Pictorial material from the Colin Simpson papers, 1933-1973

PXE 1254/Boxes 1-4
PXE 1254/Folder 5
FM2/2055
SLIDES 207

fonds

1933-1973

Graphic Materials, Textual Records, Photographs, Clippings, Drawings, Ephemera

908968

1 album (38 photographic prints) - 28 x 24 cm.
1299 photographic prints - 25 x 23 cm. or smaller
2 items of ephemera - postcards - 9 x 14 cm.
34 sheets - typescript
4 clippings
5 drawings - pencil, wash - 56 x 41 cm. or smaller
67 negatives - 35 mm
7 transparencies - 6 x 7 cm.
1 sketchbook (22 sketches) - pencil - 23 x 25 cm.

Colin Simpson was born on 4 November, 1908 in Petersham, New South Wales, and died in 1983. As a journalist he is perhaps best remembered for his role in exposing the Ern Malley hoax of 1944. He wrote prolifically and was employed by the ABC to write travel documentaries. These led to a career as an author of many popular travel books, often about the North of Australia

His work with the Australian Society of Authors was instrumental in securing Public Lending Right legislation for Australian authors. For his services to Australian literature, he was made OBE in 1981

Reference:
Australian Society of Authors. http://www.asauthors.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0016/ccms.r?PageId=10130 (accessed 24 August, 2012)

PXE 1254
Box 1
a. 1 album
Includes 38 photographic prints with captions, 1933-1953, for Colin Simpson's 1954 book, 'Adam in Plumes'

b. 80 photographic prints (mostly black and white) taken in the Rabaul region of New Guinea, ca. 1949-1956. Most depict aspects of village life but also include images relating to the rubber industry, Gilbert Renton (businessman featured in Colin Simpson's article 'Rabaul Pheonix') and volcanologist G. A. Taylor

c. 42 black and white photographic prints, mostly taken around the Bougainville area of New Guinea ca. 1949-1956, includes picture of 2 Australian soldiers and locals canoeing to Manus Island along with agricultural scenes, missionary life and general images of local life

d. 112 photographic prints (black and white and colour) of scenes in the Wahgi Valley area of New Guinea, ca. 1949-1956. Includes pictures of village life, portraits of Papuans and images of cultural and ceremonial rites including the 'Carry 'im leg' courtship ritual and sacrifices to Bolum. Also includes 34 [unorganised] typescript sheets relating to the pictures along with 4 related clippings

e. 137 photographic prints of the Telefomin people, including the Sepik Mission and images of initiation ceremonies involving scarification in that area of New Guinea, ca. 1949-1956

f. 55 photographic prints of the Wau-Bulolo region of New Guinea, ca. 1949-1956, including many images of gold mining activities

g. 11 photographic prints of scenes in the Trobriand Islands (off the coast of New Guinea), ca. 1949-1956

Box 2
h. Approximately 300 black and white photographic prints taken in the Lavani Valley (Shangri-La Valley) area of New Guinea between 1954-1958. Most feature scenes of Papuans pursuing aspects of village life and including a clipping from the Sunday Telegraph, 3 October 1954, of a story on New Guinea by Colin Simpson

Box 3
i. Further 419 black and white and colour photographic prints of scenes in New Guinea, ca. 1949-1956 (housed in 3 wallets)

Box 4
j. 34 photographic prints of scenes in Fiji and portraits of locals, not after 1956. Includes pictures of the South Pacific Conference, locals fishing, missionaries and firewalking

k. 26 photographic prints of scenes in Thailand (mostly Bangkok) and portraits of locals, 1957-1973. Includes temples, statues of Buddha and Thai dancing. Also 2 postcards showing a temple and a pagoda in Bangkok

l. 83 photographic prints of scenes in Iceland and portraits of locals, 1964-1965. Includes alpine scenes, volcanoes and views of Reykjavik

Folder 5
m. 1 sketchbook containing 22 pencil sketches, being portraits and animals, no date

n. 4 loose pencil sketches of natural scenes along with a portrait of a boy as well as 1 wash sketch of a cat, no date

FM2 / 2055
o. 67 35mm negatives, mostly of Thai dancing at the Roma Hotel, Bangkok, 1965

SLIDES 207
p. 7 transparencies of scenes in New Guinea, mostly the Wahgi Valley and including image of 'Carry 'im leg' ritual, ca. 1949-1956

Most of the New Guinea pictures were taken and collected for research for Colin Simpson's book, 'Adam in Plumes', 1954

Forms part of MLMSS 3343

Access via appointment - Applies to SLIDES 207

Copyright restrictions may apply: Photographs in this collection created before 1955 are all out of copyright. Photographs created after 1955 are in copyright for the life of creator plus 70 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and courtesy of the copyright holder

Adam in plumes / Colin Simpson¶Sydney : Angus and Robertson, 1954

Pic.Acc. Upgrade Project - Information transferred from Pic.Acc.4063 as part of the eRecords Project 2012-13

Many of the photographs have captions on their reverse side