Tasmania, Australia, Index to Birth Notices in The Mercury, 1854-1930

The Mercury newspaper was begun in 1854 at which time it was published twice a week. In 1858 it became a daily newspaper and has been a daily ever since.

This data collection contains an index to birth notices posted in the newspaper from 1854-1930. This index is an electronic version of two published compiled indexes – the O’Shea Indexes to The Mercury 1854-1930 and Whitton’s Indexes to The Mercury 1858-1899. Hardcopies of these published indexes are available at the Hobart Branch of the Tasmanian Family History Society. The O’Shea Indexes were compiled by Joyce and Frank O’Shea, while the Whitton’s Indexes were compiled by Kevin and Albert Whitton. Both of these families donated many years of work to the Tasmanian Family History Society.

Information listed in this collection includes:

• Name of child
• Birth date
• Gender
• Father’s name
• Date notice was published in the newspaper
• Other details

Early birth notices recorded only the parents’ names (generally the father) and gender of the child. Later notices gave the child’s first name/s and occasionally the mother’s maiden name. Those births noted as stillborn indicate the child died at birth or very shortly afterwards.

As this database is only an index, additional information may be found in the original birth notices published in the newspaper. With the birth date of the child and the date the notice was published in the newspaper it shouldn’t be very difficult to locate the original entry. Copies of older editions of newspapers are often available on microfilm at local community or university libraries. For additional information, contact the Hobart Branch of the Tasmanian Family History Society, www.hobart.tasfhs.org.