Summary heading
A2442 - Photograph of Sir Douglas Mawson taking possession of Antarctic Territory
Function and purpose
This series consists of a single photograph – documenting the proclamation of sovereignty made over Antarctic territory by Sir Douglas Mawson at Proclamation Island on 13 January 1930. The photograph shows Sir Douglas Mawson and six other members of the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) aside a Union Jack giving three cheers for the King after the proclamation had been read out. The metal cylinder in which the original proclamation was enclosed is clearly visible, attached to the flagpole. The Royal Research Ship Discovery can be seen at anchor in the background.
Sir Douglas Mawson reported this act of annexation to the Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Department in the following terms:
On January 13th, after charting a long length of coast line referred to as MacRobertson’s Land, Kemp Land, and part of Enderby Land, we arrived at a high rocky point in the form of an island almost joined to the shore of the mainland. It reaches 800 feet above sea level. On this commanding summit we decided to raise the Flag and officially take possession of all the land charted by us up to that date during the voyage, and including therein also the remainder of the land seen by Enderby and appearing on his Chart. The flagpole was erected on the summit of the island, rocks were stacked about the foot of the flagpole to secure, and a wooden table with inscription was placed at the foot of the mast facing south noting that, on that day, January 13th 1930, the official proclamation was read out and that the proclamation was then enclosed in a metal cylinder attached to the mast, three cheers were given for the King and ‘God Save the King’ was sung. Captain Hurley took a photograph whilst three cheers were given for the King. A copy of this photograph is being forwarded to you for record (1).
The proclamation in question (the original of which is held by the National Archives as item 1930/2 in series CRS B1759) vested sovereignty of Enderby, Kemp and MacRobertson Lands, together with adjoining offshore islands (between 47 degrees East and 73 degrees east Longitude and south of Latitude 65 degrees South) in ‘His Majesty King George V, His heirs and successors forever’. This proclamation was one of several made by Mawson on the two BANZARE voyages. Following Mawson’s proclamations, HM King George V made an Order in Council on 7 February 1933 placing all the lands and islands (other than Terre Adelie) between 160 degrees East and 45 Degrees East Longitude and south of 60 degrees South Latitude under Australian authority. The subsequent Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act (1933) ratified this action, although the Act did not come into formal effect until 24 August 1936.
The historical significance of the photograph itself lies in providing documentary evidence to support Australian claims to the Australian Antarctic Territory. For this reason, the photograph was long in the possession of the Department of External Affairs. While in the custody of External Affairs, the following information (giving the wrong year) was recorded on the back of the photograph:
Official Record Sir Douglas Mawson taking possession of the Australian Antarctic Territory at Proclamation Island Enderby Land 1929 See file. JS Cumpston 17. 2. 70
Dr JS Cumpston was an historian employed for many years by External Affairs.
Related legislation
The Australian Antarctic Territory Acceptance Act (1933) was made under the Commonwealth Parliament’s power in the Constitution to make laws for any territory the Crown placed under Australian authority.
Physical characteristics
The photograph is black and white, measuring approximately 25.5 cm by 20.5 cm, mounted on a heavy cardboard picture mount approximately 37.5 cm x 30 cm in size.
System of arrangement and control
A single number system has been imposed on this series by the National Archives, with the one item being designated as item 1.
Relationships with other records
Two of the original proclamations made by Sir Douglas Mawson during the BANZARE expedition (including the one of 13 January 1930) are now held in CRS B1759 - Proclamations issued by Sir Douglas Mawson during the British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition.
According to Mawson’s letter to Strahan quoted above, he was forwarding to the Prime Minister’s Department a copy of the photograph Hurley took on 13 January 1930. This was captioned by Mawson as ‘Three Cheers for the King - Ceremony of Proclamation on the summit of Proclamation Island on coast of Enderby Land. January 13th 1930’ and is now part of item CRS A4311/6, 365/9/3. This file also contains photographs of other proclamation ceremonies conducted by Mawson during BANZARE: at Heard Island (2 December 1930), King George Land (5 January 1931), Scullin Monolith (13 January 1930) and Cape Bruce (18 January 1931).
Series history
The photograph was received from the Department of Foreign Affairs. After being received into Archives custody, the item was placed in a specially made wallet to better preserve it. Detailed arrangement and description work was done on the series in July 2005, involving researching the item, amending the series registration and writing a new series note.
End notes
(1) Letter from Sir Douglas Mawson to F. Strahan, Secretary, Antarctic Committee, Prime Minister’s Department, Canberra 22 November 1930. Carbon copy on A461, C413/6.
Sources