Author Archives: dashea2014

About dashea2014

A Law Librarian with extensive experience in general legal and court libraries. Editor of the Australian Law Librarian for 4.5 years (2008-2012) and active member of Law Libraries Tasmania. Special topics - Tasmanian legislation and case law. A passion for maintaining access to print resources.

Supreme Court 1828 – 1831

Posted on 05/04/2022 by dashea2014

In 1819 Thomas Bigge had been sent to New South Wales by Lord Bathurst to examine the effectiveness of transportation as a deterrent to felons. He was to investigate all aspects of the operation of the Colony, including the judicial … Continue reading →

Posted in Courts, VDL | Tagged Alexander Macduff Baxter, Demise, Huskisson Act 1825 | Leave a comment

Supreme Court 1824 – 1828

Posted on 12/03/2022 by dashea2014

May 1824 was a significant month in the evolution of the administration of justice in Van Diemen’s Land. After 20 years of being a dependency of the colony of New South Wales, the first step towards independence was about to … Continue reading →

Posted in Courts, VDL | Tagged Alexander Pearce, Andrew Bent, Bushrangers, Cannibalism, Freedom of the Press, John Lewes Pedder, Juries, Sarah Island, Sir Francis Forbes, William Tibbs | Leave a comment

Prelude to the creation of the VDL Supreme Court

Posted on 28/02/2022 by dashea2014

From the early 1600s to 1782 Britain was able to send criminals to its colonies in America. However, the War of Independence put an end to that arrangement and the Government found itself in need of an alternative destination to … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, Courts, VDL | Tagged American War of Independence, David Collins, Edward Abbott, John Bowen, Lachlan Macquarie, Risdon Cove, Samuel Bate, Thomas Bigge, William Paterson | Leave a comment

Financing Van Diemen’s Land

Posted on 24/11/2021 by dashea2014

Following the American War of Independence in 1783, the UK government could no longer send convicts to America. It was now faced with the problem of finding another overseas destination for the ever-increasing numbers of prisoners in its overcrowded gaols … Continue reading →

Posted in Tasmanian legislation, VDL Statutes | Leave a comment

Federal Council of Australasia

Posted on 27/10/2021 by dashea2014

If searching for missing Acts is like finishing a jig saw puzzle and realising the picture is not complete, then finding ten Acts that appear to have duplicate numbers is akin to having bits left over after you have assembled … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, Discovery, Imperial legislation | Tagged Australian Joint Copying Project | Leave a comment

VDL Governor’s Despatches to Colonial Office 1826 to 1832

Posted on 23/10/2021 by dashea2014

One of the puzzles encountered when preparing to transfer the official copies of the legislation passed by the Legislative Council of Van Diemen’s Land was the whereabouts of some of the manuscript copies of Acts from 1826-1832. In theory all … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, Handwritten Acts | Tagged Australian Joint Copying Project, VDL Despatches to Colonial Office | Leave a comment

Manuscript copies of VDL Acts – 1830-1851

Posted on 13/10/2021 by dashea2014

In 1945 the National Library of Australia and Archive repositories in the United Kingdom and Ireland began a collaborative project to copy historical records relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Microfilming commenced in 1948, continuing until the Project … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, Handwritten Acts, Tasmanian legislation, VDL Statutes | Tagged Australian Joint Copying Project | Leave a comment

Bushrangers – 1815

Posted on 07/10/2021 by dashea2014

While Lieutenant Governor George Arthur has the dubious reputation for engaging in the longest period of martial law in Australia, from late 1828 to the end of 1831, this was not the first instance of the Island being subjected to … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, Martial Law, Tasmanian legislation | Tagged Lachlan Macquarie, Thomas Davey | Leave a comment

Printing and Numbering of Orders from Collins to Arthur

Posted on 01/03/2021 by dashea2014

Prior to Van Diemen’s becoming an independent colony on 3 December 1825, a succession of Lieutenant Governors had administered the Island largely through the issue of General and Garrison Orders. As the names suggest Garrison Orders applied to the military … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, General Orders, Van Diemen's Land | Tagged Regnal year citations | Leave a comment

Thomas Bigge’s view of education in Van Diemen’s Land

Posted on 22/02/2021 by dashea2014

Thomas Bigge’s view of education in Van Diemen’s LandDraft In 1785 Britain had to face the dilemma of what to do with the convicts it had been sending to the American colonies from 1718 to 1785. It is estimated that … Continue reading →

Posted in Archiving Project, Education, Van Diemen's Land | Tagged John Youl, Lord Bathurst, Robert Knopwood, Thomas Bigge, Transportation | Leave a comment