Guide last updated by Clare Cowling, June 2023
This guide was created by Clare Cowling, IALS Archivist.
Email: ials.archives@sas.ac.uk
The records listed, which hold references to air and space law, comprise material transferred to the IALS Archives by officers of the organisations listed below. There may be more relevant material in the general correspondence, minute books and training records of the organisations below which was not picked up in word searches. To browse the Archives catalogues for more information see this link: https://ials.sas.ac.uk/ials-library/archives/ialsarchives-collections.
Access: the records listed below, other than some items are closed to public access as they contain personal data, may be viewed by prior appointment in the IALS Library. Closed items are designated in red.
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies: Institutional Archives, 1934-2016
Administrative History
In 1932 a Legal Education Committee under the Chairmanship of Lord Atkin was set up to consider the organisation of legal education in England and to make recommendations as to further provision for advanced research in legal studies. The Committee’s report in 1934 included a recommendation that an Institute of Advanced Legal Studies be established in London. In 1938 another Committee, chaired by Lord Macmillan, was set up to find a practical means of effecting this recommendation. The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS) was established in 1946 as part of the University of London. Its aims were "the prosecution and promotion of legal research and the training of graduate students in its principles and methods" (39th Annual Report, 1985/86). Since its inception the scope of the Institute has expanded considerably, with sponsorship of and support for many research projects and the provision of facilities for other research bodies and for conferences, seminars and workshops. The Library provides facilities for academic and research staff and postgraduate research students from universities all over the world, and is one of the world's largest legal research libraries.
Selected Items
| Reference | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| IALS 13/09/10 | Union List of Air and Space Law Literature in the Libraries of Oxford, Cambridge and London. WANTING. | |
| IALS 13/09/11 | Union List of Air and Space Law Literature in the Libraries of Oxford, Cambridge and London, 2nd edition | 1975 |
International Law Association (ILA) Archives, 1866-2019
Administrative History
The International Law Association (ILA) was founded in Brussels in 1873 as an association 'to consist of Jurists, Economists, Legislators, Politicians and others IALS Archives subject guide: Air and Space Law Page 3 of 10 taking an interest in the question of the reform and Codification of Public and Private International Law, the Settlement of Disputes by Arbitration, and the assimilation of the laws, practice and procedure of the Nations in reference to such laws' (afternoon sitting of the first conference of members, 19 November 1873: reference ILA 01/01). It was initially called the Association for the Reform and Codification of the Law of Nations, changing its title to the International Law Association in the early 20th century.
The Association was to consist of a Council of officers comprising a President, vice presidents, secretaries and other members of the Conference (called the Bureau), plus a series of local, departmental or provincial committees who were to report to the President. These committees have since expanded into International Committees. The ILA's activities are now organised by an Executive Council, assisted by the Headquarters Secretariat in London. Membership of the Association, at present about 4,200, is spread among branches throughout the world and ranges from lawyers in private practice, academia, industrial and financial spheres, and representatives of bodies such as shipping and arbitration organisations and chambers of commerce. The ILA has consultative status, as an international non-governmental organisation, with a number of the United Nations specialised agencies.
The ILA's objectives are pursued primarily through the work of its International Committees and the focal point of its activities is the series of Biennial Conferences. These conferences, of which over 70 have so far been held in different locations throughout the world, provide a forum for the comprehensive discussion and endorsement of the work of the committees.
Selected Items
| Reference | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| ILA 01/07/03/03 | ‘Position of German branch’. Correspondence and press clippings re developments in Nazi Germany and the impact on the position and demands of the German branch of the International Law Association. Includes publications, some annotated, including: - ‘Germany Rearms in the Air’, author given as Colonel ***, Centre d’Informations Documentaires, Paris, 1935 | 1934-1937 |
| Reference | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| ILA 02/18 |
Conference at Warsaw, 1928. Reports, including
|
1928 |
| ILA 02/25 | Conference at Copenhagen, 1950. Reports presented at the 44th Conference, including the Air Law Committee | 1948-1950 |
| ILA 02/28 | Conference at Hamburg, 1960. Administrative correspondence, programmes and list of members. Reports presented at the 49th Conference by committees, including the Air Law Committee | 1960 |
| ILA 02/29 | Conference at Brussels, 1962. Reports presented at the 50th Conference by committees, including the Air and Space Law Committee | 1962 |
| ILA 02/30 | Conference at Tokyo, 1964. Administrative documents and correspondence, with directory (programme and list of delegates). Reports presented at the 51st Conference by committees, including the Space Law Committee | 1964 |
| ILA 02/31 | Conference at Helsinki, 1966. Reports presented at the Fifty-Second Conference in Helsinki by committees, including the Space Law Committee | 1966 |
| ILA 02/32 |
Conference at the Hague, 1970. Administrative documents and correspondence, with programme and list of delegates. Reports presented at the 54th conference in the Hague by committees, including:
|
1970 |
| ILA 02/35 |
Conference at Madrid, 1976. Reports presented at the 57th Conference by committees, including the -Space Law Committee
|
1976 |
| ILA 02/36 | Conference at Manila, 1978. Reports presented at the 58th Conference in Manila by committees, including the Space Law Committee | 1978 |
| ILA 02/37 |
Conference at Belgrade, 1980. Reports presented at the 59th Conference by committees, including:
|
1980 |
| ILA 02/38 | Conference at Montreal, 1982. Reports presented at the 60th Conference by committees, including the Air Law Committee | 1981-1983 |
| ILA 02/39/01 |
Conference at Paris, 1984. Reports presented by committees, including:
|
1984 |
| ILA 02/40/04 |
Conference at Seoul, 1986. Reports presented by committees, including
|
1986 |
| ILA 02/41/07 |
Conference at Warsaw, 1988. Reports by committees, including:
|
1988 |
| ILA 02/42/03 | Conference at Queensland, 1990. Promotional material. Includes programme (two copies); pre-publicity flyer; promotional leaflet (three copies) for 'The Cape York Space Port: The legal and business issues', a two-day seminar held immediately prior to the conference by the Australian branch of the ILA | 1989-1990 |
| ILA 02/42/05 |
Conference at Queensland, 1990. Reports presented by committees, including:
|
1990 |
| ILA 02/43/05 |
Conference at Cairo, 1992. Reports presented at the Sixty-Fifth Conference in Cairo by committees, including:
|
1992 |
| ILA 02/45/05 | Conference at Helsinki, 1996. Reports presented by committees, including the Space Law Committee | 1966 |
| ILA 02/46/06 | Conference at Taipei, 1998. Reports presented by committees, including the Space Law Committee | 1998 |
| ILA 02/47 |
Conference at New York, 1958. Contains the following reports:
|
1958 |
| ILA 02/49 |
Conference at Buenos Aires, 1968. Reports presented at the 53rd Conference by committees, including:
|
1968-1969 |
| ILA 02/55/06 | Conference in London, 2000. Committee reports, including Space Law Committee | 2000 |
| Reference | Title | Dates |
| ILA 03/04 | Air Law Committee. Correspondence, reports and administrative papers. Variously known as Aerial Law/Aviation Law/Air and Space Law Committee, the Committee was established in 1912 following a decision taken at the Paris Conference of that year and was initially engaged in preparatory work for the first international Air Convention. This work was interrupted by the war, and when the Committee resumed, it was to find that work in the field had been accelerated by international events. In 1919, an International Air Convention was signed by several states of the Allied and Associated Powers, with air navigation between the signatories and the enemy states being governed by several Treaties of Peace. The 1919 Convention also provided for the establishment of a permanent International Commission for Air Navigation as part of the organisation of the League of Nations. The role of the Aerial Law Committee of the ILA thus became to comment and advise on the 1919 Convention, as noted in the Conference Report of the 29th Conference held at Portsmouth in 1920. | 1911-1937 |
| ILA 03/21 | Space Law Committee. Established in 1976 | 1980-1992 |
| ILA 03/21/01 |
Administrative correspondence re constitution and membership of the Committee; representation at the 1986 ILA Conference in Seoul, and text of closing statement of Rapporteur of the Committee, Dr. Böckstiegel, to the Conference. Includes report of the Committee to the 1980 ILA Conference in Belgrade. One item (curriculum vitae) CLOSED until 2028 (temporarily separated from the main file). |
1985-1986 |
| ILA 03/21/02 |
Administrative correspondence, discussing the outcome of the Committee's 1986 ILA Conference discussions at Seoul, and a questionnaire, drawn up by Professor D. Goedhius, circulated to members of the Committee. Includes:
|
1986-1987 |
| ILA 03/21/03 | Administrative correspondence, discussing the 1988 ILA Conference in Warsaw; nominations and Committee membership lists; resignation of Dr. Goedhius as Chairman of the Committee. Includes a report by Professor Maureen Williams on the 'International Colloquium on the Environmental Aspects of Activities in Outer Space: State of the Law and Measures of Protection' (Cologne, 16-19 May 1988); copy of the report of the Committee to the ILA Warsaw Conference (1988) | 1988 |
| ILA 03/21/04 | Administrative correspondence re nominations to the Committee, funding by UNESCO Subvention Grant. | 1989 |
| ILA 03/21/05 | Administrative correspondence re nominations to the Committee and membership lists; the report of the Committee to the 1990 ILA Conference in Queensland; collaboration with the Human Dimensions of Global Change Programme, UNESCO, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), and other external agencies; 'Suggestions for the future?', Section B of the Committee Report to Queensland conference, by Professor Maureen Williams, Rapporteur of the Committee. Includes a copy of the Committee's Report to the 1990 ILA Conference in Queensland. One item (curriculum vitae) CLOSED until 2048 (temporarily separated from the main file). | 1990 |
| ILA 03/21/06 |
Administrative correspondence re Committee nominations, appointments and membership; World Environmental Law Congress and International Council on Social Sciences. Includes:
|
1991 |
| ILA 03/21/07 |
Administrative correspondence re nominations to the Committee and membership lists; collaboration with the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), and other external agencies; participation in an International Colloquium on Manned Space Flight: Legal Aspects in the Light of Scientific and Technical Development, organised by Institute of Air and Space Law, University of Cologne, in co-operation with German Space Agency (DARA) and German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR), held in Cologne, 1992. Includes:
|
1992 |
| ILA 03/31 |
Committee on Legal Aspects of Air Traffic Control. Administrative correspondence. Subjects discussed include nominations and appointments to Committee membership. Includes:
|
1985-1992 |
| Reference | Title | Dates |
| ILA 04/57/01 | Branch and internal headquarters correspondence (1960- 1961), much of it concerning position statements and protests issued by the Soviet Association on matters of disarmament, alleged incursions by the United States Air Force into Soviet air space, and the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. Includes headquarters' correspondence re the cessation of the Czech branch of the ILA and the political situation in Hungary. Also includes pamphlet containing the constitution of the Soviet Association of International Law, 1958. | 1958-1961 |
| ILA 04/57/02 | Correspondence re membership lists, organisational structure and nominations to International Committees. Includes a page of 'The Law Times', 1963, with an article on Soviet Law; 'Soviet Association of International Law Space Law Committee, Helsinki Conference (1966) Memorandum: World-Wide Telecommunication Systems by Satellites (Legal Aspects)'; 'Soviet Association of International Law, Helsinki Conference (1966) Memorandum: Non-Intervention Principle in Contemporary International Law' | 1963-1971 |
| Reference | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| ILA 04/63 |
Correspondence re delivery of the Louis M. Bloomfield Memorial Lecture in International Law, and pamphlets containing the texts of the first, third and fourth lectures, including:
|
1985-1991 |
| Reference | Title | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| ILA 06/31 |
Pamphlets relating to air law:
|
1918-1942 |