Naturalist, local historian and a founder of the Southland Museum. During WWII he spent five years as team leader on the Cape Expedition to Campbell island, studying wildlife and coastwatching. Specialised in whales, seals and sub-Antarctic sea-birds. Published scientific papers and extensive written, photographic and filmed records of the area. Made a major collection of plant species for the DSIR, and published botanical and ecological description of Campbell Island. Post-war gained an MSc while working as a scientist for the Marine Department. Involved in the 1948 rediscovery of the takahe in Fiordland. His entomology is recognised in several moths, springtails, spiders and other invertebrates bearing his name at generic and species levels. Married Mary Jessie Lindsay Dalrymple in Invercargill. [Source: Southern people; a dictionary of Otago Southland biography, 1998]
Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982
Campbell Island album 2
Date: 1938-1973
From: Grainger, J :Negatives and photographs relating to Campbell Island
Reference: PA1-q-048
Description: Photographs of ships and personnel on Campbell Island relating to Cape Expedition (code name of the War Cabinet venture to establish coast watching stations on Sub-Antarctic islands for security reasons during World War II), and relating to the establishment of meteorological research stations on Campbell Island. Album created by Ian Stratford Stewart in preparation for his book "Campbell Island, a history" published by A.H. & A.W. Reed in 1976. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album in black vinyl ring-binder, with images attached to pages with self-adhesive strips, 31 x 27 cm
Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982 :Photographs of the flora of Raoul Island
Date: May 1944-November 1944
By: Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982; Brooke-White, Julia Stace, 1942-
Reference: PAColl-8822
Description: Photographs of vegetation on Raoul Island, taken in 1944 by John Herman Sorensen. Publication note - Published in: W R Sykes. (1977). Kermadec Islands flora : an annotated check list. Wellington: New Zealand Dept of Scientific and Industrial Research Source of title - Title supplied by Library Sorensen was a member of the new Zealand Goverment's Cape Expedition to the Auckland islands, Campbell Island, and the Kermadec Islands during the Second World War. Though the main purpose of the expedition was coast watching for German and Japanese activity in these areas, a number of scientists were members of the expedition teams. This allowed study of the geology, climate, life and environment of New Zealand's subantarctic islands and the Kermadecs over a five year period. Quantity: 18 b&w original photographic print(s). Provenance: They were given to Bill Sykes by Sorensen for use in his 1977 book on Kermadec flora. Sykes gave them to Julia Brooke-White in 2004.
Extracted field notes of J H Sorensen, avifauna of Campbell Island
Date: n d
From: Falla, Robert Alexander (Sir), 1901-1979 : Papers
Reference: MS-Papers-2366-257
Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Entmological notes from Campbell Island - J H Sorensen
Date: 1942-1943
From: Falla, Robert Alexander (Sir), 1901-1979 : Papers
Reference: MS-Papers-2366-258
Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Second report on scientific work on Campbell Island by J H Sorensen and other papers
Date: 1942-1944
From: Falla, Robert Alexander (Sir), 1901-1979 : Papers
Reference: MS-Papers-2366-247
Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Reports on Campbell Islands flora by J H Sorensen also correspondence
Date: 1944, 1945-1946
From: Falla, Robert Alexander (Sir), 1901-1979 : Papers
Reference: MS-Papers-2366-259
Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982 : Diaries relating to Campbell, Auckland and Kermadec ...
Date: 27 Feb 1942-19 Jan 1943, 21 Jan 1943-16 Jan 1944, 26 Apr-20 Nov 1944, 17 Jan 1944-10 Dec 1947
By: Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982
Reference: MS-Group-1495
Description: Contains diaries kept by Jack Sorensen while based as a coastwatcher during World War II on the Islands of Campbell, Auckland and Kermadec. The diaries contain a record of the activities of Sorensen and the other coastwatchers, and also notes of the flora and fauna surveyed on the Islands. Quantity: 5 volume(s). 1 folder(s). 0.06 Linear Metres. Provenance: Material was originally located at the Department of Conservation (DOC) Science Publishing department. See Archives NZ report on JH Sorensen papers, 2004/5120, in back file Transfers: Material transferred from the Photographic Archive to Manuscripts and Archives, 7 April 2006 (PH-2006-05) - The diaries contain cross references to the photographs held by the Photographic Archive.
Articles in New Zealand Listener on wild life in the Sub-Antarctic by J H Sorensen
Date: 1946
From: Falla, Robert Alexander (Sir), 1901-1979 : Papers
Reference: MS-Papers-2366-371
Description: Quantity: 1 folder(s).
Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982 :Photographs relating to Campbell, Auckland and Kermad...
By: Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982
Reference: PA-Group-00007
Description: Includes diaries noting activities, flora and fauna, and photographs of birds, seals, wild animals and flora on Campbell, Auckland and Kermadec islands, and also some relating to people stationed there as coastwatchers in 1940s; all images numbered and cross referenced to a list of the photographs, type of film used, and the relevant diary entry Jack Sorensen was a naturalist who worked in Auckland and Kermadec Is in 1940s. See Archives NZ report on JH Sorensen papers, 2004/5120, in back file Source of title - Title supplied by Library Arrangement: Negatives at 1/4-112603-F to 1/4-114100-F. Lantern slides at PA11-226. Quantity: 1507 b&w original negative(s). 173 b&w lantern slide(s). 691 b&w original photographic print(s). 32 colour original transparency/ies. Transfers: To Manuscripts & Archives - MS-Group-1495: Diaries of John Herman Sorensen.
John Sorensen and Tulagi at Boat Cove, Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
Date: 1944
From: Sorensen, John Herman, 1905-1982 :Photographs relating to Campbell, Auckland and Kermadec Islands
Reference: 1/4-113609-F
Description: John Sorensen and Tulagi posing for the camera at Boat Cove, Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands. Photographed by an unknown photographer in 1944. John Sorensen's negative reference - K.116 During the Second World War, New Zealand sent coastwatchers to the Kermadec Islands. As with the Cape Expedition to Campbell and Auckland Islands, many of the watchers were also scientists. Tulagi was one of a group of Niuean young men who were also part of the workforce. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative, 6 x 6 cm