This collection of 44 photographs documents time spent by Gwen and Tom Taylor at Buin Area School and Kerema in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea from 1945 to 1961. Most of the photographs relate to Buin Area School and document the physical appearance of the school and various aspects of life there. These include photographs of students in classrooms, making cane furniture, weaving, swimming and gardening. Several photographs show Gwen Taylor holding babies and being pictured with nuns. Tom Taylor is pictured in a classroom and mention is made of his role as the principal of the school at Buin. Some of the photographs depict special occasions and ceremonial events being celebrated by local people. There are good examples of houses, school buildings and a church. One photograph depicts the purchase of a new truck and there are a few photographs depicting canoes, including an outrigger canoe. Also pictured are boats, including the MV Gona. One photo appears to show artillery at Kokopo. A few photographs feature non-local adults and children posing for the camera. One photograph shows a large cloud of smoke and appears to be the burning of garden. Another shows an explosion in the sea.

Photographs documenting Methodist Missions at Kabakada, Watnabara and Vunairima, via Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea, between 1925 and 1930. Photographs taken by Reverend Francis Trafford Walker and his wife Mrs Emma M. Walker.

On his return from the Middle East, Rhys Healey’s unit was disbanded so he transferred to ANGAU in early 1943. On 8 November 1948 Rhys Healey accompanied District Commissioner Horrie Niall to open Telefomin station, in Papua New Guinea, together with Assistant District Officer Des Clifton-Bassett and Patrol Officer Rodgers. Healey’s job as Medical Assistant was to check on the malaria situation – he noted that the disease was already in the valley. Healey also took with him his well trained Dokta Boi, Bunat, and both stayed six weeks to organise the building of the native hospital. As no European medical Assistant was available, Bunat stayed in charge to supervise the running of the hospital and Healey returned to Angoram on the Sepik River to his family for Christmas. Bunat was awarded a Government Medal for looking after Harris and the wounded Police in 1953. At the request of Sir Michael Somare Rhys Healey stayed in PNG after independence, until Christmas 1981, mainly to take charge of the Finance Department and to train indigenous staff quickly. (Notes from Mrs Dorothy E. Healey, April 2006.)

Following the murders, an investigative patrol was flown into the area. The patrol was lead by District Commisisoner Allan Timperley and included Distict Officers George Wearne and Allan Corrigan, Cadet Barry Ryan and Medical Assistant Rhys Healey. They inspected the villages of Komdavip and Misinmin and the rest houses in the Eliptamin Valley.

These photographs were taken by the investigative patrol in Nov 1953.

Photographs of Papua New Guinea taken or collected by Peter Grimshaw, possibly including some of the missing ones from the Mt Hagen series. It seems Grimshaw collected several of the photographs and some have been identified as likely taken by Michael J. Leahy in the 1930s

The Papua and New Guinea Villager was published in English while Rabaul News was published in Pidgin.

1. Papua and New Guinea Villager, Vol. 2 no. 10 (Nov. 1951) to Vol. 2 No. 11 (Dec. 1951)
2. Rabaul News, Vol. 6 No. 2 (13 Jan. 1951) to Vol. 14 No. 5 (31 Jan. 1959)

Includes 5 printed reports which appeared as a numbered series.

Nos 1. & 2.: Report on the Suau-Tawala Anthropology of the South-Eastern Division and part of the Eastern Division of Papua - W.E. Armstrong
No. 3.: Collection of Curios and the Preservation of Native Culture - F.E. Williams
No. 4.: The Vailala Madness and the Destruction of Native Ceremonies in the Gulf Division - F.E. Williams
No. 5.: Animistic and Other Spiritualistic Beliefs of the Bina tribe, Western Papua (reprinted from Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. LI, July-December 1921) - A.P. Lyons