Research Services Welcome to our Research Services section. The Research Team at the GSV can research a family or topic of your choice and provide you with the results of that research. We offer a variety of research services for GSV Members and Non-Members. Click on any of the items below to find out more about that item. Please note: If you are a GSV Member, you will need to login as a GSV Member before you can submit your Research Services requests. This ensures that you get the special rates for Members. It also means that you do not have to enter your GSV Membership Number and other contact details because we already have this information in our membership records. If you need help with this, please refer to these FAQs: Login and Passwords - FAQs If you need a blank Ancestry Chart, you can download one as a fillable PDF here: Blank Ancestry Chart If you need a blank Family Group Sheet, you can download one as a fillable PDF here: Blank Family Group Sheet Research Services for GSV Members Research Services for Non-Members Members - Getting Started Consultation for Members - Free Members - Getting Started Consultation for Members Members may book a free 1/2 hour 'getting started' consultation in our Research Centre with a member of the research team. Please email Linley Hooper with a preferred date and time: libraryadmin@gsv.org.au Members - Distant Member Research Request – Free (once a year) Members - Distant Member Research Request Members who live outside a 100 km radius from the Melbourne GPO are entitled to a 2-hour block of complimentary research per year. Apply here: Members - Distant Member Research Request Members - Quick Look-up Service - Free Members - Quick Look-up Service This service is limited to one query at a time for a 20-minute look-up of a record accessible from our library, or we may be able to advise you where records are held. A Quick Look-up is best used in those situations where you know the record you want but can't visit the GSV Library to view it. We will notify you if your request does not qualify and may advise you to submit an extended research request. Digital images may be included in the reply. On receipt of a reply, you are welcome to send another question. Cost: Free of charge for GSV Members. Apply here: Members - Quick Look-up Service Members - Extended Research Service - $30.00 per hour Members - Extended Research Service This service is carried out by an experienced team and is available for Members and Non-Members. Requests will be answered in order of receipt and there may be some delay. Clearly state what you wish us to investigate. Include an Ancestry Chart and Family Group Sheets for those you are researching, with copies of all relevant certificates, etc. you hold. The hourly fee includes limited copying and postal charges – email is more efficient and cost-effective. You need to decide the number of hours of research. We usually recommend two hours to start but we are happy to begin with one hour. At the end of that time we send a report, often with digital or paper images, and advise whether more work is required. The cost is $30.00 per hour with a minimum of one hour. Apply here or pay for additional hours: Members - Extended Research Service Members - Consultation Service - $30.00 for a 1-hour consultation Members - Consultation Service An appointment can be made for one hour with a research consultant. Before booking an appointment, you may wish to visit the GSV and ask for the assistance of the Research Assistants. Please contact us at this email address to arrange an appointment: research@gsv.org.au Please advise time-frame and area of your research when requesting an appointment. Please bring copies of all relevant documents you hold. The cost is $30.00 for a one hour consultation. Apply here: Members - Consultation Service Members - Transcription of Old English Documents/Latin Translation - $30.00 per hour Members - Transcription of Old English Documents/Latin Translation This service can be provided for various historical documents based on good quality digital copies of original documents, e.g. wills, deeds. A quote for costs based on an hourly rate may be requested. The cost is $30.00 per hour with a minimum of one hour. You can request a Quote here: Members - Quote for Transcription of Old English Documents/Latin Translation Once you've accepted a Quote and the work has been completed, we will send you a request for payment. Members - Document Retrieval - Victorian Probate Records - $50.00 per request Members - Document Retrieval - Victorian Probate Records The GSV will obtain copies of these documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV): Victorian Probate Papers 1841-2016 (Indexes to 2016 and images to 1925 are available free online on PROV website): Wills and probates These documents are indexed so there is no refund if the document cannot be found, so please provide accurate details including the PROV reference number. If in doubt, you should consider a Quick Lookup: Quick Look-up Service Documents are sent as digital copies to you by email. If prints are required, an invoice for photocopies at 65 cents per page and postage will be sent. The cost is $50.00 per request. Apply here: Members - Victorian Probate Records Members - Document Retrieval - Inquest Records - $50.00 per request Members - Document Retrieval - Inquest Records The GSV will obtain copies of these documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV): Victorian inquest papers 1926 -1985 (not 1962-1971) indexed on PROV: Inquests into deaths Note: Indexes and images 1840-1925 are also available on Ancestry. These documents are indexed so there is no refund if the document cannot be found, so please provide accurate details including the PROV reference number. If in doubt, you should consider a Quick Lookup: Quick Look-up Service Documents are sent as digital copies to you by email. If prints are required, an invoice for photocopies at 65 cents per page and postage will be sent. The cost is $50.00 per request. Apply here: Members - Inquest Records Members - Document Retrieval - Melbourne Hospital Records - $50.00 per request Members - Document Retrieval - Melbourne Hospital Records The GSV will obtain copies of these documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV): Melbourne Hospital Records, only those entries indexed in the Genealogical Index of Names (GIN): Genealogical index of Names - Members These documents are indexed so there is no refund if the document cannot be found, so please provide accurate details including the PROV reference number. If in doubt, you should consider a Quick Lookup: Quick Look-up Service Documents are sent as digital copies to you by email. If prints are required, an invoice for photocopies at 65 cents per page and postage will be sent. The cost is $50.00 per request. Apply here: Members - Melbourne Hospital Records Members - Document Retrieval - Other PROV Documents - $60.00 per request Members - Document Retrieval - Other PROV Documents The GSV will obtain copies of specified documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). These types of documents include: civil court cases, police correspondence, criminal trial briefs, royal commission submissions, school correspondence files, divorce files, asylum correspondence. For Probate Papers, please use the Probate Request Service: Victorian Probate Records For Inquest Papers, please use the Inquest Request Service: Inquest Records For Melbourne Hospital Records, please use the Melbourne Hospital Records Request Service: Melbourne Hospital Records You must provide FULL and specific reference details. This option does not include searching for documents - this would be a Quick lookup Quick Look-up Service or an Extended Research Request (hourly rate) Extended Research Service. The cost is $60.00 per request. Apply here: Members - Other PROV Documents Non-Members - Quick Look-up Service - $20.00 Non-Members - Quick Look-up Service This service is limited to one query at a time for a 20-minute look-up of a record accessible from our library, or we may be able to advise you where records are held. A Quick Look-up is best used in those situations where you know the record you want but can't visit the GSV Library to view it. We will notify you if your request does not qualify and may advise you to submit an extended research request. Digital images may be included in the reply. On receipt of a reply, you are welcome to send another question. The cost is $20.00 per request. Apply here: Non-Members - Quick Look-up Service Non-Members - Extended Research Service - $50.00 per hour Non-Members - Extended Research Service This service is carried out by an experienced team and is available for Members and Non-Members. Requests will be answered in order of receipt and there may be some delay. Clearly state what you wish us to investigate. Include an Ancestry Chart and Family Group Sheets for those you are researching, with copies of all relevant certificates, etc. you hold. The hourly fee includes limited copying and postal charges – email is more efficient and cost-effective. You need to decide the number of hours of research. We usually recommend two hours to start but we are happy to begin with one hour. At the end of that time we send a report, often with digital or paper images, and advise whether more work is required. The cost is $50.00 per hour with a minimum of one hour. Apply here or pay for additional hours: Non-Members - Extended Research Service Non-Members - Consultation Service - $50.00 for a 1-hour consultation Non-Members - Consultation Service An appointment can be made for one hour with a research consultant. Before booking an appointment, you may wish to visit the GSV and ask for the assistance of the Research Assistants. Please contact us at this email address to arrange an appointment: research@gsv.org.au Please advise time-frame and area of your research when requesting an appointment. Please bring copies of all relevant documents you hold. The cost is $50.00 for a one hour consultation. Apply here: Non-Members - Consultation Service Non-Members - Transcription of Old English Documents/Latin Translation - $50.00 per hour Non-Members - Transcription of Old English Documents/Latin Translation This service can be provided for various historical documents based on good quality digital copies of original documents, e.g. wills, deeds. A quote for costs based on an hourly rate may be requested. The cost is $50.00 per hour with a minimum of one hour. You can request a Quote here: Non-Members - Quote for Transcription of Old English Documents/Latin Translation Once you've accepted a Quote and the work has been completed, we will send you a request for payment. Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Victorian Probate Records - $75.00 per request Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Victorian Probate Records The GSV will obtain copies of these documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV): Victorian Probate Papers 1841-2016 (Indexes to 2016 and images to 1925 are available free online on PROV website): Wills and probates These documents are indexed so there is no refund if the document cannot be found, so please provide accurate details including the PROV reference number. If in doubt, you should consider a Quick Lookup: Quick Look-up Service Documents are sent as digital copies to you by email. If prints are required, an invoice for photocopies at 65 cents per page and postage will be sent. The cost is $75.00 per request. Apply here: Non-Members - Victorian Probate Records Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Inquest Records - $75.00 per request Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Inquest Records The GSV will obtain copies of these documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV): Victorian inquest papers 1926 -1985 (not 1962-1971) indexed on PROV: Inquests into deaths Note: Indexes and images 1840-1925 are also available on Ancestry. These documents are indexed so there is no refund if the document cannot be found, so please provide accurate details including the PROV reference number. If in doubt, you should consider a Quick Lookup: Quick Look-up Service Documents are sent as digital copies to you by email. If prints are required, an invoice for photocopies at 65 cents per page and postage will be sent. The cost is $75.00 per request. Apply here: Non-Members - Inquest Records Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Melbourne Hospital Records - $75.00 per request Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Melbourne Hospital Records The GSV will obtain copies of these documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV): Melbourne Hospital Records, only those entries indexed in the Genealogical Index of Names (GIN): Genealogical index of Names - Non-Members These documents are indexed so there is no refund if the document cannot be found, so please provide accurate details including the PROV reference number. If in doubt, you should consider a Quick Lookup: Quick Look-up Service Documents are sent as digital copies to you by email. If prints are required, an invoice for photocopies at 65 cents per page and postage will be sent. The cost is $75.00 per request. Apply here: Non-Members - Melbourne Hospital Records Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Other PROV Documents - $85.00 per request Non-Members - Document Retrieval - Other PROV Documents The GSV will obtain copies of specified documents from the Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). These types of documents include: civil court cases, police correspondence, criminal trial briefs, royal commission submissions, school correspondence files, divorce files, asylum correspondence. For Probate Papers, please use the Probate Request Service: Victorian Probate Records For Inquest Papers, please use the Inquest Request Service: Inquest Records For Melbourne Hospital Records, please use the Melbourne Hospital Records Request Service: Melbourne Hospital Records You must provide FULL and specific reference details. This option does not include searching for documents - this would be a Quick lookup Quick Look-up Service or an Extended Research Request (hourly rate) Extended Research Service. The cost is $85.00 per request. Apply here: Non-Members - Other PROV Documents