British Parliamentary Papers  

This guide is meant for those beginning research in British Parliamentary Papers. It focuses on Alderman Library's 19th and 20th century holdings and lists indexes and finding aids for each of the three categories listed below. (See the note on Parliamentary papers from the British Parliament.)

• Sessional (or Parliamentary) papers are the working documents of each session of Parliament and can be divided into three types: Bills, Reports and Command Papers.
  
  
• Journals record the proceedings and decisions made in each house. Journals have been printed for each session of Parliament since 1509 for the Lords (preceded by the Rolls of Parliament) and since 1547 for the Commons (except for the period 1584-1601).
  
  
• Debates are the record of the actual discussion on the floors of both houses.  
  
  
• See the British Parliament web site for an overview of the Records of the House of Lords and House of Commons, plus a factsheet on the history of the official record of Parliament. See also links to selected digitised historical Parliamentary material.  
  
  See also a list of selected British documents in microform available at Alderman Library.
  

Note: Indexes and finding aids are also listed in the individual sections of this guide. 

• A Guide to British Documents and Records in the University of Virginia Library by Sharon Vandercook.
  Covers holdings, indexes and finding aids at UVA for British documents (not just Parliamentary Papers):
  Call Number Z2009 .V3. Copies in Alderman Reference, Alderman Stacks, Alderman Microforms Guides Area, and the Law Library. 
  
  
• A Guide to Parliamentary Papers; what they are, how to find them, how to use them by Percy Ford.
  Call Number Z2009 .A1 F6 1972. Copies in Alderman Reference, Alderman Stacks,and Law Library. 
   
• British Government Publications : an index to chairmen of committees and commissions of inquiry
  v. 1. 1800-1899 -- v. 2. 1900-1940 -- v. 3. 1941-1978
  Call Number Z 2009 .R53. Alderman Stacks and Ivy Stacks 
  
  
• Serial Publications in the British Parliamentary Papers, 1900-1968; a bibliography
  Call Number Z2009 .A1 R6. Alderman Reference and Law Stacks.  
   
• Subject Catalogue of the House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 1801-1900 (5v)
  Call Number Z2019.C63 1988, Alderman Reference
  Covers all papers printed in the House of Commons bound set, by subject.  For example, Defence, The Slave Trade, and Foreign Affairs are three of the subjects covered in volume V. A keyword index is provided at back of each volume.
  
  
• House of Commons Sessional Papers (1801-1900) - Indexes
  Micfich S-424, Alderman 3 East
  See separate index for each session and volume (e.g. 1868/69, volume 35) at the beginning of the fiche group for each session/volume.  NOTE: the drawers that contain Micfich S-424 are labelled by years only. 
  
  
• Irish University Press reprint of 19th century Parlimentary Papers Some volumes  in this set (which is arranged by subject - scroll down in pdf), are available at UVA's Law School Library. Browse VIRGO entries for volumes in this collection held at the Law Library
  
  
• British Historical Statistics
  Provides statistical information compiled from British Parlimentary Papers and other sources.
  Call Number HA1134 .M58 1988, Alderman and Darden Libraries.
  

  " Originally published in 1988, this reference book provides the major economic and social statistical series for the British Isles from the twelfth century up until 1980 81. It is the successor of Abstract of British Historical Statistics and the Second Abstract of British Historical Statistics..."

  
  
  Note: Sections of this guide are taken from guides by Bryson Clevenger, Alderman Library Reference, Andrew Lee at Bobst Library, NYU, and the library at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.