The Public Record Office Victoria and the Geelong & District Historical Association ran a competition in 2009 open to anyone using files from VPRS 815: the Geelong Court of Insolvency schedules.  These entries are now on-line.

Comments from the PROV judges ...

The judges were impressed with the quality of the entries and as such have decided to award some additional book prizes to the following:

• Nell Heath who wrote about Thomas Geach KEAM insolvent
• Pam Jennings who wrote about Arthur Kent SHARPLEY insolvent
• Peter Mansfield who wrote about Charles WILLIS insolvent

The winner is John Stewart who wrote on Edward Butler BROUGHTON insolvent.  John made good use of a number of records to develop an excellent and succint story.  It is an interesting story about Robert who after a bad accident in 1877 spent a considerable amount of time in the Geelong Infirmary.  He already had a number of debts and not being able to work increased his problems until he was forced to sell his land.  After being discharged from the insolvency he moved to a different area and ran a successful business.

And another couple of comments from PROV:

• really liked the stories
• I'd not read insolvency records before - they are terrific!

Hopefully many others will use this great resource [indexed on our Potpourri database] and expand their own family histories.

Many thanks to PROV for supporting the competition, providing the prizes and judging the entries.

Congratulations to the winners and all those who participated in this competition - and thank you for highlighting this wonderful resource.

The Insolvents:

• ARNOLD, Charles - born c.1836, insolvent 1878, died 1901
• BROUGHTON, Edward Butler - born 1847, insolvent 1877, died 1913
• DONALDSON, Phillipa (nee NORRIS) - born c.1829, insolvent 1877, died 1910
• HAYES, Captain John - insolvent 1873
• KEAM, Thomas Geach - born c.1832, insolvent 1860, died 1891
• McLEOD, William John Thomas - born 1883, insolvent 1912, died 1950
• NICHOLSON, Ward - born c.1837, insolvent 1862, died 1908
• SHARPLEY, Arthur Kent - born c.1825, insolvent 1877, died 1893
• SIMPSON, James - insolvent 1878, died 1903 [possible date]
• VINES, Joshua - born c.1834, insolvent 1857 and 1897, died 1906
• WILLIS, Charles - born 1815, insolvent 1878, died 1886