A look back in time: the Law School Comfort Fund

The Law School Comfort Fund (LSCF) was established at a meeting in the Law School on 10 July 1940.

Its aim was to keep legal men and students in the Services in touch with the school and the legal professions, but the main object of the fund was to provide reading matter to those whose name was on the roll.

Benefits would extend to all legal personnel and articled clerks, not just graduates and undergraduates.

Parcels were sent approximately each month and contained two books, and copies of the 'Legal Digest' as well as issues of Blackacre, Honi Soit and the Union Recorder.

The Digest was a newsletter of gossip and news for those whose names were on the LSCF roll.

As well as legal updates from home, it also included updates on alumni and students serving at Home and overseas.

One such edition mentions Jill Cantor (Law II), who was driving an ambulance in England for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry from when the war commenced. Jill became the first female to become a beneficiary of the fund.

The LSCF records also includes letters from over 500 Sydney Law School graduates and students, to Margaret Dalrymple-Hay, the secretary of the Comforts Fund.

These letters were thanking her for the regular parcels, and providing updates on their war experiences, and who they have seen or serving with from the Law School.

Many servicemen maintained regular correspondence with her throughout the duration of the war.

The correspondents include future Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam, and three future University Deputy Chancellors: The Hon. Sir Victor Windeyer CBE DSO ED, The Hon. Mr Justice Russell Le Gay Brereton and the Hon. Mr Justice David Mayer Selby.

The digitisation of the records was made possible by funding from the Francis Forbes Society for Australian Legal History, and the Law School.

You can read more about the Law School Comfort Fund and browse other collections in the University Archives here.