The Reverend Collocott (1886-1970) served as a Methodist missionary in Tonga from 1911 until 1924, initially at Ha'apai and from 1915 as Principal of Tupou College. He wrote numerous papers on Tongan myths, legends, history, language, customs and astronomy for Mankind, the Journal of the Polynesian Society, Folklore and the special publications of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu. See also PMB 28

The typescript is not dated but is thought to have been written after Collocott left Tonga, possibly between 1921 and 1930. The manuscript is a history of Tonga centred around King Taufa'ahau (George Tupou I) and his family. It contains stories of creation, myths, legends, songs, and family histories and, as the chapter headings denote, the more recent history and personalities associated with the coming of the Europeans (Cook, Bligh, Edwards, Moulton, the London Missionary Society etc.). A number of published works are named as reference sources. The manuscript appears to contain twenty-six chapters but from Chapter 13 onwards the arrangement is very confused. The detailed list of the contents, at the beginning of the microfilm, also indicates the position of some additional pages in Collocott's handwriting. Annotations have been made at some time by an unknown researcher.
See Finding aids for details.

Reverend Dr Ernest Edgar Vyvyan Collocott (1886-1970) served as a Methodist missionary in Tonga from 1911 to 1924. During his career in Tonga and afterwards, he wrote numerous papers on Tongan myths, legends, history, language, customs and astronomy for Mankind, The Journal of the Polynesian Society, Folklore, and the special publications of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum.

The correspondence comprises approximately 100 letters relating to a wide range of Pacific subjects, with emphasis on Tonga. Correspondents include many of the leading Pacific scholars of the day, such as Elsdon Best, W.H. Skinner, H.E. Gregory, anthropologists W.C. McKern and E.W. Gifford, and linguists Sidney H. Ray and S. Churchward. Also included is a copy of a speech made by Queen Salote of Tonga at the laying of the foundation stone of the schoolhouse at Nafuala in 1921 and the annual report of the Chief Justice of Tonga for 1921.