Series 634 - Allan Flinders Gow collection

Identity area

Reference code

AU ANUA 634

Title

Allan Flinders Gow collection

Date(s)

  • 1927 - 1997 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

107 items (2 type 1 boxes, 4 type 5 boxes, 1 type 10 box)

Context area

Name of creator

(1915 - 1997)

Biographical history

Allan Flinders Gow was born in Perth in 1915. He joined the Government Secretary's Office of the Mandated Territory in 1936 and in 1937 had postings in Rabaul, Kokopo and eventually the district office at Wau, Papua New Guinea. From 1940-1944 he was enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) and joined the 2/25 Infantry Battalion of the 7th Division. In 1944 Gow was transferred to the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) as a lieutenant serving as a Patrol Officer and Assistant District Officer in areas such as Goilala and West Papua. He was awarded a Military Cross in 1945 and in 1946 rejoined the civil administration of Papua New Guinea with major contributions in South-West Bougainville, Madang, the Rai Coast and Manus. In 1954 he was appointed District Officer and District Commissioner in Sohano and Buka Island, Bougainville; New Ireland. He was Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Native Affairs in Port Moresby and from 1960s held posts in Southern Highlands at Mendi and Eastern Highlands at Goroka. From 1960s-1972 he was posted to Manus District and retired in 1972. Gow died in 1997.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Personal records of Gow's life in Papua New Guinea including paper files, film (8mm, 9.5mm and 35mm), photographs and slides, transparencies, paintings and ephemera. Also includes family records. Description of film reels are based on frames at the beginning of each reel and not indicative of the entire content of the film.

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Researchers must sign an access agreement

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Some film reels show signs of deterioration

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Digital copies of selected items available at https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/178263

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Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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Subject access points

Name access points

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Created by Erin Gallant on 15 August 2011; revised on 14 September 2011 and 24 October 2016

Language(s)

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Sources

Accession area