Guide to Manuscripts on Papua New Guinea
Fryer Library holds numerous collections of unpublished documents relating to the Papua New Guinea. While details of these collections can be discovered through the library catalogue, this guide aims to assist researchers by bringing together most of Fryer’s relevant holdings into a single list, arranged alphabetically by the name of the author or creator, with each entry providing a summary of that collection’s relevance to the subject. In the case of larger collections (those with a UQFL code), the online catalogue record will provide a link to a more detailed overview of collection contents.
Author |
Title |
Summary |
Call no |
| Afferden, Jansen van. | Account of meeting 1893. | Typescript account of meeting between Sir William MacGregor, Administrator of British New Guinea, and the Resident of Ternate and Jansen van Afferden at Thursday Island. Report of an account of fixing a border point on the 141st longitutde. Report is headed Most secret no. 7, On board H.M.S.S. Java, Dobo, March 11 1893. | F1059 |
| Akunai, John. | One of the men from Goroka. | Talk given by John Akunai Rovelie of Okadzuha (Okiufa) to first year Social Science students at Goroka Teachers’ College on Friday, 7 June 1974. Translated from a tape recording by students Linus Yamuna and Joseph Tobung. The transcript was edited by Peter Munster, who also wrote the notes. | F1298 |
| Allan, Ruby M. | [Material relating to war-time arrangements in the Territories of Papua and New Guinea, 1941-1945] | Includes war-time instructions to civilians, notice of evacuation of women and children from Territories of Papua and New Guinea, permit to leave the Territory of New Guinea, and photocopy of photograph of John Gilmour and Jack Allan in Rabaul in 1945 following Japanese surrender. | F1915 |
| Atkinson, R. L. | The long trail. | Autobiography set in North Queensland and New Guinea. | F1742 |
| Beazley, Reginald | Collections of light verse. | Collection of verse written in New Guinea during the 1920’s or later. | F1230 |
| Beazley, Reginald | Diaries. | Diaries of trips into interior of New Guinea, prospecting and recruiting native labour 1927-1928. | F1225 |
| Beazley, Reginald | Diary of a trip up Sepik River to Yellow River. | Diary of a trip up Sepik River to Yellow River, a tributary four hundred miles from mouth, Ormildah Oil Company, January 30 1925. | F1224 |
| Beazley, Reginald | Letter, 1927 Dec 1 : Marienberg, New Guinea to Brigadier General Wisdom. | Letter gives an account of a three week trip from Marienberg to Sepik River, Nov. 1927 with Mr MacGregor. Describes country and conditions, considers it suitable for cattle industry. Accompanied by letter from Allied Geographical Section, South West Pacific Area, 1944 May 24 to Captain R. A. Beasley (sic) re maps of Wewak and Madang. | F1231 |
| Beazley, Reginald | Photographs, 1909-1930. | Photographs of Papua New Guinea (including Sepik River, Hermit Islands, Marienberg Mission, Central Mountains, Yuat River Warrior, Maramuni River Area and Maron); also photographs of Brisbane 1912-1914. Handwritten descriptive notes by John Murphy on back of Papua New Guinea photographs. | UQFL271 |
| Beazley, Reginald | Trip to Ramu River from Madang. | Diary of a trip to Ramu River from Madang, August 1927, transcribed from rough notes on field sketch map in poor condition. Also article from Pacific Islands monthly, April 1971, and newspaper cutting on the Akmana expedition, Sydney Morning Herald, April 10, 1971. | F1229 |
| Bele, Mata. | Collection of short stories. | Collection of short stories by Mata Bele [collected by Reginald Beazley]. | F1228 |
| Bele, Mata. | New Guinea adventure. | 1959-1960 [Collected by Reginald Beazley]. | F1227 |
| Boys, Pat | Coconuts and tearooms. | Photocopy of typescript draft of "Coconuts and tearooms: six years in New Britain, New Guinea in the 1930’s : the Colonial days"(Auckland, N.Z.: The author, 1993.) Accompanied by photocopies of photographs, some used in the publication, and a listing of captions. Mrs Boys’ parents lived in Rabaul from 1931 to 1937. She was born there in 1933. | F3145 |
| Broad, Guy | Photographs, 1928-c.1971. | Black and white photographs of Papua New Guinea, depicting Rabaul, Edie Creek goldfields, Wau, Samarai and Bulolo. 32 photographs record the eruption of Matupi volcano, Rabaul, May 1937. Handwritten identifying notes on back of each photograph. | UQFL272 |
| Champion, Ivan F. | Papers, 1925-1983. | Business correspondence; typescript articles; reports including patrol reports 1925-1940; memorabilia; E.A. James correspondence and papers relating to Pacific Territories Association; correspondence and papers relating to Mt. Lamington eruption 1951; Laurabada logbooks; newspaper clippings; photographs, including a series of photographs by Ivan Champion’s brother, Allan. | UQFL137 |
| Chisholm, John W. | Letter 1954, Oct 29 : Anglican Mission, Dogura, Papua to Geoffrey Roscoe. | Typescript letter to Geoffrey Roscoe giving information about the Anglican Cathedral at Dogura, Papua. | F1542 |
| Cilento, Raphael, Sir | Papers, 1913-[198-] | Collection of papers, personal and professional, including biographical material and family history; official correspondence 1927-1932, personal and professional correspondence 1932-1972, diaries 1913-1971, manuscripts, photographs, public lectures, radio scripts, reports, files relating to his service with UNRRA and United Nations. Interests include Royal Historical Society of Queensland, National Trust of Australia, Australian League of Rights. | UQFL44 |
| Clowes, Cyril Albert | Report by Comd. Milne Force on operations between 25 Aug. and 7 Sept. 1942 | Accompanied by forwarding letter by S.F. Rowell and covering explanatory letter by Col. Speight to Mrs. John Ryan, Milne Bay. | F1598 |
| Cochrane, Susan | Papers, 1979-2005 | Research material for various publications, photographs, slides, art exhibition catalogues and other miscellaneous manuscript material.Susan Cochrane is an expert on contemporary Pacific art and the author of ’Contemporary Art in Papua New Guinea’ (1997), ’Aboriginal Art Collections: Highlights from Australia’s Public Museums and Galleries’ (2000), ’Beretara: Contemporary Pacific Art’ (2001), and ’Art and Life in Melanesia’. | UQFL419 |
| Collie, Roy Francis | Scrapbook, 1942-1943 | Poems and stories. Written/compiled while author was in New Guinea during World War 2. | F2399 |
| Cottrell-Dormer, William | Papers, 1943-1967 | Papers relating to the career of Mr William Cottrell-Dormer as an agricultural scientist. Includes correspondence, reports, reprints, maps, publications, photographs, 35 mm slides and rolls of negatives from his time spent in Tonga, Papua New Guinea, and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock. | UQFL124 |
| Council on New Guinea Affairs | Ephemera | Council on New Guinea Affairs - What is the council? Sydney (n.d.) 8 p. | FVF552 |
| Doe, W. L. | Photographs, 1932-1948 | Black and white photographs of Papua New Guinea, mainly depicting Bulolo gold fields. Handwritten identifying notes on the back of most photographs; some of these notes are by John Murphy. | UQFL275 |
| Fleming, W. | Photographs, 1928-c.1933 | Photographs of Papua New Guinea, particularly Rabaul, Edie Creek, Lae, Bulolo, Wau and Salamaua. Includes photographs of gold mines at Edie Creek and Bulolo. Handwritten identifying notes on back of photographs. | UQFL273 |
| Fryer Library miscellaneous photograph collection | Miscellaneous photographs | PhS617: PNG, Kokops area Copra smoke drier; PhS618: PNG, Rabaul area c.1930Tunnel Hill ; PhS619 - PNG, Kokops area Copra drier (hot air) ; PhS 620: PNG, Kokops area Copra sun drier ; PhS621: PNG, Rabaul Before 1937, eruption Vulcan Is. Beehives behind ; PhS621: PNG, Rabaul Vulcan Is. after eruption of May 1937. Now joined to shore ; PhS623: PNG, Rabaul c.1947 Bitapata war cemetery [These photos collected by Ruby Allan] | UQFL479 |
| Gall, Louise | Press cuttings [1897-1901] mainly on religious topics including the Catholic Church, Coningham divorce case and Samoa. | Press cuttings compiled from various Australian newspapers by Mrs. W.J. Gall. | F3090 |
| Gore, Ralph Thomas | Papers, 1900-1973 | Material relating to legal and administrative career of Mr. Justice R.T. Gore in Papua New Guinea. Correspondence, family papers and history, biographical material, press clippings, notes and reviews of his book, Justice versus sorcery, photographs - Some restrictions on the collection.. | UQFL88 |
| Hawkins, George D. | [Papers concerning the volcanic eruptions of Rabaul on May 29, 1937], 1937 Jun 1 - Jul 3 | Includes newspaper clippings and a letter. Letter incomplete. | F2254 |
| Hawkins, George D. | Photographs, ca.1925-1956 | Photographs of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea. Includes photographs of the volcanic eruptions near Rabaul in 1937. | UQFL270 |
| Jenkinson, Charles Alfred. | Fifty years in North Queensland: with peeps into Papua, 1890-1940 | Manuscript of the publication, Fifty years in North Queensland: with peeps into Papua. Includes original photographs used in the book. | UQFL469 |
| Jensen, H. I. (Harold Ingemann) | Papers, 1916-1955 | Manuscripts relating to the geology and mineral resources of Queensland, Northern Territory and New Caledonia; reports on geology, oil and minerals in parts of Queensland, also Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Antarctica. | UQFL41 |
| Kelly, Betty | My life in New Guinea, [196-?] | As per title | F2121 |
| Lindt, J. W. (John William) | Picturesque New Guinea. [1887]? | Photographed by J.W. Lindt during Sir Peter Scratchley’s Expedition. | F3120 |
| Lutheran Church | A message from your missionary, 1955-1965. | [Circular letters from Lutheran missionaries in Papua New Guinea]. | F2210 |
| Lyons, Arthur Power | Diary 1939-1941. | Diary headed: Port Moresby 2 Sept. 1939 - 20 Dec. 1941 ; transcribed for the Fryer Library by John Murphy. Original in possession of Mrs Lee. | F1588 |
| Lyons, Arthur Power | Port Moresby, Papua, from 1885 to 1941, 1947. | A chronological history of the growth of Port Moresby (Granville) chiefly compiled from annual reports. Photocopy of original ledger. Includes photographic illustrations and tracings of cadastral surveys. | F1407 |
| Lyons, Arthur Power | Western Division of Papua: field book, 1913-1921. | Contents of field book: Measurements of the head; anthropometric figures; language distribution; selective vocabulary. | F1406 |
| Lyons, Arthur Power | Why I went to British New Guinea. | As per title. | F1236 |
| Lyons, Daphne Winnifred | Journal of Daphne Winnifred Lyons, nee Slade, Daru, Papua 1919-1922. | As per title. | F3263 |
| McFalls, Lezlie | Australia and New Guinea : a collection of information. | Includes foreword by Lloyd H. Jameson ; History of Australia, ’The quiet continent’ by Lezlie McFalls (a school essay) ; Lloyd H. Jameson letter 1 Sept 1942 to Jack Cann, Detroit Michigan ; Lloyd H. Jameson letter 3 December 1943, New Guinea, to Jack Cann, Detroit. Accompanied by notes written in 1964 by Jameson about the letters. The letters tell of observations and experiences of a U.S. soldier in Australia and New Guinea during World War 2. Jameson was prompted into compiling this volume by the school essay on Australia written by Lezlie McFalls. | F1972 |
| MacGregor, William, Sir | Letters, 1900 Apr 1 & 1906 Aug 21 | Handwritten letters to William Mackay discussing difficulties of his government appointments in Lagos in 1900 and Newfoundland in 1906, and their previous service together in New Guinea. | F1061 |
| Maclean, Jock | War diary of Jock Maclean, 1941-1942. | Account of experiences of Jock Maclean during World War 2 in New Britain, Papua New Guinea, including the escape he assisted with, of members of 2/22nd Battalion. | F3104 |
| McGuire, Molly | Tapes, 1983-1986. | 43 reel-to-reel sound tapes of oral history interviews with police in Papua New Guinea during 1986. Some of the interviews are in local dialects. | UQFL237 |
| Martin, Richard | Letters, 1972-1973 from Rabaul, to his family. | Three letters to his family from Rabaul, New Britain describing visitors to Rabaul and a trip through the New Guinea Highlands. | F693 |
| Murphy, John Joseph | Papers, 1932-1985. | Diaries, correspondence, reports and photographs, relating to Murphy’s service in the Australian administration of Papua New Guinea in a number of official positions between 1936 and 1969. Includes material relating to John J. Murphy’s book, The book of Pidgin English; also a small amount of family history papers relating to the Campbell, Boyd and Pratt families, including letters from Austin Pratt written after his evacuation from Gallipoli. Restricted - Application for access to Fryer Librarian. | UQFL99 |
| Murray, Jack Keith | The Allied Landforces (LHQ) School of Civil Affairs, 1945-46: training junior officers for Colonial Administration, 1971. | J.K. Murray was Administrator of the Territory of Papua New Guinea from Sep 1945 to 1952. | F456 |
| Murray, Jack Keith | Papers 1944-1976. | Correspondence, pocket appointment diaries, scientific and technical papers, notes, transcripts of lectures, photographs and other material principally relating to Murray’s activities in Papua New Guinea. | UQFL91 |
| Murray, Jack Keith | The provisional administration of the Territory of Papua New Guinea. | The Macrossan lectures for 1946. | F1117 |
| Murray, Hubert, Sir | Letter to Mrs. Woden, 1920 Mar 18. | Mainly personal, a reference to legal dispute with British New Guinea Development Company. | F1411 |
| National Mobilisation to End Australian Imperialism in Papua-New Guinea | Ephemera, 1973 | Australian imperialism in Papua-New Guinea. Brisbane (1973) 1p. | FVF264 |
| Nicholas, Gladys | Papers, 1978-1987 | Letters and manuscripts mostly relating to the Royal Papua Yacht Club. | UQFL513 |
| Oelrichs, Alfred Edward | Commission from the Lt. Governmor of British New Guinea to Alfred Edward Oelrichs to act as Justice of the Peace | Commission is signed by George Le Hunte, has seal attached, and is dated 30 November 1901. | F700 |
| Oelrichs, Alfred Edward | Letter, 1901 Dec. 9 : Cape Nelson, to the Government Secretary. | Letter to the Government Secretary, Port Moresby enclosing copies of his Commission as Justice of the Peace, and appointment to North Eastern Division. | F703 |
| Oelrichs, Alfred Edward | Letter, 1911 May 16 : Buna Bay, Kumusi Division to the Government Secretary, Port Moresby. | Letter re notice in Gazette no. 9, 1911 of his appointment as Resident Magistrate, pointing out his appointment dated from 30 Nov. 1901 and asking for a correction to be inserted. | F702 |
| Oelrichs, Alfred Edward | Letter of appointment to act as assistant officer for the North Eastern Division [of British New Guinea]. | Commission is signed by George Le Hunte, has seal attached, and is dated 30 November 1901. | F701 |
| Oelrichs, Alfred Edward | [Report on conditions in the administration of British New Guinea]. | Typed report, with first page and probably final page missing. [19--]? | F704 |
| Papua New Guinea Association of Australia | Papers, 1897- | Photographs, typescript articles, correpondence, diaries, notes,ephemera, documenting personal experiences of colonial administration in Papua New Guinea. The collection was assembled by Dr. Peter Cahill, from material donated by members of the Papua New Guinea Assocation of Australia. | UQFL387 |
| Pinney, Peter | Papers, 1936-1991. | Correspondence, diaries (1936,1939-42,1952), prose manuscripts, clippings, photographs, computer discs. | UQFL288 |
| Reinhold, William James | Papers, ca.1923-ca.1979. | Press clippings, typescript articles, photographs, maps, correspondence, awards, citations, testimonials. The collection of papers, photographs and maps describes the construction of the Bulldog Wau Road in New Guinea in 1943. | UQFL62 |
| Roscoe, Geoffrey Thomas | The joyous voyage of the "Tami". | Account of a tour of inspection of government and mission schools, as Chief Inspector in Papua-New Guinea - 1954. | F1543 |
| Seto, Shoi. | [Notebooks] 1943-1944. | One notebook in Japanese, and contains sad soldier’s songs, and descriptions of British and American aircraft in World War II. Some annotations in English from S. G. Smith. Accompanied by a small printed book which is a dictionary of aerial wapons. Found by S. G.. Smith near Lae. Shoi Seto appears to have been a Sub-Lieutenant in the Japanese Intelligence. | F1568 |
| Shearston, Trevor, 1946- | Papers, c.1977-c.2002. | Drafts, correspondence and research notes. Includes drafts of Something in the Blood, Sticks that Kill, White Lies, A Straight Young Back, Tinder, Dead Birds, and Concertinas. Also screenplay drafts and correspondence with University of Queensland Press, 1997-1998. | UQFL485 |
| Sverdrup, L. J. | Bulldog-Wau Project. | Inspection report on the Wau Edie Creek, Bulldog Terapo Road, by Col. Sverdrup who was a U.S. engineer of the Office of the Chief Engineer, Southwest Pacific Area, General Headquarters, giving details of the construction of the Bulldog-Wau Road in specific sections and estimation of time, cost and labor to complete it. The report is accompanied by 34 photographs and a map. Dated 24 April 1943. See also UQFL62 for other report on this project. | F2582 |
| Thompson, Mitch | Papers, 1966-1975. | Press cuttings, typescript articles, reports, pamphlets, periodicals. 10 boxes contain material relating to the development of self-government in Papua New Guinea. | UQFL186 |
| Tryon, Henr. | Letter, 1884 Aug 1: Queensland Museum, Brisbane, to A. J. Duffield. | Letter concerns Tryon’s theories on languages of the Pacific area, and possible affinities with those of South America. Accompanied by a diary, Sept-Oct 1884, of a trip to New Guinea. | F591 |
| Tugby, Donald John | Papers, 1920-1971. | The collection reflects Dr. Tugby’s interests as an anthropologist in areas of Indonesia, Malaysia and Netherlands New guinea. The papers comprise lecture materials on southeast Asia, correspondence with Indonesian academics, typescripts of ethnological surveys and anthropological research reports; research field notes on the Mandailing people, a typescript of a translation from English to a Bahasa dialect; annual reports on Netherlands New Guineas, and other papers, many of which are in Dutch. | UQFL169 |
| Vellacott-Jones, Kathleen | Photographs, 1914-1969. | Slides, 16mm film, black and white photographs and a few miscellaneous publications. The photographs were taken as part of Vellacott-Jones’s work as an official photographer with the Papua New Guinea administration. | UQFL133 |
| Wilson, R. N. | Photographs, 1934-1950. | Black and white photographs of Papua New Guinea, depicting landscapes, aeroplanes and airstrips, goldmines and indigenous people. Places depicted include Rabaul, Salamaua, Wau, Lae, Bulolo, Durantina, and Watut. Photographs taken by R.N. Wilson - handwritten identifying notes on the back of each. | UQFL274 |
| Yelland, Lloyd C. | Papers, 1949-1958. | Diaries, medical patrol reports, correspondence, and miscellaneous papers on administration and public health in Papua New Guinea. | UQFL410 |
