Diary, miscellaneous papers and correspondence 1945 - 1951

Ellis (1869-1951) was born in Queensland and educated in New Zealand. In the 1890s he 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, he 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).

The documents on the microfilm include: 1. Ellis' diary for May 1900 when he went to Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati to establish the phosphate industry there; 2. Clippings on the phosphate industry from various newspapers and journals; 3. Correspondence covering the period 1920-51.

Correspondence between the Samoan District of the LMS and LMS Stations in:
Gilbert and Ellice Islands, (Tuvalu and Kiribati) cont. 1903-1947; Niue 1907-1939

These documents originally formed part of the archives of the Samoan District Committee and later Samoan District Council of the London Missionary Society, and were formerly held at Malua, Western Samoa. The Samoan District Committee was replaced by the Council in 1928.

Reel 1: Correspondence between the Samoan District of the LMS and LMS Stations in: Cook Islands, 1910-37 (English, local language); Gilbert and Ellice Islands (Tuvalu and Kiribati), 1877-1940 (some damaged) (English, Gilbertese); Niue, 1907-39; Tokelau Islands, 1907-42; Tutuila (American Samoa), 1908-47. Reel 2: Correspondence with American Samoa, 1908-47 (English, Samoan).

Diary, miscellaneous papers and correspondence 1900 - 1943

Correspondence between the Samoan District of the LMS and LMS Stations in:

• Cook Islands, 1910-37 (English, local language)
• Gilbert and Ellice Islands (Tuvalu and Kiribati), 1877-9 February 1899 (some damaged) (English, Gilbertese)

Correspondence between the Samoan District of the LMS and LMS Stations in Gilbert and Ellice Islands (Tuvalu and Kiribati), cont. 1916-1926

Arundel (1814-1919) was a leading figure in the Pacific phosphate industry from the 1860s until his death, active largely in Kiribati and Nauru. See Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1974, pp.59-61.

The correspondence is chiefly with Lord Stanmore who was chairman of the Pacific Islands Company Ltd, and later the Pacific Phosphate Company Ltd, of which Arundel was the Vice-Chairman.

Correspondence, cont. 4 August 1910 - 21 December 1911

Correspondence, cont. 1909 - 1 August 1910