Access to Records

These Records are classified, in different manner, into four main categories as follows:

• Pre 1820 records which are mostly copies of original records of the East India Company’s Government of Mumbai maintained in the form of Diaries. The total number of these records is about 7,000 volumes.
• Post – 1820 records which are the proceeding of Government in each Department in compilations arranged in alphabetical order bound on volumes up to 1912 and in loose files up to 1920. The total number of these records is about 2, 00,000 volumes.
• Records after 1920 maintained on the form of files, one file for each subject according to the Maxwell system. The total number of these records is about 4,00,000 files.
• Printed Records, Maps, Newspapers, Private Records, etc.
  
  

Besides Diaries, Compilation, Volumes and Files, the other forms of records in Mumbai Archives are as follows:-

1. Inward Letter Book
   A manuscript book, containing copies of letter received in the Secretariat (Factories, & c), is called Inward letter books. They are for the years 1646 to 1786. In the case of letters copied in full in Diaries, they do not appear in Inward Letter Books. From 1786 letters are copied in full in Diaries.
2. Outward Letter Book or Order Book
   A manuscript Book, containing copies of letters, memorandum and orders issued from the Secretariat Factories, Residencies, &c, is Outward Letter Book or Order Book.
3. Minute Book
   A manuscript Book, containing notes of proceedings at the Council Meetings of the Government of Mumbai and of the Chief and Factors in the Factories and Residencies and Members of Committees, is called Minute Book. These notices with change in the language are copied at full Diaries.
4. Dispatches from and to the Honorable Court of Director
   The Dispatches from the Honorable Court of Directors to the Government of Mumbai and from the Government of Mumbai of the Court are compiled separately. The former series of letters are called Honorable Court‘s Inward and the latter series Honorable Court’s Outwards. Major Candy while on special duty of classifying Government Records sorted and arranged these letters according to Department.
5. Inward Registers
   Manuscript Book in which letters, memorandum, etc. received in the Secretariat are registered is called Inward Register.
6. Outward Register
   Manuscript Book in which letters, memoranda, etc. issued from the Secretariat are registered is called Outward Register.
7. Indices
   In the case of Diaries, the last Diary Volume of a year contains indices. For Compilation or Volume series of Records, there are separate index volumes.
8. Selections or Selected Compilations
   These records consist of copies of proceedings on record made for the previous history of questions under consideration of Government. Of these Selections, those relating to Foreign Government have been classified as “Foreign Power”.
9. Surveys
   There are 20 volumes under the head Surveys. They relate to the Revenue, Statistical and Topographical Surveys of the Island of Mumbai and Salsette, Dharward, Gujarat etc.
10. Records in Portuguese
    There are 6 volumes containing documents in the Portuguese language. They comprise the period from 1714 to 1819. But, there are gaps of records for many years. They contain translations in Portuguese of letters received and issued by the Government of Mumbai to Native Princes and other individuals in Malabar and to the Portuguese Governments at Goaud, Daman, Volumes No. 4 of 1714 to 1717 and No. 6 of 1819, contain Judicial proceedings. Volume No.5 of 1722 contains a register of lands and taxes on the island of Mumbai.
11. Printed Records
    These consist of Government Publications, Selections from Government Records, Government Gazettes,Old Newspaper, Files, Civil Lists, Abstracts of proceedings, Annual Reports of various Government Offices, Reports of different Committees appointed by Government, etc.
12. Maps
    There are about 20,000 old maps in Mumbai Archives. Survey operations started vigorously in this province from 1820. Copies of the maps prepared from that period to date, of the districts of Mumbai Presidency and surrounding areas and of the Bombay Island are found in this Collection.
13. Private Records
    Maharashtra State is rich in archival material many old families in Maharashtra have in their possession a good collection of their family records, which throws light on the history of Maharashtra. The Directorate of Archives has acquired numerous private records from the historical families like the Patwardhans of Sangli, Manes of Mhaswad, Mohites of Raigaon, Patankars of Patan, etc. Most of these records are in modiscript and a few of them in Persian.