Orphan Chamber

Inventory of the Archives of he Master of the Supreme Court, Cape Town, 1670- (inventory 1/3)

The Orphan Chamber and the Insolvency Chamber (from 1833 known as the Master of the Supreme Court) administered intestate estates, properties of minors, the registration of wills and deaths of persons deceased at the Cape; other records are inventories, vendu rolls, notarial deeds and liquidation and distribution accounts.

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Context

The creation in 1827 of the Supreme Court of the Cape of Good Hope was followed by the establishment of the office of Master of the Supreme Court in 1833. The latter office took over the duties of the Orphan Chamber in regard to the administration of the estates of deceased persons, minors and lunatics (Ordinances 103, 104, 105 of 1833). Subsequently, a code for the administration and distribution of insolvent estates was enacted.
The archives of the Master includes the archives of the earlier offices of the Orphan Chamber and the Insolvency Chamber which originated in 1673 through the early necessity to administer intestate estates, properties of minors, the registration of wills and deaths of person deceased at the Cape..

Division of subordinate components

Minutes (MOOC 1/1 - 1/92, MOOC 2/1 - 2/55, MOOC 2/1/1 - 2/1/251)

Papers Received (MOOC 3/11 - MOOC 3/6/1/18)

Papers Despatched (MOOC 4/1/1/1/1 - 4/3/2, MOOC 5/1 - 5/5)

Papers Regarding Administration of Estates

Death Registers (MOOC 6/1 - 6/8)
Death Notices (MOOC 6/91 - 6/9/3455)
Wills (MOOC 7/1/1 - 7/1/1068, MOOC 7/2/1 - 7/2/8, MOOC 7/3/1 - 7/3/5, MOOC 7/4/1, MOOC 7/5/1 - 7/5/5, MOOC 7/6/1 - 7/6/5 
Inventories (MOOC 8/1 - 8/77)
Conditions of Sale (MOOC 9/1 - 9/12)
Vendue Rolls (MOOC 10/1 - 10/48, MOOC 10/1/1, MOOC 10/2/1 - 10/2/32)
Notarial Deeds
  - Custing Brieven (MOOC 11/1 11/10)
  - Algemen en Kinderbewyse (MOOC 12/1 - 12/34)
Liquidation and Distribution Accounts (MOOC 13/1/1 - 13/1/7527, MOOC 13/2/1 - 13/4/1, MOOC 14/1 - 14/211)
Diverse Estate Papers (MOOC 14/212 - 14/246, MOOC 14/1/1 - 14/3/43)
Cash Vouchers (MOOC 15/1/1 - 15/1/206, MOOC 15/2/1 - 15/2/2)
Cash Books (MOOC 17/1 - 17/28)
Journals (MOOC 18/1 - 18/7)
Ledgers (MOOC 19/1 - 19/48)
Debt Registers (MOOC 20/1 - 20/14)
Diverse Papers re Debtors (MOOC 20/15 - 20/35)
Diverse Papers
Diverse Financial Papers (MOOC 21/1 - 22/22, MOOC 23/1 - 23/11)

 Source: TANAP: The Archives of the VOC
 Note: This website (Tanap) is currently offline and it is unknown if and when it will be restored.