Federation

Federation 'Scrapbooks'

The Law Library holds five large volumes of material relating to Australian Federation and the early years of the Commonwealth. These were compiled by J.G. (John Garibaldi) Roberts from 1889. Roberts was the manager of the cable system of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board and a supporter of the arts; he established a writers' and artists' colony (known as 'Sunnyside') in Kallista, Victoria. Among his friends were Tom Roberts and Aeneas Gunn (author of We of the Never-Never), and C. J. Dennis dedicated The Sentimental Bloke to Roberts and his wife.

At his home in Hawthorn, Roberts had over 150 bound volumes of pamphlets, journals, newspaper cuttings and flyers which he began collecting in 1878. In an interview with Melbourne's Herald newspaper, he described these volumes as a kind of 'home-made encyclopaedia' (Herald, 5 April 1920) covering subjects such as 'British literary people', fine arts, cartoons and the Boer War. The collection also included ninety volumes (of which the Law Library holds five) dedicated to the Federation movement and the founding of the Commonwealth.

Title: Australian Federation, compiled by J.G. Roberts
Published: [1879?–1910?]
Location: Law Library
Call number: UniM Law RB 994.032 AUST
Phys desc.: [5] v., bound : ill., maps, ports. ; 24 cm.
Notes: Spine title from v. 1-4; v. [5] has spine title: Australian events etc., 1901 to 1903. Various pamphlets, parts of books and journals (chiefly The review of reviews for Australasia). Some newspaper clippings to 1920 pasted in subsequent to binding.
Contents: v. 1. to 1896 – v. 2. 1897-1900 – v. 3. 1901-1903 – v. 4. July 1903 to 1905 – v. [5]. Australian events etc., 1901 to 1903

Historical Sketch Of Australian Federation

Author: Barton, G. B. (George Burnett), 1836-1901
Title: Historical Sketch of Australian Federation: Extracted from the Year-Book of Australia, 1891
Published: [S.n.: s.l., 1891]
Location: Special Collections
Call number: UniM Baill SpC/MCL FED BART
Phys desc.: 65 p.; 22 cm
Notes: 'Presented to the Hon. H.J. Wrixon, M.L.A'

People's Federal Convention

Author: People's Federal Convention (1896 : Bathurst, N.S.W.)
Title: Proceedings, People's Federal Convention, Bathurst, November, 1896
Published: Sydney: William Andrews & Co., 1897
Location: Special Collections
Call number: UniM Baill SpC/MCL FED PEOP
Phys desc.: 191 p. ; 21 cm

Images Of Melbourne, May 1901

Author: C. F. Prozert (Firm)
Title: [A Royal Welcome to] Melbourne, May 1901
Published: [Windsor, Vic.] : C.F. Prozert], 1901
Location: Special Collections
Call number: UniM Baill SpC/MCL FED CFPR
Phys desc.: [12] leaves : ill. ; 18 x 23 cm
Notes: Title supplied by cataloguer

The Inaugural Celebrations Of The Commonwealth Of Australia

Title: The Inaugural Celebrations of the Commonwealth of Australia: compiled under the authority of the Prime Minister of New South Wales, by J.J. Keenan
Published: Sydney: Gullick [Government Printer], 1904
Location: Special Collections
Call number: UniM Baill SpC/MCL FED KEEN
Phys desc.: xvi, 293 p. : ill., ports. ; 29 cm
Other auth.: Keenan, J. J.