British Online Archives

Originally known as the 'Government Gazettes', each item contains the colonial laws for the year they were published. The legal records also include property for sale, probate records and bankruptcy notices. This is the first part of the three part series 'Colonial Law in Africa'. These items cover the Napoleonic Wars, the Boer War and the First World War. They also cover the abolition of the legal status of slavery. These gazettes were published alongside the African Blue Books of Statistics during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Napoleon 1, marched to attack the Russian Army : "I therefore sent another division of my army across the river

General Bennigsen, the Russian Commander in Chief, The Battle of Friedland, Sierra Leone, 1808-1919; Sierra Leone Gazette, 1808-1828; img 1

Related Collections

Collection

Colonial Law in Africa, 1946-1966

1946 – 1966

Collection

Ghana and Togo Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1843-1957

1843 – 1957

Collection

Zimbabwe Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1897-1980

1897 – 1980

Collection

Kenya Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1907-1964

1907 – 1964

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Insights

The decisions to legislate reveal cultural shifts away from practices like witchcraft. These shifts were often enforced by the Governor and the range of colonies included here makes it possible to compare priorities.

Earlier volumes of these gazettes include letters to the editor and items of news. These would be replaced by official notices from 1870.

The main item which is included in these government publications and not in others, are details of laws that are either new or amended.

The legal notices reveal which issues were considered both common enough and serious enough to be addressed by a new law.