Summary heading
Function and purpose
This series consists of 728 glass plate negatives of photographs
taken in Papua by Francis Edgar Williams in his capacity as Government
Anthropologist. At least one photo (item 71.2 "Williams and anthill")
was taken by someone else.
The photographs cover most aspects of the life of the Papuan
natives with whom Williams worked from 1922 until 1943 when he was killed in an
air crash on the Owen Stanley Range. Because he was also a good photographer,
they are an exceptional collection.
All were originally wrapped in pink paper or buff envelopes on
which identifying details were entered, the titles being typed or manuscript in
pencil or ink, single numbers in black crayon. All these details were entered
on the inventory of items. These details have quite a complex history: it
appears that the negatives arrived in the Department of Territories in Canberra
in boxes 1 – 6 accompanied by box lists of the numbers and titles (CRS A6512).
These lists are not in any discernible order, and within each box there is a
mixed range of numbers, dates and places, many numbers being used more than
once, eg there are seven different photos numbered '8'. No classification
symbols appear on these lists.
Between 1950 and 1952, the collection of c.2400 photographs held
by the Department's Research Section was made into a set of prints pasted onto
cards (CRS A6510). Prints from most of these negatives appear in that set; a
list of those missing and also of F.E. Williams' prints in that set for which
no negatives exist in this series, is located at the front of the inventories
for CRS A6510 and A6003. The complete set of prints and also these negatives
were arranged according to a lexicographical subject classification system adapted
from that used by the Bernice Bishop Museum in Hawaii. The classification
symbols comprise alphabetical letters representing part of the classification,
eg C - Administration, CA - the Administrator, CB - Administration
Headquarters.
Within each group negatives are numbered consecutively, eg CA-1,
CA-2, CA-3. These symbols were added to the negatives in white ink and to the
wrappers in blue ink. On the cards in CRS A6510 the box list number of the
negative was entered in the section "serial no. of negative", eg V,
185. Also at this stage a numerical list was made which collated the box list
numbers. After transfer to the (then) Commonwealth Archives Office in 1960 no
further action occurred until 1983, when the negatives were re-arranged in
numerical order according to this later list, because at this stage it was
thought that the numerical list was the original one. It was not until 1985
that the original box lists (CRS A6512) were found in the middle of CRS A6510,
and then it was decided not to handle these negatives yet again in view of
their fragile condition and the fact that the numerical list does at least
represent the original system.
In 1989
the material was copied by Australian Archives ACT Regional Office Reprography
Section for preservation purposes. Three sets of duplicate negatives and three
sets of reference prints were produced.
Related legislation
Using the series
Consignment
A6003/2 is a set of reference photographic prints, while A6003/6 and A6003/7
are sets of reference prints.
Language of material
Physical characteristics
System of arrangement and control
Relationships with other records
Finding aids
Access conditions
Series history
Provenance
Immediate source of acquisition
Custodial history
Quantity in agency custody
Disposal history
Publication note
Additional information
End notes
Sources