Diaries spanning Reverend John R. Metcalfe's entire career as a Methodist missionary and are of particular historical interest for his 37 years in Solomon Islands from 1920-1957. Metcalfe was appointed to Solomon Islands in 1920. After a brief period at Roviana, he was appointed to Choiseul (Lauru island) as assistant to the Rev. V. LeC. Binet. Apart from four years at Teop, he remained on Choiseul (with a break during the war) until 1951. He was then appointed chairman of the Methodist Mission in the Solomons.

See also PMB MS 74 through to MS 80.

Diaries spanning Reverend John R. Metcalfe's entire career as a Methodist missionary and are of particular historical interest for his 37 years in Solomon Islands from 1920-1957. Metcalfe was appointed to Solomon Islands in 1920. After a brief period at Roviana, he was appointed to Choiseul (Lauru island) as assistant to the Rev. V. LeC. Binet. Apart from four years at Teop, he remained on Choiseul (with a break during the war) until 1951. He was then appointed chairman of the Methodist Mission in the Solomons.

See also PMB MS 74 through to MS 80.

Diaries span Rev. John R. Metcalfe's entire career as a Methodist missionary and are of especial historical interest for his years in Solomon Islands. See also MS 75 through to MS 80.

Reverend John R. Metcalfe (1889-1970) was born in Yorkshire and served as a Methodist missionary in the Solomon Islands for 37 years. He became a candidate for the Methodist ministry in 1916, and after being ordained was appointed to the Solomon Islands in 1920. After a brief period at Roviana, he was appointed to Choiseul as assistant to the Rev. V. LeC. Binet. Apart from four years at Teop, he remained on Choiseul (with a break during the war) until 1951. He was then appointed chairman of the Methodist Mission in the Solomons. He retired in 1957.

The Rev. John R. Metcalfe (1889-1970) was born in Yorkshire and served as a Methodist missionary in the Solomon Islands for 37 years. He served as a home missionary in Great Britain before moving to Victoria in 1914. He became a candidate for the Methodist ministry in 1916, and after being ordained was appointed to the Solomon Islands in 1920. After a brief period at Roviana, he was appointed to Choiseul (also, Lauru) as assistant to the Rev. V. LeC. Binet. Apart from four years at Teop, he remained on Choiseul until 1951. During the war, he served as a Coastwatcher. He became chairman of the Methodist Mission in the Solomons in 1951, a post he held until he retired to Australia in 1957. He continued to take an active interest in the mission until his death.

From time to time during his career in the Solomon Islands, Metcalfe wrote long, descriptive newsletters to friends overseas which he called general letters. They were invariably typewritten. Apparently several carbon copies of each letter were sent out. Those on this microfilm were written in the following years: 1920 (2), 1921 (2), 1922 (1), 1924 (1), 1925 (1), 1926 (1), 1927 (1), 1929 (1), 1936 (2), 1937 (2), 1938 (2), 1939 (1), 1941 (1), 1946 (2), 1947 (2), 1948 (1), 1950 (1).

The Rev. John R. Metcalfe (1889-1970) was born in Yorkshire and served as a Methodist missionary in the Solomon Islands for 37 years. He served as a home missionary in Great Britain before moving to Victoria in 1914. He became a candidate for the Methodist ministry in 1916, and after being ordained was appointed to the Solomon Islands in 1920. After a brief period at Roviana, he was appointed to Choiseul as assistant to the Rev. V. LeC. Binet. Apart from four years at Teop, he remained on Choiseul until 1951. During the war, he served as a Coastwatcher. He became chairman of the Methodist Mission in the Solomons in 1951, a post he held until he retired to Australia in 1957. He continued to take an active interest in the mission until his death in 1970.

A collection of 39 articles with the following titles: Lauru; The Three Brothers; Harry Raeno; Stephen Gandepeta; The Two Friends; Timothy Loe; Solomon Damusoe; Methodism in the Marovo; A Footnote to Rickenbacker; The Vurulata Senga Feud; Pioneering on Choiseul; The Gumi Family; Methodism on Guadalcanal; The Helena Goldie Hospital; The Melanesian Cargo Cult; Our Time at Teop; Osea Tambipunda; How the Lauruans met the Japanese; Thoughts on Etoism; Aola Methodism; San Marcos or Choiseul Island; The Fisherman who Got Lost; Sub-Hospital No.3; The Coming of the Uniform; The Coming of the Aeroplane; Christmas in the Battle Area; Broadcast at Honiara (8/4/51); How I Left Munda; The Methodist Church and the Development of North-East Bougainville; How the Japanese Descended on Lauru; The Beginning of the Kamanga Tribe; The Problem of the Tropical South Pacific; Co-operation in the Solomon Islands District; My Years as Chairman; Vangunu: The Tragedy at Egolo... Rendova; and three broadcasts made in August and September, 1943, entitled Readings from a Missionary's Diary.

Captain Edward Primrose Tregurtha (1803-1880) was born in Cornwall, UK, and died in Launceston, Tasmania. He went to sea at an early age, and made voyages to the Far East and India. In 1831-33, as master of the whaler Caroline, he made an extensive whaling voyage out of Hobart. His itinerary included Sydney, the Bay of Islands, the Kermadecs, Rotuma, Wallis Island, the Gilberts, Solomon Islands, New Ireland, and the Coral Sea. After a visit to England, Tregurtha returned to Tasmania, whence he traded with neighbouring colonies as owner and master of the Henry. He made voyages to Adelaide in 1837 and took early settlers and sheep to Port Phillip. He later opened a business in Launceston as a general merchant and shipping agent.

The autobiography, which, in many places, appears to have been written up from journals kept at sea, gives a full account of Tregurtha's life from his birth in 1803 until the late 1830's. From then until the year 1852, it is brief and sporadic.

The papers consist of:

1. A miscellaneous collection of 30 letters written between 1900 and 1936 by and to missionaries at Vunapope, Poporang, Koromira, Buka Passage, Mussou [Mussau], and Shortland.
2. Reports to the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda, Rome, on the history and progress of the Roman Catholic Church, North Solomons, dated 1921 to 1936.
3. A history of the Roman Catholic Mission at Buin, Bougainville, 1903-1916, by Father Francois Allotte. It is entitled 'Notice sur Buin'.
4. A daily journal kept by Father Jean-Baptiste Poncelet from May 24, 1937 to May 22, 1940 at Turiboiru, Buin, Bougainville.
5. An account by Father Maurice Boch of his arrival and early days in the Solomon Islands, April - June, 1908. Father Boch was stationed at Poporang.
6. A miscellaneous collection of documents comprising: A history of Koromira mission station, 1907-1923; a list of baptisms at Koromira, 1908-1924; a history of Choiseul, 1768-192?; a history of Choiseul, 1911-1927; a report of the Marist mission to the Committee of Inquiry into Mission Affairs, Keita, 1929; a resume of the Committee of Inquiry's report, n.d.; a history of Timbutz mission station.
7. Correspondence of Father E.M. Babonneau, S.M., of Wainoni Bay, San Cristobal [Makira], 1915-1920. (Many of the letters have been damaged or partly destroyed).