From 1856, ie the commencement of civil registrations, sudden deaths needed to be reported to the police. It was possible to obtain permission to bury from the police, even before an inquest was held if the police were satisfied there was no foul play (hygiene issues for the local community, in era before morgues with cool rooms). The responsibility to register the death (until about WWI) was somewhat confusing as was finding a qualified coroner and or a funeral director. Afterall, there was not a huge urban population, so as the need to register deaths is dependent on the frequency of these events, there's every reason to understand that even the deputy registrar, or the local police magistrate may not know exactly what to do, particularly when the burial is on private ground. Even in metropolitan areas or even in 'towns' like Bourke, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that the registration process 'broke down'. From after WWI, the regulations became more formalised and the funeral director was required to register/file the information. Previous to that, there's Coroners who issued burial orders and did not register or require subordinate staff to register the death, there's Police magistrates who issued burial orders, and did not register deaths.... and of course, there's parents who attended to the registration process as best they could.
So, the clerk acting as a Deputy Registrar at a local police station/sheriff's office/court house recorded into his local ledger. Book facing the clerk, and the clerk asking the questions. So, not just informant driven, but VERBAL questions and verbal answers only. When ready, the clerk then turns that ledger to the informant and says "sign here". Informant signs, or makes their own mark if not yet literate. And then IF the clerk remembered, once each quarter year (April, July, October, January) a summary of the registrations is sent by mail to Sydney.
Anyone ever visited an older style court house, even those still used in the Central West of NSW, will know the high and wide counters in the "Admin" section (about 4 ft or higher and about 5 ft or wider).... Ledger book fits under that
I am 5 ft 6 in tall, and standing on the 'railway sleepers' in front of the counter at "general enquiries" of a court house in central west of NSW in January 2012, chatting with the officer on duty. If you were not yet literate, and it was late 19th century, and asking how to register a death of your own 6 year old child, and grieving, it would be very confronting to stand at any similar counter.
Cheers, JM
