Harry Dexter Photographs


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HARRY DEXTER COLLECTION of photographs from Samarai, Kwato, Abau Island, Port Moresby and elsewhere in Papua, c.1910-1915

Collection of photographs, held by Stuart Inder, documenting Harry Dexter's experiences as a plantation manager in Papua, 1910 - 1937. Dexter's manuscript autobiography, Reminiscences of a Gin-soaked Trader, is microfilmed at PMB 624.

The following images are currently available online:

Contact the Bureau for access to all the images in high resolution.

1

“Native House. Tide flows underneath.”

10.6x 6.9cm

2

“Samara. Population 120. Area 59 acres. Path round Samarai, some of the 600 tourists off the  … (?) [ship] can be seen.”

10.7x6.7cm

3

“Kwato Island girls making mats.”

10.8x6.9cm

4

“Canoes getting ready for racing at Kwato.” Printed by Harringtons. 252.

10.6x8.6cm

5

“Canoe racing at Samarai, … (?) [ship] in background.” Printed by Harringtons.

10.5x8.9cm

6

17.  “Sports Day. Crowd in front of store. Shows McGregor and a bit of Jansen. A little bit of the island on the right.”

14x8.8cm

7

“A wedding at Kwato. The bride is Mrs Austin.”

16x10.1cm

8

“Cricket ground at Kwato.”

15.1x10.1cm

9

“The Store, H.D., half castes & natives. “Dinah Doe”, then 13 oz cat (??) poseing in front of the baby (?) my boys are 1st & 4th from me 1st Geoffrey, 4th Dunstan.”

14.5x8.6cm

10

“H.D., Laki (Cookboy) & dog at entrance to tremporary humpy occupied while new house being built. Stamala (?) Plantation, Cape Rodney. Papua E.D. (?) May 1916.” 

13.5x8.5cm

11

“Solomon-Papuan halfcastes interested in the first “Decca” Gramophone.” Outside of Store.

16.2x10cm

12

Unlabelled. Store, H.D., natives and gramophone.

16.2x10cm

13

“Milne Bay natives dressed for a dance.”

16.1x9.9cm

14

“One of the young crocodiles collected for the southern zoo (1910). H.D. left.”

16.1x11.2cm

15

“9. The Residency, Abau Island, Papua E.C.D.”

13.5x8.9cm

16

“10. Native armed Constabulary, Abau Island, Papua E.C.D. 1410 021932.”

13.9x8.9cm

17

“11. Some of the prisoners at Abau gaol, on right (extreme) the double ironed and handcuffed man, is the one who killed the sergeant. May 1915. Papua E.C.D. 1410 021932.”

13.9x8.7cm

18

Print as above. No label.

16.2x10cm

19

“Abau Police and their wives.”

16.4x 10.4cm

20

“1. Tattood native Girl of the Central Division, Papua. Photograph by A. & K. Gibson, Port Moresby, Papua. 1410 021932.”

14x8.8cm

21

“Sir Rupert Clarke’s Exp’ up the Fly River. The tribe who wear(?) only a shell (?) [sheath]. Frank Pryke on right. Frank is a very immaculate individual when in civilization.”

16x11.8cm

22

“Sir Rupert Clarke’s exp’ up the Fly River – a Tree House.”

16x11.6cm

23

“Where the Fly River crosses into Papuan territory.”

16x11.8cm

24

No label. Papuan beauty with river in background.

16.3x10.9cm

25

“3. Rough idea of a River in Papua.”

13.8x8.9cm

26

Postcard. “Native bridge at junction of two mountain rivers. Mafulu (?), Papua.” Text on back: “Miss Dexter, Stubb Hill… Sussex, England. 1.6.12. Dr Sue. S.W. monsoon is on pretty rough. Had a good month for Feby, not a day lost, recp’ts about same as Decbr, am expecting big things from next ship boat is rolling about, got to write …Many thanks for papers if ever you have an E. News (Portsmouth) should like it, I haven’t seen one since Ap. 1910. Love Harry.

13.4x8.2cm

 

Postcard series:

 

27

“1. Rona Falls, Port Moresby.”

14x8.8cm

28

“3. Elevara Village, Port Moresby.”  (Marked “4”.) Text on back: “Miss Dexter, Stubb Hill … Sussex, England. To your namesake Sue … (?).

Susie was just everything a good girl ought to be,

As prim a little person as you’d ever wish to see;

With her dolly and her pram.

Such an innocent wee lamb,

Oh, a model of propriety was Susie.

H.D. 11.11.11.”

14x8.8cm

29

“5. Elevara Village, Port Moresby.”

14x8.8cm

30

“6. Purari River Cannibals.”

14x8.8cm

31

No label. Haus tamboram.

12x9.9cm

32

No label. Trading canoe with sails.

12x9.9cm

33

No label. Man in ceremonial dress with drum.

12x9.9cm

34

No label. Whiteman.

8.4x5.8cm

 

 

 

35

“A Malayan Sakai shooting monkeys with a blow pipe, and poisonous darts.”

 

36

“Making sole (?) crepe in Geghi Sembilan, F.M.S.”

 

37

“A fine field of young rubber. Ground covered with a cover plant , to lessen cost of weeding.”

 

38

“Ap 1924. A small piece of clearing that got out of hand and cost $30,000 to get it back. Now in harmless grasses.”

 

39

“Sep/22. Saty afternoon. Doing a little gardening in readiness for Mrs H’s return. H.D.”

 

40

“The excuse for the beer in my hand is that it is Armistice Day.”

 

41

“Ramasany & Suinamali on their wedding day”

 

42

“Seruubau Neghi Sembilan (?). MacIntosh (right) and his mate showing the natives ‘how to do it’. He was then champion wood chopper of Australia. H.D. with white topee near M.”

 


Contact the Bureau for access to all the images in high resolution.

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