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Record series

Oaths Books

VPRS 20133
1851 - present
Open
North Melbourne
About Record items Record groupings Related record series Related functions

Agencies

This record series was created by:
Executive Council ( VA2903 ): 1851 - present
Agencies responsible for this record series:
Executive Council ( VA 2903 ): 1851 - present

Date Range

Series date range: 1851 - present
Series in custody: 1851 - 2018
Contents in custody: 1851 - 2018

Function / Content

This series consists of volumes documenting the Oaths and Affirmations taken by Ministers, the judiciary, and Clerks of the Executive Council in Victoria.

The Oaths Books contain Oaths and Affirmations taken by various individuals including:
  • Ministers of the Crown
  • Members of the Executive Council
  • Clerks of the Executive Council
  • Judges of the Supreme Court
  • Auditors-General.
Each of these Oaths/Affirmations are sworn in the presence of the Governor or in the presence of the Executive Council, of which the Governor is the Chair. Two copies of each Oath/Affirmation are signed by both the individual being sworn-in and the witnessing Clerk of the Executive Council – one copy is given to the individual and one is retained for binding into these volumes.

Oaths/Affirmations are only taken where there is a legislative requirement to do so - the Constitution Act 1975 provides for majority of these requirements. The wording for these Oaths/Affirmations can be found in the Oaths and Affirmations Act 2018.

The Clerks of the Executive Council are responsible for the management and record keeping of Oaths/Affirmations taken.

How to use the records

Researchers should consult the record item list to identify the volumes covering the year/s of interest.

Recordkeeping system

The Oaths Books are arranged chronologically. Each volume contains recorded oaths spanning several years. There is no real uniformity in the number of years covered in a volume; the more recent volumes tend to cover shorter time spans. Each Oaths Book is also assigned a sequential book number starting at 1.