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Diaries of Arnold Henfrey Watson

Date1907-1959Reference NumberAms 294Collection SummaryDiaries created by Arnold Henfrey Watson between 1907 and 1959. Watson (1882-1960) was a Pongakawa farmer who was drafted into the 15th New Zealand Company of the Imperial Camel Corps during the First World War. Having a keen interest in drawing and nature, Watson filled the empty spaces in his diaries with tiny, carefully-observed drawings of plants and insects.DescriptionCollection comprises 32 diaries of Arnold Henfrey Watson:

Ams 294/1: Diary, 1907

Ams 294/2: Diary, 1909

Ams 294/3: Diary, 1910

Ams 294/4: Diary, 1911

Ams 294/5: Diary, 1912

Ams 294/6: Diary, 1913

Ams 294/7: Diary, 1914

Ams 294/8: Diary, 1915

Ams 294/9: Diary, 1916

Ams 294/10: Diary, 1917

Ams 294/11: Diary, 1918

Ams 294/12: Diary, 1919

Ams 294/13: Diary, 1920

Ams 294/14: Diary, 1921

Ams 294/15: Diary, 1936

Ams 294/16: Diary, 1937

Ams 294/17: Diary, 1939

Ams 294/18: Diary, 1940

Ams 294/19: Diary, 1942

Ams 294/20: Diary, 1943

Ams 294/21: Diary, 1944

Ams 294/22: Diary, 1945

Ams 294/23: Diary, 1946

Ams 294/24: Diary, 1947

Ams 294/25: Diary, 1948

Ams 294/26: Diary, 1950

Ams 294/27: Diary, 1951

Ams 294/28: Diary, 1952

Ams 294/29: Diary, 1953

Ams 294/30: Diary, 1955

Ams 294/31: Diary, 1957

See also Ams 507, natural history illustrations of Arnold Henfrey Watson.

All his life Arnold Henfrey Watson was interested in drawing, painting and natural history.

In March 1916, as a farmer at Pongakawa, he took a trip to the recruiting office in Rotorua to join up. From the 19th Mounted Reinforcements, he was drafted into the 15th New Zealand Company of the Imperial Camel Corps, where he remained until it was disbanded in mid-1918.

Towards the end of the war, he was co-opted by Lt-Col. James McCarroll, commanding officer of the Auckland Mounted Rifles, as a semi-official war artist. Throughout the last year of conflict and the more relaxed time after the Armistice in November 1918, he had enough free time to sketch the native wildlife of Palestine and Egypt. He filled the spare spaces in his diaries with tiny, carefully-observed drawings of plants and insects, some in full colour. He also had cartoons published in the ‘Kia Ora Coo-ee’, the magazine produced in Cairo for ANZAC troops in the Middle East.

After the war Arnold returned to his farming life with great relief. He married Christine Vingoe from Ōtūmoetai and they had two children. He later retired to Mount Maunganui, living in a house on Maunganui Road and swimming every morning. He died in 1960.CreatorWatson, Arnold Henfrey, 1882-1960LevelCollectionExtent4 boxesLanguageEnglish

Archive Items

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1907

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1909

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1910

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1911

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1912

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1913

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1914

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1915

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1916

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1917

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1918

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1919

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1920

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1921

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1936

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1937

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1939

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1940

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1942

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1943

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1944

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1945

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1946

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1947

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1948

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1950

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1951

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1952

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1953

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1955

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1957

Diary of Arnold Henfrey Watson, 1959

Loose items found with diaries

Asset Location

RoomClimate controlled room - offsite

Usage

Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within. Last edited by: Heritage Specialist - AW

Access ConditionsNo access restrictions apply to this collection Last edited by: Heritage Specialist - AW

AcknowledgementTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Ams 294

Relates To

PeopleWatson, Arnold Henfrey, 1882-1960 (Person)

Admin

Source of ContributionLibrary collection Last edited by: Heritage Specialist - AW

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Diaries of Arnold Henfrey Watson