Dr Fox (1878- ) was born in Dorset, England, and educated in New Zealand. He joined the Melanesian Mission from New Zealand and was posted to the Mission's school on Norfolk Island in 1902. After being ordained in 1903, he spent some time in the Banks Group of the New Hebrides before going to San Cristobal, Solomon Islands, in 1908 where he began a school and started learning the local languages. He remained in the Solomons throughout the Pacific war, living behind Japanese lines. After the war he continued as a teacher and remained in the Solomons until well into his eighties.

The diaries cover the periods 1942-50 inclusive, 1952, 1955-56, 1958-59 and 1963. There are also some loose letters. During the period of the Japanese occupation of the Solomons the diaries are in the Arosi language.