He published and taught on nuclear and particle physics at the University of Oxford, was an authority on Intellectual Property law, and amassed a book collection reflecting his interest in 17th century British history.
He graduated with an MSc in Physics, before pursuing a DPhil at the University of Oxford on a Shell Company Scholarship.
After ten years studying and working at Oxford, Emmerson returned to Australia to pursue a career in law.
[1] It includes material from the 15th to 18th centuries, and is particularly rich in works on the reign of Charles I and the English Civil War.
His bequest to the State Library Victoria included a $1.3 million endowment to preserve and catalogue the collection.