Dora and Harry Wakerley photographs of United Aborigines Mission activity in central Australia, Ooldea, Oodnadatta, Nepabunna and Warburton Ranges and western New South Wales

fonds

1937-1966

Graphic Materials, Photographs

9679249

3 albums (367 photographic prints) - chiefly black and white, some colour

Harry and Dora Wakerley were British missionaries who worked to introduce Christian ideology among Aboriginal Australians from remote and isolated communities in central Australia. The photographs detailing United Aborigines Mission activity in the region were taken by Harry and the albums were later compiled by Dora Wakerley, probably in conjunction with her book “The storm lantern’s travels” published in 1990.

The United Aborigines' Mission (UAM) was an interdenominational Mission organisation established in New South Wales in 1895. In South Australia, the first UAM children's Home was established in Oodnadatta in 1924. In 1927 the UAM established Colebrook Home in Quorn, residents of which included the residents and matron of the former Oodnadatta Children's Home. The UAM was later renamed the United Aboriginal Ministries. The UAM was wound up at the end of 2020.

References:
Compiled from the Library’s acquisition file

By descent from adopted parents Dora and Harry Wakerley.

This collection comprises three albums containing photographs by United Aborigines Mission (UAM) missionaries Dora and Harry Wakerley documenting their life work among Aboriginal communities in Central Australia and Western New South Wales, 1937-1966.

Their photographs document a sustained period of immense cultural and social change for the Anangu, Adnyamathanha and Ngaanyatjarra people of South Australia. They detail the United Aborigines Mission activity in the region, such as church and school building, and its effect on local people from 1937 to 1944.

The collection also includes photographs of Harry and Dora Wakerley’s later work in western New South Wales showing conditions on government-run Aboriginal reserves from the 1950s and 1960.

File 1
Photograph album relating to United Aborigines Mission, Ooldea, South Australia and Warburton Ranges, Western Australia, 1937-1942

File 2
Photograph album relating to Oodnadatta, Nepabunna and Oolde, South Australia, 1938-1943

File 3
Photograph album relating to Warburton Ranges, Western Australia, Gulargambone and Condobolin New South Wales, 1944-1966

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are kindly advised that this collection includes images and names of people who have passed. Some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified. Certain words, terms or descriptions may reflect the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written, but are now considered inappropriate in today's context.