Oxford LibGuides: Australia: legal resources: Legal History

Sources and commentary

LLMC-digital
Alternative names: LLMC ; Law Library Microfilm Consortium’s Online Service ; LLMC Digital

LLMC-digital is a collection of English language legal titles and government documents divided into ten major jurisdictional or subject areas:
US Federal Government; US States and Territories; Canada; United Kingdom; Germany federal; Germany state, kingdoms and free cities; Other Countries (Afghanistan to Zimbabwe); International Law and Organizations; Indigenous Law covering materials from various regions of the United States, Canada and Indonesia; and Special Focus Collections which includes British Empire Studies, Canon Law, Islamic Law, Military Law, Native American Collection, Roman law, etc.
Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History
Alternative name: OIELH

The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History is the online version of the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History (edited by S.N. Katz et al) published by OUP in 2009.

Australian Journal of Legal History
Some available free online. But holders of an Oxford SSO can use HeinOnline to see from 1995 volume: 1 issue:1 until 2005 volume: 9 issue:2. Continued under title Legal History.
Australasian Colonial Legal History Collection
Part of AustLII. Collects pre-1901 sources
Australian Federation Law Library
Part of AustLII covering 1901-1950
Australasian Modern Legal History
Part of AustLii 1951-2000
British Transportation Registers 1787-1867
Free Resource "The "British Transportation Registers 1787-1867" is a database compiled by researchers at the State Library of Queensland as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP). The registers, constituting an index to the British Home Office Convict Criminal Transportation Registers, cover the entire period of convict transportation to Australia, from 1787 to 1867. The registers contain entries for convicts tried at courts across England, Wales and Scotland, and transported from Great Britain (though, importantly, not Ireland). As well as covering the three primary sites of penal settlement in Australia – New South Wales, Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) and Western Australia – it also includes entries for convicts who arrived in Gibraltar, Norfolk Island, Moreton Bay (Brisbane) and Port Phillip."
Decisions of the Nineteenth Century Tasmanian Superior Courts
Free resource. From Macquarie University.
Decisions of the Superior Courts of New South Wales, 1788-1899
Free resource. From Macquarie University.
Historic Australian Gazettes 1901-2012
Free resource. Historic archives of Commonwealth of Australia and Australian Government Gazettes online are now available on the Federal Register of Legislation in a PDF searchable format. Gazettes from October 2012 onwards are available as individual notices in HTML, Word and PDF
New South Wales: First Legislative Council (1824 – 1855)
Free resource. The Parliament of New South Wales is the oldest legislature in Australia. This Digital Archive has all available documents of the First Legislative Council, covering the time during expansion of white settlement across many parts of Australia, New Zealand and Norfolk Island.
Trove (National Library of Australia)
"Find and get Australian and online resources:
books, images, historic newspapers, maps, music, archives and more" Includes access to digital theses from Australian universities. Go to Advanced search screen and limit format to thesis.
Unreported Judicial Decisions of the Privy Council, on Appeal from the Australian Colonies before 1850
Free resource. From Macquarie University.

Subject search SOLO for general works via Law -- Australia - History

Shelfmarks
All the current collections with these shelf marks are on Level 2, the entrance of level of the Law Library.

KL416 is for books on Australian legal history

KB10 - KB15 may include Australian legal biographies

KB61- KB65 may include accounts of (in)famous legal trials.

Legal Hist is for works on the history of the common law. The Australian experience may form part of the picture - as in the last example below.

Cw Gen comparative studies across 2 or more commonwealth countries. Note: comparative works which add US or European legal history into the mix are shelved at General

The Cambridge Legal History of Australia by Peter Cane (Editor); Lisa Ford (Editor); Mark McMillan (Editor)
Call Number: Holders of an Oxford SSO can read this online via title link
ISBN: 9781108499224
Publication Date: 2022
Print copy is at KL416.CAN 2022
An Unruly Child : a history of law in Australia by Bruce Kercher
Call Number: KL416.KER 1995
ISBN: 1863738916
Publication Date: 1996
Historical foundations of Australian law by series editor, J.A. Watson ; editors, J.T. Gleeson, J.A. Watson, E. Peden.
Call Number: KL416.WAT 2013
ISBN: 1862879052
Publication Date: 2013
(volumes 1 & 2)
Social History of Company Law : Great Britain and the Australian colonies 1854-1920 by Rob McQueen
Call Number: Legal Hist M173a
ISBN: 0754621685
Publication Date: 2009

Constitutional History

Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (UK)
Free resource. Facsimile version of the original act. Scroll to see background history
Documenting a Democracy
Free resource. Site from the National Archives of Australia. Outlines key documents in the foundation of Australia. Includes images of documents etc.
Australia's Constitutional Milestones
Free resource. From the Parliamentary Library website. Gives a detailed timeline of constitutional developments.
Weblaw constitution subject guide
Free resource. Scroll down to constitutional history.

The Constitution of Independence: the development of constitutional theory in Australia, Canada and New Zealand by Peter Oliver
Call Number: Holders of an Oxford SSO can read this online via title link.
ISBN: 0198268955
Publication Date: 2005
Print copy is at Law Reserve Collection KB177.OLI 2005

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