Central Archives of Fiji and the Western Pacific High Commission
Biography
The Central Archives of Fiji and the Western Pacific were created in 1952 when the roles of Governor of Fiji and Western Pacific High Commissioner (WPHC) were separated and the office of the WPHC relocated to Honiara, Solomon Islands. As part of this restructure the pre 1920 records of the WPHC were transferred to the Central Archives rather than being moved to Honiara. Over time surviving non-current records from the New Hebrides British Service (NHBS), the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP), the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (GEIC), the British Agent and Consul to Tonga (BCT) and Pitcairn (PIT) were also transferred to the Central Archives.
In addition to housing, preserving and listing the records the Central Archives offered a reference service to the colonial administration and Pacific scholars.
When Fiji became independent in 1970 records relating to Fiji were transferred to the new Fiji National Archives, and the remaining collections renamed the Western Pacific Archives (WPA). With the disestablishment of the WPHC in 1978 the WPA also closed.
Found in 116 Collections and/or Records:
Western Pacific High Commission confidential correspondence, 1-100 and 100-200 series
I. Confidential correspondence files, 1–100 series. 1942–1954 (1932–1959). II. Confidential correspondence files, 100–200 series, 1954–1959. (1954–1961).
Western Pacific High Commission confidential personal files
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 1-100 series
I. Registers and Indexes of general correspondence files. 1–100 series. 1942 – 1954. II. General correspondence files, 1–100 series. 1942 – 1954 (ca. 1929 – 1955).
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 100 - 200 series
I. Registers and indexes of general correspondence files, 100–200 series, 1954–1959 (ca. 1940–1965). II. General correspondence files, 100 – 200 series, 1954 – 1959 (ca. 1940 – 1965).
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 200 - 300 series
Volume II: 222 – 255
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 200 - 300 series
Volume I: 200 – 221
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 300 - 400 series, relating to British Solomon Islands Protectorate and Western Pacific High Commission
I. Indexes and registers to general correspondence files, 300–400 series. 1967–1971. II. General correspondence files, 300–400 series, relating to the WPHC and BSIP. 1967–1971. (1962 – 1972).
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 300 - 400 series, relating to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony
I. Indexes and registers to general correspondence files, 300–400 series. 1967–1971. II. General correspondence files, 300–400 series, relating to the GEIC. 1967–1971. (1966–1973).
Western Pacific High Commission general correspondence, 300 - 400 series, relating to the New Hebrides
I. Indexes and registers to general correspondence files, 300–400 series. 1967 – 1971. II. General correspondence files, 300–400 series, relating to the New Hebrides. 1967–1971. (1965 – 1972).
Western Pacific High Commission inwards correspondence files, MP series, 1875-1878
Files from 2/1875 to 91/1878.