Light Department was changed to that of the Department of Marine and Harbours in 1982.
Repository
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
These registers were maintained by the Harbour and Light Department to record the details of boilers in use by marine vessels. The inside cover of the first register states:
"Boilers that can be readily removed from floating craft are to be branded thus: H&L/number. This is necessary in order that the boilers may be readily identified and so prevent a boiler being removed and replaced by one constructed for a lower working pressure. One page is set apart for each boiler in order that any change of ownership taking place, or in the event of a boiler being removed from one vessel and placed onbaord another, the change in either case can be noted. The following information should be entered on each separate page with the registered no. of each boiler: type of boiler, owner's name, name or no. of craft, position of no. on boiler, authorised working pressure, number allocated under I.M. Act if previously registered, (information as to condition of boilers, repairs effected, etc., also constructional data can be obtained from file, together with particulars and condition of machinery attached to them), date of construction, material."
The registers contain no dates as to when the registration of boilers took place, although it appears that this occurred c. 1910. (There are references in other State archives to registration of boilers dating from 1905).
(The registers in this Record Series were previously listed at the State Records Office at reference: AN 16/8; Accession 1316).