Identity area
Reference code
AU ANUA 634
Title
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
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.
Repository
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
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
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