R S Neale Collection
History of the Collection
Ron Neale was Professor of Economic History at UNE from 1974 till his untimely death in 1985. Over this period, he developed his historical collection of publications on English social and economic history.
In his will, Professor Neale asked that his collection of 1,300 volumes be donated to a research library on the condition that it be "kept intact ... catalogued as an entity and placed in a single place in the library". Following Professor Neale’s death, his wife, Margaret Neale, offered the Collection to the University Library.
The R S Neale Collection contains primary and secondary material for research in English social and economic history, particularly since the Industrial Revolution. Special strengths include women’s history, agrarian and labour history, and the local histories of Bath and Bristol.
Accessing the Collection
The R S Neale Collection is held in the Karl Schmude Special Collections Room on the Ground Floor of Dixson Library.
Researchers may request retrieval of individual items from the Collection in advance using the Closed Collection Retrieval Request form. Items requested by 2.00 PM, Monday to Friday are available for use at the Service Desk by 3.00 PM on the same day (excluding Public Holidays). Items required on weekends must be requested before 2.00 PM the Friday before.
Individuals may copy supplied items from the Collection for their own use in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act.
Researchers seeking direct access to the Collection should first read the relevant Conditions for Direct Access. Applications for direct access to study in Karl Schmude Special Collections Room should be made by completing the Application to Use a Special Collection form and then mailing the completed form to the Curator of the Collection, Warren Gilson.