Reverend Robert Hugh Wilson papers

This journal begins with the entry: Friday 21st November 1908 in which Wilson comments: "proved to be the last day of my ministry in Woomelang" and "about to engage in aggressive foreign Mission Work". Robert Wilson begins this account of his time as a young missionary with the Presbyterian Church at Aurukun Aboriginal Mission, located on the traditional lands of the Wik and Wik Way people, in western Cape York, north Queensland.

He describes travelling by train to Melbourne, where he was met by his new bride Francis (nee Green), then by the steamer 'SS Cooma' to Sydney and Brisbane, from Brisbane on the steamer 'SS Warrego' to Thursday Island, touching at Townsville and Cooktown enroute. They then sailed for Mapoon and Aurukun where they began their mission work.

The entries pause on the 22nd January 1909 and the resume 26 December 1909 with the note "I find such a sameness in the different days that have passed, that I gave up noting the doings of each day, and after a lapse of time ... recommence my diary ... but not daily, as formerly, but every week". 

Reverend Richter was in charge of the mission during this time and Wilson writes of his strict dealings with the Aboriginal people, inflicting floggings for perceived misbehaviour.

Wilson records several incidents that occured during the year at the Aboriginal camp, one which which resulted in the death of 'Mammouse'. In October they took 7 weeks leave to Thursday Island; and on 25 December he again records an incident at the camp, where spears were thrown and a woman beaten for her trouble.

The latter part of the diary records their journey to Broome, Western Australia, where they were to take up a position at the Port George IV Mission (later known as Kunmunya), located on the traditional lands of the Worrorra people. Included in the rear of the journal are lists and summaries of wires [telegrams] sent by Wilson to various recipients from 1912-1914.

Having arrived at the Kunmunya Mission, Port George IV, Western Australia, Wilson records their daily routine, how many Aboriginal people visited the mission and what work was undertaken such as sawing and carrying timber, and clearing mangroves. The local people were encouraged into the mission to work, with the promise of food, which was prepared for them. Some took advantage of the situation and made off with the tools they were working with, others returned with fish and other supplies. 

Their days were filled with building accommodation, keeping the boats in good order, and coping with the numerous snakes, native cats and extreme heat.

The mission was supplied by a steamer from Broome, the 'Park' which brought mail and essential food stores. In March 1914 their son Andrew was born. In December 1914 they packed their belongings and left the mission, Wilson recorded in detail their voyage back to Broome for six months leave, with their 10 month old boy.

The journal begins after the Wilson's return to Kunmunya Mission, Port George IV from leave, to find their wooden house infested with white ants and in need of repair and the stores similarly over-run. Increasingly Aboriginal people were put to use as unpaid labourers, securing and felling timber to repair buildings and fences. Wilson describes evening games of football played by the young men, classes being held to teach them to read and write English. He also records a 'cobba cobba' the local word for corroboree or ceremonial dance being held in August 1915. Wilson conducted services on a Sunday after which he would attend to the sick who presented to them.

On the evening of 21 September 1915, Wilson recorded that two men from the schooner 'Redoubt' came ashore looking to 'recruit' local people for what means he did not indicate. Despite him warning them off the ship left the next day having aboard "Levy and five women, Vera, Olive, Nannie, Judy and Mr Black, Edward's mother".

Wilson also describes the 'packing up' of native spears and artefacts to be shipped, but does not detail their destination.
At the end of 1917 the family went on leave and did not return to Kunmunya but transferred to Mornington Island where the previous superintendent Robert Hall had been killed. Robert Wilson had been a fellow student with Hall in missionary college in Adelaide.

One of the last pages includes a pressing of seaweed.

The journal beings with a stay in Brisbane early December 1918 [previous page missing] as the Wilson's prepare to travel to Mornington Island where he had been appointed superintendent of the Presbyterian Church Mission, taking with them their two young children Andrew born in March 1914 and Bessie in August 1916.

Wilson replaced Reverend Hall who had been killed by a Lardil man named Kidikur (also known as 'Bad Peter' or' Burketown Peter') in 1917. Kidikur was later sentence to life imprisonment on St Helena Island, Moreton Bay.

Having left Brisbane on the steamer SS Changsha 28 October they stayed for three days at Thursday Island, before landing at Burketown where they loaded supplies for Mornington Island. On their arrival, they set to work cleaning and clearing the existing Mission buildings and grounds and quickly enlisted the help of the local people to assist with the labour. This work which included a significant expansion of the mission and remodelling of the landscape, to form extensive fruit and vegetable gardens, severely altered the natural ecology.

Over time rigid social practices were imposed on the Lardil who were the traditional owners and residents of Mornington Island, as well as their neighbours the Kaiadilt people, from the South Wellesley Islands.

Wilson instituted policies:
... to achieve effective conversion of the Aborigines to a Christian lifestyle was to intervene at an early stage in the education of the Aboriginal children. They were segregated under a dormitory system, and an attempt was made to 'raise their intelligence' above that of their parents …
… Economic enterprises such as gardening and animal husbandry were introduced. These were considered traits of 'more advanced' races, and were utilized as educational 'methods' in the school …
 

This journal contains entries dated 1 January 1920 and continues to June 1921 and are repeated narratives already recorded in the previous journal Item 4. relating to the Mornington Island Mission.

Note inside front cover reads 1st July 1921-31 August 1922 [copy of big diary]

Entries in this journal continue with the rigid routine of the Mornington Island Mission, school lessons, labouring, services on Sundays. Robert Wilson and his wife Frances were the only white people on Mornington Island. On 1 August Wilson describes taking the school children on a voyage to a nearby Island, but they encountered a strong head-wind and fierce sea. The person manning the tiller was washed overboard, and had to be rescued and they turned around without reaching their destination.

The entry for 22 December 1921 illustrates some of the rigid practices he enforced, it reads as: "In defiance of orders not to do so the people under cover of darkness took a canoe out into prohibited waters. I went after them & put an end to the dugout."

Often at the end of each month Wilson recorded the number of births and deaths, rainfall and a count of livestock. 

Wilson also makes mention of the ship 'Morning Star' making regular trips to Burketown; the skipper was a South Sea Islander, Alec, and the all-Lardil crew included Kangarumgully, Goodman and Jimmy Dugong. The 'Star' was a reasonably successful beche-de-mer vessel, the sale of its catch supplemented the Missions funds. Wilson also established a small industry supplying sandalwood, dugong oil and turtle shell.

25 April 1922 Wilson records the arrival of 6 Aboriginal children, 5 girls and one boy who had been sent over to the Island from Burketown by the Police. In August 1922 one of the men 'Bob' fell after being bucked from a horse, and died the following day.
 

Note inside front cover reads "First part of this book is evidently the record of the relieving missionary Mr Dyer". The entries are brief and in different hand to Robert Wilsons.

In 1922/23 Wilson and his family took leave from Mornington Island, travel to Melbourne, where he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. They then travelled by motor vehicle to Brisbane where he gave a presentation at the Presbyterian Assembly, continuing their return journey overland to the Gulf. In his presentation he stated that there were about 250 Aboriginal people on Mornington Island, and a number on nearby Bentinck Island with who he had little contact.
    
From July 1923 the entries are once again written by Wilson, recording baptisms, services and much labouring by the children. Wilson laid baits for the dingos who were attracted to the mission goat herd. The entries are very matter-of-fact, detailing or reporting on the daily activities of those in the Mission, especially the children who were put to work moving sand, carrying water, clearing vegetation, stacking timber and many other manual duties.

12 September 1923 Wilson reports the news of several people outside the Mission had died of influenza.
27 September Messrs Kirk & Radcliffe [clergymen?] arrived aboard the "J.S. Ward" and inspected the school, giving the children a half-holiday.
27 October underlined in red pencil is the comment "there were several fights in the camp today. One was very serious, one woman's leg being horribly smashed (Jennie) Whilst Billy had his right leg fractured. Others received minor injuries. The trouble was over the elopement of Fanny with Adam. Frank punished his mother by spearing her in the back."

Entries in this journal continue from May 1925 to October 1926, with Wilson recording the usual routine he imposed on the Mornington Island Mission. Much work is done on producing goods for trade, such as dugong oil, sandalwood and beche-de-mer. The children of the Mission are put to work clearing firebreaks, carrying sand and tending to produce that had been planted on nearby Denham Island.

1 June 1925 Wilson is alerted to the distress of a ship 'Maura' approaching the island which had broken down, which he was able to bring in on the tide and repair the damaged vessel's engine. Aboard were a Mr McKenzie and Mr Barker.

Much work was carried out on maintaining the 'Morning Star' ensuring its seaworthiness to bring in much needed supplies and ferry the seriously ill to Burketown on the mainland. As was the case when a Lily Warren and her young baby were taken to hospital where she was declared 'to be insane'. The Wilsons assumed care of the baby at that time.

8 May 1926 the Wilsons were joined by the newly wed Mr & Mrs C D Sydney to assist the with work on the mission while Wilson and his family again took leave. They were later joined by Arthur Cribb. Before returning Wilson gave a lecture at the annual Presbyterian Assembly in Brisbane.

Notebook in which is recorded in pencil lists of Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander words and their meanings as understood or interpreted by Reverend Robert Wilson. The cover is missing.

Bound notebook, in which is recorded: a manuscript titled "An essay on the principal of cooperation in agriculture" the author is unknown. Also contained in this volume are lists of Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander words and their meanings. The vocabularly lists have been recorded in several categories including: Adjective numerals; Pronominal adjectives; and Inflection of nouns; 

Spiral bound photograph album, with captioned images of the Wilson family and the Aboriginal people of the Port George IV Mission and Kunmunya.

These images were principally taken by Reverend Robert Wilson, who with his wife Frances took up the challenge of establishing an Aboriginal Mission Station on the north west coast of Western Australia, approximately 480 km north of Broome. The images show the beginning of the new mission at Kunmunya, clearing the site of mangroves, grass and timber; construction of the settlement buildings; the mission boat 'W.S. Park'; Walcott Inlet; mission staff: Robert and Frances Wilson, Mr & Mrs Paten, Mr Segrot.; and many images of the Indigenous people who lived close to or were associated with the Mission.

The album has been annotated by his son Reverend Andrew Robert Wilson (1913-2007).

Spiral bound photograph album, with captioned images of the Wilson family and the Aboriginal people of the Mornington Island Aboriginal Mission.

The images were principally taken by Reverend Robert Wilson, who with his wife Frances, took over the superindentant position for the Presbyterian Church in 1918/1919. For many years the family worked unassisted, their children at times helped with teaching and nursing activites. The Wilsons were later joined by the Reverend C.D. Sydney and his wife. Included in the album are early scenes of the closest mainland town, Burketown; the mission boat the "Morning Star"; Aboriginal camps; mission buildings; bech-de-mere processing; dugong and other fish catches; and mission working parties. Included in the album are images of Bentinck Islanders, Kaiadilt people taken in the 1930s; and many images of Aboriginal and Islander people who were brought to or associated with the mission during Wilson's time on Mornington Island.