Nelson Provincial Museum - Isel Park Research Facility

12.30pm - 4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, by appointment
Closed Sunday and Monday
The Research Facility will be closed to the public from Monday 23^rd December and reopen on Tuesday 20^th January.

Staff to assist

Most items

Free admission - donations are appreciated. Research and reproduction fees may apply.

A Biography index under surname giving brief information from various sources
A large collection of manuscripts and archives generated by individuals and organisations from the Nelson region
A photographic collection of over 1.2 million negatives complements the archives collection

Birth, death and marriage notices from local newspapers indexed alphabetically 1842-1920, 1978-2003 (ongoing).
Index to Nelson Photo News marriages 1961-1974.
Roman Catholic local marriages and baptisms indexed from 1844-1913.
Presbyterian archives for the Nelson Marlborough Presbytery include marriage and baptism records from a number of parishes from 1853.
Lutheran baptisms 1846-1906, marriages 1849-1920, deaths 1848-1909.
Church of Christ Spring Grove marriages 1891-1950.
Church of Christ, Nelson marriages, 1898 - 1918.
Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast region cemetery burial records and headstone transcriptions.

Admission registers and school committee records from the former Nelson Education Board area including Buller. The earliest date from 1873.
Nelson College archives 1853-1959,. Class rolls Boys 1881-1931, Girls 1896-1933.
Bishop's School rolls 1860-1895.

Electoral rolls for Nelson region 1854-1896. Electoral rolls for New Zealand 1865 - 1896 (microfilm).
Telephone directories for Nelson 1938 to present; Postal directories. Some prior to 1900 and an incomplete set until 1947.
Census for Nelson District 1845 and 1849.
Nelson Jury lists 1843-1861.
Nelson & district telephone exchange subscribers 1902, c.1919, c.1922.

Rate books and valuation assessments of Nelson City 1857-1878, 1910-1949 and Tahunanui, 1933-1950.
Maps showing numbered sections throughout the Nelson Land District.
Appointments preferred for access to the map collection.
A selection of cancelled deeds and land transfer documents relating to properties in the Nelson Land District and name index currently being compiled.

Historical information on Māori in the Nelson region.
H.J Fletcher's "Index of Māori names" (microfilm edition).
Alexander Mackay's "A compendium of official documents relative to native affairs in the South Island"

Nelson Examiner 1842-1861
Colonist 1857-1920
Nelson Evening Mail 1866-1996, 1999-2001
In 1995, The Nelson Evening Mail was renamed The Nelson Mail
Golden Bay Argus 1883-1911

The Greymouth Evening Star: Otira Tunnel supplement 4.8.1923
The Buller Post 30.12.1897
The Murchison Standard 16.7.1920, 9.2.1925; 31.12.1925; 31.12.1937
Inangahua Murchison Times 22.2.1956,
Lyell Times and Central Gazette - 1888, 1892. And reprints of 3.10.1885, 13.3.1886 and original for the 22.10.1887 newspaper
The Reefton Guardian 6.5.1889
The Westport Times and Evening Star 16.4.1895
The Buller Miner 24.9.1915, 11.2.1916; 25.2.1916; 10.3.1916; 7.4.1916; 1.9.1916
The Murchison Star 30.6.1937
The Charleston Herald and Brighton Times May 1869 no 248
The West Coast Times 30.1.1867
The Inangahua Herald 1872
The Inangahua Herald and Nelson South West Goldfields Advertiser 30.8.1873; 20.8.1873, 19.2.1878, 31.1.1882;24.2.1882; 4, 6, 8, 11, June 1882; 9.5.1882; 28.6.1882; 20.11.1882
The Grey River Argus 18.8.1867

Detailed records are available for assisted immigrants sponsored by: New Zealand Company 1840-1850, Nelson Provincial Government 1853-1867: New Zealand Government 1874 - 1879.
Brief passenger listings from local newspapers, including trans-Tasman and coastal shipping, 1842-1870.