Achille Ballière (1840-1905) was deported from France in 1873 to New Caledonia. Written in French, in a minute hand, Ballière’s journal begins on 1 January 1873 when he left the Citadelle de St Martin de Re, a place of detention on an island near Rochefort in the Bay of Biscay. Ballière sailed from Rochefort in the ship Orne and touched at Quiberon, Brest, Dakar, Melbourne and Noumea before reaching the Isle of Pines on 9 May 1873, where he lived for several months. Ballière escaped to Australia with several others in March 1874. He wrote about his experiences in two books: Un voyage de circumnavigation: histoire de la déportation par un des évadés de Noumea, illustrations by G. Save, London, Henry S. King, 1875; and La déportation de 1871: souvenirs d'un évadé de Nouméa, Paris, G. Charpentier et Cie, 1889.

These papers comprise part of the records of the Vicariate of New Caledonia which are designated Oceania Nova Caledonia (ONC) in the Marist Archives. The ONC material fills four large filing cabinets which are listed as APM I ONC, APM II ONC, APM III ONC and AMP IV ONC. The ONC files are not as well organized as the other Pacific vicariates and they contain many unclassified and unnamed sections. Please also see PMB MS 161.

Correspondence from cabinet APM IV ONC in dossiers dated 1857-59, 1860-61, 1862-63, 1864.

These papers comprise part of the records of the Vicariate of New Caledonia which are designated Oceania Nova Caledonia (ONC) in the Marist Archives. The ONC material fills four large filing cabinets which are listed as APM I ONC, APM II ONC, APM III ONC and AMP IV ONC. The ONC files are not as well organized as the other Pacific vicariates and they contain many unclassified and unnamed sections. Please also see PMB MS 161.

Correspondence from cabinet APM IV ONC in dossiers dated 1870-71 and 1872-73.

These papers comprise part of the records of the Vicariate of New Caledonia which are designated Oceania Nova Caledonia (ONC) in the Marist Archives. The ONC material fills four large filing cabinets which are listed as APM I ONC, APM II ONC, APM III ONC and AMP IV ONC. The ONC files are not as well organized as the other Pacific vicariates and they contain many unclassified and unnamed sections. Please also see PMB MS 161.

Cabinet APM IV ONC:

• Correspondence dated October 1912-December 1913 and 1914-20
• Cabinet APM I ONC:
  1. Dossier classified 'Geography': article on the mineral wealth of New Caledonia; chapters entitled 'Cullinary Arts of New Caledonia', 'Clothing', 'Games and entertainments', 'Music', 'Fabric, Basketry, Cordage, Pearl Money', 'Tools and Weapons'.
  2. Dossier classified 'Philology': list of publications in indigenous languages; biographical details of Father Jean Hervier, SM. and a list of his publications on New Caledonia Gastropods; biographical details of Xavier Montrouzier, SM, naturalist
  3. Dossier classified 'Sacred Congregation': Correspondence dated 1859, 1878, 1887, 1888, 1905, 1907, 1954 (In Latin)
  4. Dossier of letters to the local civil administration 1855-63
  5. List of articles from Mission Catholiques, 1869-1945
  6. correspondence list 1836-87, giving place of writing, name of correspondent, date written. List of correspondence from Mgr Douarre, 1836-46.
  7. Dossier comprising Rules of the Vicariate of New Caledonia 1843-1889 (in Latin) and related correspondence; map of South Pacific; Rules of the Vicariate of New Caledonia 1843-53 (in Latin)
  8. Dossier entitled 'Lay Relations', comprising a letter about New Caledonia dated 28 December, 1859
  9. Correspondence of Mgr Douarre to the General Administration, 1842-53