About the Avon Valley Collection

The Jan James Avon Valley Collection is a life time's work. The transcripts of Birth, Baptism, Marriage and Death begin circa 1841. These records are supported by Shire burial registers, Funeral Director's records, headstone inscriptions and many other items. Included is Jan's Index of Mug Shots and charges from Police Gazettes concerning those from the Avon Valley who were sentenced of a crime and served time in Fremantle Prison prior to 1952. The Avon Valley which was named in 1834, encompasses the four major towns of Northam,Toodyay, York & Beverley and also includes the surrounding districts.

About the Index

The index is just a means for you to identify the names you're interested in. There is usually much more information available about the person/s mentioned.

About Jan James

Jan began her work as a Family Historian in 1970. She soon discovered that all of her forebears on her father's side were in the Avon prior to 1868 . She was recruited by Dr Rica Erickson to work on the infant “Dictionaries of Western Australians” 1829-1914. In 1988 these volumes were amalgamated and renamed “The Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians” in honour of our Bicentennial Year.

Apart from helping many people to write their family histories Jan went on to write ten books of her own, all on Avon Valley History. A major work was to compile the death certificates of children in the Avon over a 100 year period 1850-1950. This work was handed over for research into Sudden Infant Death syndrome. She also is the compiler of The Jan Goodacre Collection – a collection of the Genealogies of Western Australia's Indigenous people. These start as far back as White Settlement. The genealogies of 20,000 families include 7,696 photographs of family members. This Collection is not available on this site but can be accessed through The Department of Indigenous Affairs, Perth. Restrictions apply.

She recently completed her as yet unpublished manuscript on Western Australian Indigenous men and women who served in all conflicts of war. Her current work, apart from compiling her vast collection, lists all Romany Convicts who arrived in Australia.

In making this Avon Valley Collection available to Family Historians Jan would like to thank Colleen Ranger for her expertise in setting up this site, Brian Chambers for his work into the Avon which he co-authored with Jan and the many people who have crossed her path. She will remember always with great affection the early days with Dr Rica Erickson and the Late Tony Harrop.

“All records are only as good or true as the person giving the information and those recording it.” Jan James 2007.