William Hamilton - Diaries and pearling logs, 1882-1905

PMB 15

fonds

Canberra : Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, [19--]

421983

Microfilm : PMB 15

microfilm reel 35 mm

Captain Hamilton was born in Scotland and came to Australia at the age of 10. In 1882-1883, he made voyages from Brisbane to the New Hebrides, New Britain and New Ireland in labour recruiting vessels. For a dozen or so years from late 1890s, he ran the Hamilton Pearling Co. with luggers operating out of Komuli in the Admiralty Islands and Gizo in the Solomons. This company also traded in copra, tortoise shell, black lip and green snail shell. Later, Captain Hamilton had big planting interests in the Solomons, mainly on Choiseul. He died in Sydney in November 1937

The papers comprise: 1. Diary of a recruiting voyage in schooner Lochiel from Brisbane to the New Hebrides from Sept. 20, 1882, to Dec. 29, 1882; 2. Diary of a recruiting voyage in the schooner Jessie Kelly from Brisbane to the New Hebrides, New Britain and New Ireland from Mar. to Sept., 1883; 3. Two reports on voyages in search of pearl shell in New Guinea and the Solomons in 1899-1900; 4. Log of the pearling lugger Nippon from Apr. 20, 1901 to Sept. 24, 1901, kept at the Hamilton Pearling Company's station at Komuli, Admiralty Islands; 5. Log of the Hamilton Pearling Company's station at Komuli from Sept. 27, 1902, to Mar. 10, 1903; 6. Logs and diaries kept by William Hamilton in the vessels Canomie, Ysabel, Gazelle and Kambin from Jan. 1, 1903, to Nov. 14, 1905. These concern the operations of the Hamilton Pearling Company in New Guinea and the Solomons

PMB (Australian National University. Pacific Manuscripts Bureau) ; 15
Available for reference
Microfilm copy of original held by Oxley Memorial Library, Brisbane