George G. Carter papers on the history of the Methodist Church in the Solomon Islands Western Province.

G.G. Carter’s research project in the Solomon Islands began in 1975 in his own words as field work in the Solomons with a view to writing a history of the Church in the Western Province. His autobiographical note (in a letter to the Rev. Oria Gemo, Rabaul, dated 16 June 1980) goes on: His work was interrupted for two years but in 1978 he returned to full time research and writing. In 1979 he returned to the Solomons to check the manuscript of this book [Ti-E Varane, 1981, see below] with those of his informants who were still alive. The project continued to occupy Carter until his death in 1990. He made at least one further trip to the Solomons in 1987.

The papers in this collection may be regarded as notes and documents collected for a project that never came to fruition, except insofar as Ti-e Varane and other titles (see below) were compiled from the biographical series that was originally intended to be only part of the whole history.

In Carter’s correspondence, 1971-1975, can be traced his difficulties in pursuing his research when his sojourn in the Solomons was interrupted. Because of these difficulties, perhaps, his notes and indexing systems cannot properly be related to the documents as they were found. However, much valuable information is contained in the papers themselves. They have been placed in seven series, each explained in the course of the inventory.

A curriculum vitae compiled by Carter in the 1970s for himself, and one for his wife Nancy, are to be found in item 1.1.

A bibliography of Carter’s published works is included below:

Carter, George G. John Whiteley, missionary martyr. [Auckland] Wesley Historical Society (New Zealand), [1955]

Carter, George G. A family affair : a brief survey of New Zealand Methodism’s involvement in mission overseas, 1822-1972. [Auckland] : Wesley Historical Society, 1973.

Carter, George G. David Voeta : the story of a pioneer missionary. [Auckland] : [G. Carter], 1973.

Carter, George G. Misikaram : the Reverend John Arthur Crump, F.Z.S., J.P., missionary to New Britain 1894-1904. Auckland : Wesley Historical Society, 1975.

Carter, George G. Ti-e varane : stories about people of courage from Solomon Islands. Rabaul : Unichurch, 1981.

Carter, George G. Valuable beyond price : the story of Sister Lina M. Jones, 1890-1979. Rotorua : Wesley Historical Society, 1985.

Carter, George G. Yours in His service : a reflection on the life and times of Reverend Belshazzar Gina of Solomon Islands. Honiara, Solomon Islands : University of the South Pacific Centre, 1990.