Michelsen, Johan Oscar (Rev), 1844-1936: Photograph album relating to the Christian mission to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu)

Reverend J Oscar Michelsen's photograph album relating to his time as a missionary in the New Hebrides (Vanuatu), circa 1878 to 1890s. Also some photographs relating to the Sprague family of Dunedin, New Zealand, taken circa 1900s-1920s. Photographer unidentified. Michelsen has written a short caption under each image.

- Vanuatu images are mainly taken on the island of Tongoa. Other locations include the islands of Nguna, Efate, Epi, Emae, Erromanga, Aneityum, and Aniwa. Buildings featured include mission houses, churches and some private residences (both European and indigenous). There are also some images of boats, road building, a banyan tree and other flora, scenic landscapes (mainly beaches and harbours), men in traditional dress, traditional drumming, and a scene from a meeting regarding the purchase of land for Tongoan mission station. Single print of collaged images relating to Michelsen's life is entitled "Autobiography in Photography" and includes portraits of Michelsen and a Bible & Tract Depot. Also contains one photograph of a sketch of Futuna Island.

- Contains images of clergy and their wives and children: Rev D McDonald (from Victoria), Rev Robert M Fraser and his wife, Rev H A Robertson (from Canada), Lily (Michelsen's baby daughter); Rev Charles Murray and his wife, Mr Milne and his four children; Rev J W MacKenzie (of Canada); Captain McLeod; and Rev J G Paton. Identified indigenous people include Taripoamata and Timataso (Tongoan chiefs); Kaiasi (cook of Rev Fraser); Tarisaliu (a Tongoan chief) and his wife; teachers Taripoa, Tarisogoliu, and Man[ooi?] (the first Tongoan martyr); Manamlaka (Tongoan chief and teacher) and his wife Leriki; teacher Maripan; Matokoali (a Ngunese chief and teacher) and unidentified Ngunese Christians; [Nalemahina?] servant of Mr Milne; Tongoan teachers Manutae, Tanioto, and [Tinafuna?]; and Tongoan chief Mataputi and his family.

- Also includes [family?] photographs taken circa 1890s to circa 1920s, many of which are in Dunedin, New Zealand. Identified figures are Mr A Boles, Vera Burgess, Mrs Jock Campbell (nee Maggie Moffett), Mary Smyth, Mrs Lewis, baby Bill Lewis, Albert Smyth, Cecil [Smyth?], Ernie Sprague, Sprague family portrait (man and five children), Newton Sprague, and Francis Walter Sprague. There are many portraits of unidentified men, women, and children. Other photographs show Signal Hill, Dunedin Botanic Gardens (with band rotunda), Dunedin cityscape and street scenes, Smyth's dairy factory, Otago Harbour, coastal scenes, man driving a horse and trap, greenhouse (interior and exterior), rowboats, and a dog and girl on the beach.

Source of title - Title supplied by Library

Other Titles - Accompanying material - contains printouts on the background of the New Hebridies Mission which were interleaved in the album when it arrived at the Library

Inscriptions: Album page - top right - first page inscription reads: "To Mrs Rang[imina?] with affectionate regards from her son-in-law OM"

Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Physical Description: Photograph album with reddish brown cover embossed in black and faded gold with a cameo at the centre, 24 x 19 cm

Provenance: Purchased 2014. Vendor purchased the album at an auction a few months before selling it to the Library.