Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1839-1842 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3 cm of textual records
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Witham was a barrister and solicitor (lawyer) with offices at 8 Gray's Inn Square in London, England. He was retained by the House of Assembly of Newfoundland to represent the colony's interests. The House of Assembly, established in 1832, was an early instrument of representative government in the colony, under the leadership of its Speaker, Dr. William Carson. Witham advocated for the House of Assembly in the significant case of Keilley v. Carson before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. He also acted on behalf of the Newfoundland government in opposition to the proposed Newfoundland Bill, which would have restricted the powers of the House of Assembly.
Repository
Archival history
The files are presumed to have been accumulated in the law offices of William Witham. They were sold by Winifred A. Myers (Autographs) Ltd. of London to the Riveredge Foundation in 1968.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Gift of Riveredge Foundation, 1979.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The fonds consists of petitions of the plaintiff and the defendant to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the case of Keilley v. Carson; instructions in the case from a committee of the House of Assembly of Newfoundland; a petition from the House of Assembly reporting on its achievements; and a draft of a speech presented in the House of Lords in opposition to the Newfoundland Bill.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
No restrictions on access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
The material is in English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
No finding aid.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on presumed source of fonds.
Note
Note
Records are located in the Riveredge Collection, M-4843, files 16.270 to 16.272, Barcode 00012171995
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Description control area
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Status
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Dates of creation revision deletion
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Script(s)
Sources
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.worldlii.org/int/cases/EngR/1842/593.pdf