Registrar-General of Deeds Department (GA420)

The Registration of Deeds Act, 1841, to provide for compulsory registration of deeds, wills, judgements, conveyances and other instruments, came into operation in South Australia in March 1842. Under the Act a Registry Office was established, and Captain Charles Sturt was appointed Registrar General and Assistant Commissioner of Public Lands in November 1841.

A series of amendments was made to the Registration of Deeds Act between 1852 and 1854, but a new bill implementing what was to be known as the Torrens system was introduced only in November 1857. The Real Property Act became law in January 1858 ('An Act to simplify the Laws relating to the transfer and encumbrance of freeheld and other interests in Land'), establishing a Lands Titles Board composed of the Registrar-General and two Commissioners. All land alienated after 1 July 1858 had to be registered at the Lands Titles Office.

The Real Property Act, 1861, and the Amendment Act of 1878 were consolidated and amended by the Real Property Act, 1886, the object of which was 'to simplify the title to land, and to facilitate dealing there with, and to secure indefeasilbility of title to all registered proprietors'. Under this Act the Land Titles Registration Office and the department of the Registrar General were retained.

From 1970 the Registrar-General of Deeds Department became the Registrar General's Department.

Same agency as GRG59 - different system of archival control.