Diaries of Arnold Henfrey Watson

Date1907-1959Reference NumberAms 294Collection SummaryA collection of diaries created by Arnold Henfrey Watson: 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.DescriptionArnold Henfrey Watson was a farmer at Pongakawa when in March 1916 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. Throughout his life, Watson was interested in drawing, painting and natural history. 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. CreatorWatson, Arnold Henfrey, 1882-1960LevelCollectionExtent4 boxesLanguageEnglish

Archives

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

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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.Access ConditionsNo access restrictions apply to this collection

Relates To

PeopleWatson, Arnold Henfrey, 1882-1960

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Diaries of Arnold Henfrey Watson