Category Archives: Tasmanian legislation

Martial Law in VDL

Financing Van Diemen’s Land

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

Manuscript copies of VDL Acts – 1830-1851

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 | Leave a comment

Bushrangers – 1815

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 , | Leave a comment

Address of Sir John Franklin to Legislative Council 1837

On Friday 14th July 1837, the Hobart Town Courier reported on the first meeting of the Legislative Council that had taken place in Hobart four days earlier. At 1 o’clock the Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Franklin, took the Chair and … Continue reading

Posted in Governors, Tasmanian legislation, Van Diemen's Land, VDL Statutes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Changing the Guard

When Sir John Franklin arrived in Van Diemen’s Land to take up the position of Lieutenant Governor in January 1837, the shadow of twelve year’s autocratic rule by Sir George Arthur loomed ominously over the future administration of the Island. … Continue reading

Posted in Governors, Tasmanian legislation, VDL Statutes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Proclamation 5 January 1837

Three days before the departure of Lieutenant Governor Arthur from Hobart on 31 October 1836, Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Snodgrass arrived from Sydney to take up the position of interim acting lieutenant governor until the arrival of Sir John Franklin. He was … Continue reading

Posted in Proclamations, Tasmanian legislation | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Martial Law – Van Diemen’s Land 1828-1832

Background Colonial correspondence from the Colonial Office to the first four Lieutenant Governors in Van Diemen’s Land (Collins, Davey, Sorell and Arthur) stressed the need to conciliate with the native population of Van Diemen’s Land. A letter to Collins stated … Continue reading

Posted in Martial Law, Tasmanian legislation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

May 1824 – December 1825

Prior to Arthur being appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen’s Land in 1823, he had been Superintendent and Commandant in British Honduras for around eight years. Throughout his time in Honduras the territory was under the vice-regency of the … Continue reading

Posted in Tasmanian legislation, VDL Statutes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

June-October 1837

From 1826 to 1948 regnal years were used as part of the numbering system for Van Diemen’s Land/Tasmanian Statutes. A regnal year is a year of the reign of an English sovereign, with the first day of the first year … Continue reading

Posted in Tasmanian legislation, VDL Statutes | Tagged | 1 Comment

Statutes for the years 1832-1836

In 1832 Lieutenant Governor Arthur was finally able to begin sorting out problems relating to land grants in the Colony. Alfred Stephen had first questioned the validity of land titles in 1828 pointing out that all grants in New South … Continue reading

Posted in Tasmanian legislation, VDL Statutes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment