British Agent and Consul, Tonga, records

Collection

Identifier: MSS-Archives-2003/01-BCT 4

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Collection contains records created and maintained by the British Consulate in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, including completed passport applications and certificates of identity, Special and Advance Warrants, papers relating to estates administered by HBM Consul in Tonga Miscellaneous, drawings and plans and other miscellaneous records.

Dates

1874 - 1968

Creator

Great Britain. Consulate (Nuku'alofa, Tonga) (Organization)
Great Britain. High Commission for Western Pacific Islands (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Partly restricted. Records created less than 70 years ago require permission to view.

Conditions Governing Use

Much of the Western Pacific Archives (WPA) is subject to UK Crown copyright legislation. With attribution you are free to transcribe, translate, index and quote from published or unpublished Crown copyright material from the WPA as extensively as you wish. You may also reproduce copies of Crown copyright material for purposes of private study, non-commercial research or education. Please contact Special Collections regarding other uses including publication.

Administrative History

Although Tonga has been a constitutional monarchy since 1875, under treaties of friendship of 1879 and 1900 the kingdom ceded control of its foreign affairs to Great Britain represented by the British Agent and Consul who reported to the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. This situation remained until 1970 when Tonga became fully independent.

Extent

2.2 metres

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Location

In off-site storage. Expect delay of 12-24 hours from time of order.

Custodial History

These records were once part of the holdings of the Central Archives of Fiji and the Western Pacific in Suva, Fiji, which became the Western Pacific Archives (WPA) in 1970. The WPA closed in 1978 and remaining archival collections were transferred to United Kingdom where they were stored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, at Hanslope Park near Milton Keynes, until 2002.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Transferred to the University of Auckland by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office in October 2002.

Language of Description

In most cases the file titles listed here have been transcribed directly from the original file covers and may include dated language and terminology. Please feel free to contact us if you encounter concerning or inaccurate descriptions: specialcollections@auckland.ac.nz.