Diaries of Henry Welchman (12 vols.), 01 January 1889-10 November 1908

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The diaries of Henry Welchman provide an extremely detailed record of his life in the Pacific Islands, as well as his later life in England. The 1892-96 diaries are held elsewhere, but apart from that gap there are entries for virtually every day, ranging from a few lines to two pages or more. The first diaries were written when he was based in Norfolk Island, but from 1890 onwards he was mainly at Santa Cruz, Santa Isabel and Nggela in the Solomon Islands. The diaries deal inter alia with his work as a doctor, teacher, printer, translator and priest, cruises among the islands including visits to the New Hebrides, journeys in the bush, classes, relations with his pupils, household chores, bread baking, cooking, gardening, conversations with Islanders, conflict and disputes between Islander groups, illnesses and deaths, arrivals and departures of ships and travellers, the school at Siota, church services, examinations of catechisms, baptisms, marriages, funerals and the ordination of deacons, fishing, bathing and cricket. There are also accounts of the long illness and departure of Bishop John Selwyn in 1890-91, Welchman's marriage to Helen Rossiter (30 July 1896), the illness and death of Helen (12 January 1897), news of the death of Bishop Selwyn (1898) and the establishment of St Luke's Central School at Siota. The later entries describe Welchman's journey to New Zealand, Australia and back to England (1901), his meetings with members of the Selwyn Family in England and his return to Santa Isabel in 1903. The last entry is dated 10 November 1908, two days before his death.

Among the many people referred to in the diaries are Arthur Brittain, Elizabeth Colenso, Richard Comins, Thomas Cullwick, William Edgell, Actaeon Forrest, John Palmer, John Plant, Bishop John Selwyn, Bishop Cecil Wilson and Charles Woodford.

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