Prof. AGL Shaw, AO
Former Chairman of Public Records Advisory Council

My memory of working on the records goes back to the days when they were in the State Library, but that is a long time ago and I was then only a specialist reader. But I rejoiced when the former keeper, Harry Nunn, persuaded Sir Rupert Hamer, then Premier and Treasurer, to buy a disused factory in Cherry Lane near Laverton as a repository. I could drive there in a quarter of an hour. The reading room was capacious, even though there were many readers who preferred to use the premises in town, the service was good and one had access to hard copy. But there was a snag.

We are told there is no such thing as a free lunch. At Cherry Lane there was no lunch at all, and nowhere to eat anything you brought yourself. Laverton lacked cafes and was some distance away. So loaded with sandwiches and a thermos of tea or coffee and cup, one looked for somewhere to go. One could eat in one’s car – but the car park was sunny and hot in summer and often cold in winter. There seemed to be no trees to park under on the nearby roads. There was a memorial park not too far away, but somehow it seemed wrong to have lunch in a cemetery and one did not want to be passed by a funeral party while you were eating lunch beside their path – so there was a problem.

But one day, I was told – there was a room! And so there was, with a table and a few chairs. So one could consume sandwiches and talk to fellow readers. Two or three weeks later some cups and plates arrived, and then one day an urn with tea bags and coffee. One was almost getting a free lunch! Warm tea or coffee and a chat; all one had to bring was a sandwich.

My other recollection of the Public Record Office concerns the publication of Historical Records of Victoria, series I. One day, I think in 1978, Harry Nunn tapped me on the shoulder and told me he wanted to arrange for the publication of documents held in the office which covered the period up to the arrival of Superintendent La Trobe in October 1839. Would I go with Geoffrey Blainey and see the Treasurer, then Lindsay Thomson, and see if we could persuade him to fund the project? Of course, I agreed. We explained our business, and could say that it was the common practice of public record offices to publish documents. We hoped sales would cover printing costs but a salary for the editor and secretarial assistance would be needed. I think we were a little optimistic in this but not too wildly so. To our great satisfaction, the Treasurer agreed. Historical Records of Victoria was born and a lusty child it proved. It was edited by Michael Cannon and Ian MacFarlane, and though there was an initial disappointment at the absence of references in volume 1, this was rectified in later volumes. Overall this well-illustrated and finely-produced series has saved many a visit to PROV, constant work for the staff, and wear and tear on the original records.

I would conclude by saying I hope more will follow. Tasmania has recently resumed publication of Historical Records of Australia, series III, the Tasmanian series which in 1923 stopped at 1827. I have also been told that plans are afoot for New South Wales to revive series I which stopped at 1848 in 1925 – the funds coming from the Australian Research Council. It would be pleasing if PROV could also arrange for the publication of another series of Victorian records.

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