Historical information

This is a certificate of indenture, a legal agreement, between George Beattie of Forest Creek, near Castlemaine in the colony of Victoria, and Peter Christian Smith of the same place. Both were miners. Beattie was the vendor and Smith paid twenty-five pounds for a land parcel. The contract was witnessed by John Hedderwick, a law clerk in Castlemaine.
There is a record in the Mount Alexander Mail, dated Wed. 22 April 1857, of George Beattie purchasing land for three pounds, sixteen and sixpence in Castlemaine and that it was withdrawn. Records also show that a Peter and Thomas Smith farmed in Sandon near Castlemaine.

Significance

This item is a useful research tool as it a hand-written record of part of the history of the gold fields region of Victoria.

Physical description

A white paper certificate of conveyance with black print and hand-written details from George Beattie to Peter Smith. There is a wax seal on the second page.