Non-government Publications
Early Days
Early Days (994.1 WES), which began in 1927 as Journal and Proceedings of the Western Australian Historical Society and has changed its name several times over the years, is the journal of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society. It contains articles written by members of the Society about various aspects of Western Australian history. Many articles are about Western Australian pioneers and many others may also include the names of people. An index to the first 9 volumes of Early Days has been compiled which covers 1927-1988. The index provides volume, issue and page number. From 1993 Early Days is also available online.
Law Almanac of Western Australia
The Law Almanac (347.058 WES) commenced in 1897 and provides a complete legal directory of judges, barristers, solicitors, lawyers, commissioners for affidavits, public notaries etc. registered to practice in Western Australia. They are produced annually.
Post Office Directories of Western Australia
The Post Office Directories (994 WIS) cover 1893-1949 (except for 1948). From 1896 they are divided into four main sequences. The first sequence lists postal addresses by town and in the metropolitan area by street. At the end of this sequence from 1923 is a list of group settlements and their residents.
The second sequence is an alphabetical listing by surname showing postal addresses for the entire state. This often shows the occupation of the person. Generally, only the head (i.e. male) of the house is given. If his name disappears and his wife is listed it may mean that he has died.
The third sequence is a trade directory which lists, under the name of the trade or occupation, names of businesses or clubs and people in certain occupations (including architects, builders, engineers, grocers, hotel licensees, merchants, storekeepers, surveyors etc.).
The fourth sequence is a series of directories of certain professions, including ecclesiastical, educational, medical, legal, banking, insurance, local government, pastoral and agricultural and government officials directories. They provide the names of people, and often the position held, in each of these areas.
The Post Office Directories are available on microfilm and online. They can be misleading in that often people will be listed at addresses for years after they have left them or have died. They are not comprehensive in that many people are missed out, e.g. those residing at boarding houses.
There may have been other series of similar types of directories, but they have not survived. A singular example is held in the serial collection. This is Webster's commercial and general directory of Western Australia 1896-97 (994.1 WEB). Its arrangement is similar to the early Post Office Directories.
Telephone Directories of Western Australia
Telephone Directories (Q384.6 WES) are held for 1903, 1917-1919 and 1923 to date (1903 and 1923-1933 are on microfilm and 1919 and 1923-1959 are on microfiche). The current Telephone Directory, which includes Western Australia, is available online. From 1971 the country and metropolitan directories were separated, with the country directory itself being split into parts for a few years before recombining in 1974. In 1988 the country directory again separated, this time into the Great Northern, the Central & Eastern and the South Western directories. The metropolitan directory split into residential and business and government in 2003/04.
University of Western Australia Calendar
The Calendar (378.941 WES) commenced publication in 1915. The 1967 and 1972 issues contain a list of all graduates. Supplementary lists are published annually and cumulated every five years. They also contain departmental staff listings and their qualifications. Other tertiary institutions in Western Australia produce similar publications.
Western Ancestor (929 WES) is the journal of the Western Australian genealogical society: FamilyHistoryWA (FHWA). It contains articles written by members on various aspects of genealogical research in Western Australia.
Western Australian Almanack
There were two series of Almanacks produced. The first was the Western Australian almanack and directory (994.1 WES), published by Stirling, Sholl & Co of the Inquirer Press, which lists residents of various towns and areas from 1865-1874. The second was The Herald Western Australian almanack and commercial directory (994.1 HER), published by James Pearce of the Herald Press, which lists residents from 1873-1889 (incomplete). Both series have been indexed. There are earlier Almanacks, going back to the 1850s, but they do not give lists of residents, only the civil establishment. Most Almanacks are available on microfilm.
Who’s Who in Western Australia
First published in Melbourne in 2007, Who’s Who in Western Australia (B/994 WHO) contains biographies of prominent Western Australians of the time. It is an annual, but so far no further editions have been received.