Archives, Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, The Library, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom Council for World Missions University of London. School of Oriental and African Studies. Library docenquiry@soas.ac.uk http://www.soas.ac.uk/library/archives/services/
Description
"Native village, Port Moresby, and Mr. H.O. Forbes' Inland Exploration Party." Group gathered in village with equipment before embarking on exploration of inland British New Guinea [Papua New Guinea]. See also Record 3. One of 113 albumen prints mounted in an album by W.G. Lawes. Dr Henry Ogg Forbes led an expedition to explore Mount Owen Stanley under the auspices of the Royal Geographical Society, British Association and Colonial Office between 1885 and 1886, during which this photograph was taken. He became Acting Deputy Commissioner of British New Guinea from 1886 to 1889, when he led a second expedition to Mount Owen Stanley. Lawes, who appears in a version of this group portrait by J.W. Lindt, was formerly the first resident missionary on the South Sea island of Niue, Lawes transferred to Papua New Guinea in 1874 until his retirement in 1906. Lawes was a pioneer missionary photographer, and the first permanent non-indigenous resident of Papua New Guinea. He created the first photographic images of the islands and its peoples as well as images of missionary work, which were distributed commercially through Henry King of Sydney. Lawes' knowledge of, and role in, Papuan life was also of paramount importance to other photographers, particularly those of colonial government and expeditionary parties, such as the Australia-based professional photographer J. W. Lindt, who acknowledged the decisive role that Lawes played in facilitating his visit to Papua New Guinea and the photographic work he was able to carry out.
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