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MS 2451

Frederick Harold Gray papers
1927-1960


SERIES LIST AND LOCATION GUIDE

Box Series
Access and scope note
Historical note
1 Correspondence
2 Diaries, journals
3-4 Financial records
5-6 Groote Eylandt Native Settlement
7 Printed material

ACCESS AND SCOPE NOTE

Access

Closed access. Available only to people authorised by the Depositor or Principal. Permission required for quotation and copying in part or whole - A3b/B1.

Scope

Typescript, handwritten, printed material and photocopy set. 7 boxes. 184 items and 239 letters.

HISTORICAL NOTE

Material concerning Groote Eylandt Native Settlement and personal papers, 1927-60.
Groote Eylandt, NT, 1927-601. Includes residence lists, financial records, health data, linguistic notes (Wanindilyagwa), notes on kinship, religious art, newspaper clippings, reports, documents and offprints of journal articles by various authors.

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CORRESPONDENCE

BOX 1

Item: 1

  1. General correspondence, dating between 12 August 1936-8 November 1959, 118 letters.
  2. Miscellaneous addresses, [11] 1.
  3. Correspondence with F.G. Rose, 22 February 1939-21 February 1958, 10 letters and [2] 1.
  4. Personal correspondence, 2 November 1927-7 February 1955, 14 letters.
  5. Letters received after publication of an article National Geographical Magazine, January 1953, 13 letters.
  6. Correspondence with Government departments, 21 March 1935-28 January 1959, 79 letters.
  7. Shell Company of Australia.
  8. C.M.S.
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DIARIES AND JOURNALS

BOX 2

Item: 2

  1. Diary 1932, [38] 1.
  2. Diary 1933, [85] 1.
  3. Diary 3 October-8 December 1933, [10] 1.
  4. Diary 1-12 September [1933? or 1934?], S.S. Oituli first trip to Gulf of Carpentaria for trepang, [3] 1.
  5. Journal [1934?] - Stories, 'A moonlight night', 'Clara', 'A picnic in the Gulf of Carpentaria', (Note that these also appear in the back of the 1933 Diary), 1-11. Diary of voyage from Groote Eylandt to Darwin on board the S.S. Oituli, 1. 12-23. Diary 14 June-22 July, 1. 24-32. Miscellaneous pages, including vocabulary, 1. 33-8.
  6. Diary, August-December 1936, [50] 1.
  7. Diary, January-February 1937, [17] 1.
  8. Diary, January-July 1938, [44] 1.
  9. Diary, January-July 1944, [31] 1.
  10. Log book of motor vessel 'Wanderer of Anjawoi', October 1947-June 1948, [38] 1.
  11. Diary/calendar 1950, [51] 1.
  12. An account of trepanging on the 'Northam' c. 1932. [4] 1. Typescript (photocopy), (incomplete).
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FINANCIAL RECORDS

BOX 3

Item: 3

  1. Banking:
  1. Bank statements, Groote Eylandt Native Settlement account, 16 January-15 September 1943, [4] 1.
  2. Bank statements, Frederick Harold Gray and E Herbert Trust Account Groote Eylandt Native Settlement, 12 February 1944-29 March 1957, [42] 1.
  3. Receipts of deposits, F.H. Gray and E. Herbert. Groote Eylandt Native Settlement account, June 1946-November 1950, [8] 1.
  4. Bank statements, Frederick Harold Gray account 17 March 1942-14 February 1957, [33] 1.
  5. Receipts of deposits, F.H. Gray account, June 1944-November 1960, and accompanying letter 4 September 1946, [9] 1.
  6. Receipt of deposit, M.K. Gray account, January 1956, [1] 1.
  7. Miscellaneous, [2] 1.
  1. Financial statements and budgets:
  1. Quarterly statements June 1943-March 1954 (lacking June 1949); half-yearly statements June 1952- December 1953 and December 1954; Annual statements 1953 and June 1954; two letters accompanying statements dated 30 August and 15 October 1950, [67] 1.
  2. Correspondence between NT Administration F.H. Gray re government financial assistance and subsidies, 1951-6, 9 letters.
  3. Budgets for the financial year 1952/3, 1953/4 and 1954/5, [5] 1.
  4. Estimated funds required over and above normal settlement income for the financial year 1955/6, [l] 1.
  5. Umbakumba Settlement: operational subsidy [l] 1.
  1. Receipts, expenditure and balances:
  1. Monthly records of receipts and expenditure, July 1949-December 1952, November 1955-September 1957, November 1957-January 1958, [68] 1.
  2. Balances, April-May 1950, July 1951-December 1952, [10] 1.
  1. Accounts, orders, invoices, receipts and related correspondence:
  1. Telecommunications, postal charges and related correspondence-
  1. Monthly accounts radio telegram, May 1954, May-June 1955, August 1955, [9] 1.
  2. Receipts issued by the Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) to Eylandt Native Settlement account, February 1954- November 1955, [8] 1.
  3. Receipt issued by the Overseas Telecommunications Commission (Australia) to Mr Gray, March 1954, [1] 1.
  4. Correspondence, receipts and certificates of posting, 18 July 1945-13 February 1956, [33] 1.
  1. Transactions with Thomas Brown & Sons Ltd.-
  1. Invoices (Brisbane office), 4 January 1955-22 February 1956, [113] 1.
  2. Accounts (Darwin office), [3] 1.
  3. Credit notes (Brisbane office), [3] 1
  4. Monthly settlements (Brisbane office) October 1955-January 1956, [4] 1.
  5. Monthly settlements (Darwin office), October and December 1955, [2] 1.
  6. Letter and invoice from Thomas Brown to Gray re order, 15 November 1955, [2] 1.
  7. Receipts and accompanying letter (Brisbane office), 28 December 1953-9 December 1955, [6] 1.
  8. Letters from Gray to Thomas Brown (Brisbane), 1955, 4 letters.
  9. Miscellaneous monthly settlement (Brisbane), 21 October 1953, [1] 1.
  10. Cairns.
  1. Transactions with Burns, Philp & Company -
  1. Invoices, 6 November 1948-30 April 1953, [35]1.
  2. Credit sales dockets, [2] 1.
  3. Statements of account, 10 September 1949-31 October 1953, [11] 1.
  4. Debit notes, [2] 1.
  5. Receipts, [2] 1.
  1. Transactions with Queensland Pastoral Supplies Pty Ltd -
  1. Acknowledgments of orders, [2] 1.
  2. Statement of account, [l] 1.
  3. Receipts, [6] 1.
  1. Accounts and receipts from various firms and businesses -
  1. Accounts with receipts attached and cash sale dockets, October 1953-October 1960, [38] 1.
  2. Miscellaneous accounts, [6] 1.
  3. Miscellaneous receipts, [43] 1.
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GROOTE EYLANDT NATIVE SETTLEMENT

BOX 5

Item:

  1. Lists of Aborigines residing at Groote Eylandt Native settlement -
  1. Children:
  1. Child endowment claims - 24 May-18 November 1943, 1. 1-17. 19 October 1943-10 January 1944, 1. 18-19. 19 October 1943-24 February 1947, 1. 20-49. 20 January 1947-22 September 1947, (incomplete), 1. 50-7. 22 September 1947-7 September 1953, 1. 58-231. 14 September 1953-26 December 1955, 1. 232-68. 29 October 1957-20 January 1958, 1. 269-73.
  2. List of children's names, (incomplete), [2] 1.
  3. Nominal roll for child dependents, [2] 1.
  4. List of children at Settlement, 31 January 1949, [1] 1.
  5. Miscellaneous lists of children, [4] 1.
  6. List of children - sex, age, father, promise, [3] 1. 2 copies (second copy incomplete).
  7. List of children - sex, age, mother, father, [3] 1. 2 copies (second copy incomplete).
  8. List of children - sex, age, father, mother, [2] 1.
  1. Adults and family groups:
  1. Family groups at Umbakumba in 1946, [2] 1.
  2. List of men, women and children belonging to Groote Eylandt residing at the Native Settlement, Umbakumba, 1 October 1949, [2] 1.
  3. List of men, wives and children, 12 September 1950, [1] 1.
  4. List of natives not belonging to Groote Eylandt Settlement, 1 July 1953, [1] 1.
  5. List of adults [men and wives] at Umbakumba, Groote Eylandt Native Settlement, 30 May 1954, 2 copies.
  6. Additional family groups at the beginning of 1956, [l] 1. (numbered page 9).
  7. Family groups at 6 February 1958, [8] 1.
  8. List of Aborigines at Umbakumba, 6 February 1958, [8] 1. Another copy, [8] 1.
  9. List of mainland natives: adult men and wives, [1] 1.
  10. Umbakumba, Groote Eylandt Native Settlement: 1 of natives residing at this settlement, [1] 1.
  11. List of residents, [1] 1.
  12. List of men, wives and children, [l] 1.
  13. List of men and wives, single men, aged women Caledon Bay natives, [l] 1.
  14. List of men, wives and single people, [1] 1.
  15. List of men, number of wives and children, [1] 1.
  16. List of men and number of wives, aged women and single men, [1] 1.
  17. List of men and number of wives, 12 April 1945, [1] 1.
  18. List of women and number of children, [1] 1.
  19. List of women and men, [1] 1.
  20. People settling permanently 1938-1948: lists men, wives and children and single men, [6] 1.
  21. List of Natives who came in from the Mainland, 4 February 1949, with covering letter from Gray to the Director of Native Affairs, [4] 1.
  22. List of aged and infirmed, children and adults [1] 1.
  1. Lists compiled in association with medical checks:
  1. The native settlement at Umbakumba, Groote Eylandt, medical survey [alphabetical list of residents], [3] 1.
  2. List of residents 5-10 years, 10 years plus, adults, [1] 1.
  3. List of people, given diphtheria immunisation, [1] 1.
  4. List of x ray negatives, [1] 1.
  1. List of Aborigines and records of wages paid 20 February-19 May 1955, [38] 1.
  2. Register of wards, Umbakumba Native Settlement, [5] 1.
  3. Miscellaneous pages, [16] 1.

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BOX 5

Item:

5. Health

  1. Yaws and gangosa - Material supplied by Northern Territory Medic Service on treatment of yaws and gangosa, [5] 1. Notification of yaws and gangosa for October 1934, Caledon Bay, [1] 1. Children given injections of N.A.B. all suffering from yaws, 12 January 1949, [1 ] 1. Notification of natives having received treat for yaws at the Groote Eylandt Native Settlement 18 January 1949, [1] 1.
  2. Procedure for urine testing, [1] 1.
  3. Individual results of medical survey, April 1953, [1] 1.
  4. Message from C.M.O., Darwin, [1] 1.
  5. How to report radio messages, [1] 1.
  6. Lists of medical supplies - Medical chests, category 'B': police stations, cattle stations and native settlements, [3] 1. Another copy, list only, [1] 1. Groote Eylandt Native Settlement list of medical items ordered 8 October 1956, [2] 1. List of medical supplies, [2] 1. List of medical supplies, [1] 1.
Item:

6. Material concerning various individuals at Groote Eylandt Native Settlement:

  1. Statements by Gray concerning death of the Aborigine, David, 7 June 1943, [6] 1.
  2. Statement [by Gray] on activities as Honorary Protector of Aboriginals in regard to Aboriginal Mandawarr and Aboriginal Kulpaja, 9 April 1944, [4] 1.
  3. Letter from Gray to Director of Native Affairs re Nangurama, 3 January 1949, [1] 1.
  4. Material concerning the death of Mainland native Djow-djow, February 1950, [17] 1.
  5. Material concerning Jerry Blittner, 1951, [5] 1.
  6. Material concerning the death of native Wanyipa which occurred on the fifth day of August 1951, [7] 1.
  7. Material concerning Edward Herbert, 1952-4, [13] 1.
  8. Order for the removal of Nangawollia from Groote Native Settlement, 25 November 1953, [1] 1.
  9. Statement by Gray concerning Aboriginal girl Tumulgempemina, residing at Umbakumba, and Aboriginal man Nenangaprarra Bara, known as Frankie, 1957, [2] 1.
  10. Statement by Gray concerning Talamalpita, 4 December 1957, [2]1.
  11. Particulars of disturbances between natives on Sunday 5 January 1958 as given to F.H. Gray by Nakaramba Yangtarana who witnessed the affair, [1] 1.
  12. Information given by Gray about Bunaia, [1] 1.
  13. Information given by Gray re ward, Nakinyapa Bara, [1] 1.
  14. Letter from Gray re Albert, [1] 1.
Item:

7. Miscellaneous material concerning Groote Eylandt Aborigines and Native Settlement:

  1. Vital statistics for Umbakumba Settlement, December 1951 and June 1952, with related correspondence, [4] 1.
  2. Material concerning staff at Umbakumba, [9] 1.
  3. Wards Employment Ordinance 1953-1959: terms and conditions applicable to licence and personal records of 6 employees, [3, 12] 1.
  4. Certificates of burial, numbers 2-16, 1951-7, [15] 1.
  5. Form of information of death, [1] 1.
  6. Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, letter re submission of returns, 28 November 1960, [1] 1.
  7. Notes on exchange marriages, [1] 1.
  8. The Groote Eylandt Native Settlement: objects of the organisation, [1938], [1] 1.
  9. Notes 16-18 December 1945 on handing over of Flying Boat Base to F.H. Gray, [1] 1.
  10. List of inward and outward correspondence of Aborigines of Groote Eylandt Native Settlement, 1949-50.
  11. Material concerning sale of shells, [3] 1.
  12. Miscellaneous pages, [38] 1.
Item:

8. Anthropological and linguistic material:

  1. Language (Wanindilyagwa) data-phonetics and vocabulary lists, [24] 1.
  2. Kinship, [8] 1.
  3. Notes on totems, mythology and ceremonies, [9] 1.
  4. Notes on art, [14] 1.
Item:

9. Reports and papers:

  1. Kubberrunnee. Australia's racial minority problem the Aborigines, [17] 1. Typescript (photocopy). (Adapted from a talk give to the Anti-Fascist League of Western Australia).
  2. Rose, Frederick George Godfrey. Paintings of the Groote Eylandt Aboriginals, [1] 1. Typescript (photocopy); published in Oceania, 1942/3, 13(2): 170-6.
  3. Rose, Frederick George Godfrey. Groote Eylandt, 19 1. Typescript (photocopy); published in Walkabout, 1944, 10(5): 9-14, 23.
  4. Northern Territory of Australia. Missions Administration Conference, August 1955. Summary of proceedings [and related correspondence]. Darwin, 1955. 24,161 1. Typescript (photocopy).
  5. Ryan, J.R. [Report on] Gray's Native Settlement, Umbakumba, Groote Eylandt, and covering letter, 6, 2 1. Typescript (photocopy).
  6. Gray, F.H. Review report Umbakumba Settlement from 1938 to 1948 and covering period from 1948 to present date, [3] 1. Typescript (photocopy).
  7. Health survey Umbakumba Native Settlement, Port Langdon, Groote Eylandt, 1-16 October 1955, [5] 1. Typescript (photocopy).
  8. Extract from a report on assimilation of part-Aborigines, [1] 1. (numbered p. 2). Typescript (photocopy).
  9. Extract concerning adaption of Aboriginal custom to changed environment, [2] 1. (numbered p. 110-111) Typescript (photocopy).
  10. Notes on rice growing in Queensland, [3] 1. Typescript (photocopy).
  11. Poultry breeding formula, [1] 1. Holograph (photocopy).
  12. Requirements for setting up a trepang camp, [2] 1. Typescript (photocopy).
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PRINTED MATERIAL

BOX 7

Item:

  1. Newspaper and magazine clippings:
  1. Photos of Arnhem Land Aborigines, The Daily Mail, 18 November 1937, [1] 1.
  2. 'Mystery girl leads killer tribe: talks English, called Clara', The Daily Mail, 18 November 1937: 13.
  3. 'Modern air base in home of Australia's best Blacks', [1] 1.
  4. 'Pearls: the Japs want to put them back in Bond street', [1] 1.
  5. Article on the pearling industry in Broome, [1] 1.
  6. 'Grey eminence [C.P. Mountford]', [1] 1.
  7. 'Mrs. Bates breaks camp at last', [1] 1.
  8. 'Centaurus visits Australia: survey flight from London to Auckland [stop at Groote Eylandt]', Empire Airways, [1] 1.
  9. 'Japs not wanted in pearl fishing', [1] 1.
  10. 'Wild 12 days on record flight [plane chartered Mr F.H. Gray]', 17 Feb. 1947, [2] 1.
  11. 'Arnhem Land songs recorded', [1] 1.
  12. 'Tuckiar's odyssey: how acquitted native braved terrors of sea, hostile natives and jungle on his adventurous 700 mile flight home from Darwin'.
  13. 'Preserving our Dreamtime heritage', Melbourne Herald, 26 June 1973, [1] 1.
  14. Marriage of Mr F. Gray, Sunday Mercury, 22 December 1946: 4.
  15. 'Calling it a day: an uncrowned king for 30 years [Gray leaves Umbakumba]', [1] 1.
  16. 'What do we know of Australia?: a plea for an intelligent interest in the Northern Territory', Goulburn Evening Penny Post, 6 December 1938: 4 (in 3 1).
  17. 'When pearling is stripped of romance', Pix, 22 1939: 31-2 (in 4 l.).
  1. Offprints, miscellaneous pages from articles, journals:
  1. Mountford, C.P. Aboriginal decorative art from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory of Australia. Trans.R. South Australian 1939, 63: [5] 1. (Plates only).
  2. Tindale, N.B. Natives of Groote Eylandt and of the west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, part. 2. Record of the South Australian Museum 1925, 3 (l): plate XII.
  3. Rose, F. Paintings of the Groote Eylandt Aborigines, Oceania, 1942, 8(2): 170-6, illustrations.
  4. Rose, F. Malay influence on Aboriginal totemism Northern Australia. Man., 1947, 47: Plate J.
  5. Setzler, F.M. and F.D. McCarthy. Archaeology: a archeological specimen from Australia. J. Wash. Sci. 1950, 40(l): 1-5, bibliography, illustrations, map.
  6. Froome, S. Raising turkeys. Journal of Agriculture Western Australia 1950, 27(4): 1-28, bibliography, diagrams, illustrations, tables.
  7. Elkin, A.P. Civilised Aborigines and native cult, Oceania, 1935, 6(2): 117-46.
  8. Barrett, Charles. The Sun tree book. Melbourne, Lawrence Kay, 44 p., illustrations.
  9. Land rights news. 1976, 2.
  10. [Review of] Citizenship for the Aborigines [by A. Elkin], [4] 1. (numbered 13-16).
  1. Ordinances and regulations:
  1. Welfare Ordinance 1953. no. 16 of 1953, [25] 1.
  2. Welfare Ordinance 1955. no. 5 of 1956 [1] 1.
  3. Welfare Regulations, no. 9 of 1957 [8] 1, tables.
  4. Wards' Employment Ordinance 1953. no. 24 of 1953, [16] 1.
  5. Registration of Dogs Ordinance 1938, no. 3 of 1956, [2] 1.
  6. Wards' Employment Regulations 1959, no. 4 of 1959, [1]1, tables.
  7. Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Ordinance 1941, no. 7 of 1941, [28] 1, tables.
  8. [Pearl Fisheries Act 1952-1953?], p. 3-21 only, [10] 1.
  9. Pearl Fisheries Regulations 1953. no. 84 of 1953, [24] 1, tables.
  1. Reports and other printed documents:
  1. Thomson, Donald. Report on expedition to Arnhem Land. Canberra, Commonwealth Government Printer,1939. [23] 1.
  2. Middleton. G.F. Earth wall construction. 1: pise rammed earth; 2: adobe, or puddled earth. [Canberra Commonwealth Government Printer], 1947. (Department Works and Housing, Commonwealth Experimental Building Station. Duplicate Document Nos. 17-18).
  3. Craig, Lindsay T. Report on the Japanese pearl culture industry. Melbourne, [Commonwealth of Australia. Department of Commerce and Agriculture. Commonwealth Fisheries Office], 1947. 228 1. Bibliography, diagrams, table.
  4. Hargreaves, W.A. Report on Goulburn and other islands, [Adelaide, Government Printer, 1910]. 5 1, map.
  1. Miscellaneous:
  1. The Gallery of Natural History and Native Art, Medlow, Bath, N.S.W., Australia-[brochure], [3] 1.
  2. Australia. Department of the Interior. Normanton: Australian aeronautical map. [Washington], Department of Civil Aviation, 1953. Scale 1: 1,000,000.
  3. [Map of the world], [1] 1.

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Guide updated by J. Phillips February 2000.