Dr Martin Soukup is a Czech cultural anthropologist. Research interests include history and theory of anthropology. He is particularly interested in the cultures of Melanesia. In 2009, he undertook anthropological pre-research field work in Papua New Guinea local communities of Wannang, Kegeslugel, Yawan and returned to Yawan in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Born 24 January 1864, in Cheshire, England. Bardlsey was a carpenter in Brisbane, Queensland, and a lay preacher for the Methodist Mission in Papua New Guinea, 1891-92. Built the first houses at the Methodist Mission at Dobu island, D'Entrecasteaux Islands, where he was based for his time with the mission. Died in Brisbane, 1929.

Archibald Taylor was a magistrate on Taveuni Island, Fiji

Born in Queensland, Australia, educated in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In the 1890s, Ellis became an employee of the Pacific Islands Company Ltd of London, which was involved in the guano industry on islands in the Coral Sea and the Phoenix Group (Kiribati). In 1900, he became curious about a rock which was used as a doorstop in the Sydney office of his company and this led to the discovery of the phosphate deposits on Ocean Island and Nauru. He was a prominent figure in the Pacific Phosphate Company Ltd in 1902. After the phosphate company was bought out by the British, Australian and New Zealand governments after World War I, Ellis became commissioner for New Zealand on the British Phosphate Commission, which was established to exploit the phosphate deposits on Ocean Island and Nauru. He was the author of three books, Ocean Island and Nauru (1936), Adventuring in Coral Seas (1937), and Mid-Pacific Outpost (1946).

John T. Arundel was a leading figure in the Pacific phosphate industry on Kiribati and Nauru. He initially travelled to the Pacific in 1860 and 1868, and established John T. Arundel & Co. in the Pacific 1871 with financial support from Houlder Brothers and Co. In 1897, John T. Arundel & Co merged its business with trading and plantation firm Henderson and Macfarlane. They formed the Pacific Islands Company Ltd (PIC), which was based in London with trading activities in the Pacific, particularly Kiribati. In 1902, PIC became the Pacific Phosphate Company and began phosphate mining on Banaba, Kiribati in 1901 and on Nauru in 1906. Arundel died 30 November 1919 in Bournemouth, England.

George Herbert Eastman ran the London Missionary Society (LMS) Mission in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, 1913-1918. Between 1918 and 1947, he ran the LMS Gilbert Islands [Kiribati] Mission, based at Rongorongo on Beru island. In 1949, Eastman and his wife Winifred (nee Grimwade, married 1914) retired to Swanage in Dorset, England.

Steen Andersen Bille was a Danish naval officer who rose to the rank of Admiral and became a Privy Counselor during Denmark's period of 'armed neutrality' policy following the Gunboat War. Instrumental in rebuilding the Danish Navy after 1814.

In 1952, Gleeson was Officer in charge of the Economic Branch of the Commonwealth (Australian) Department of Territories.