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Christmas Island Archives Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) - Ruins, relics, stories and other interesting things

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A tragic accident

In January 1902 Dr Patrick Thurburn Manson left England as part of a commission sent to Christmas Island by the London School of Tropical Medicine. He was to join the microbiologist and bacteriologist Dr H. E. Durham; his mission was to investigate scientifically and report upon beri-beri which had been a terrible scourge to the Chinese coolies. 

A trip that would have started with so much promise with the enthusiasm of the young doctor would quickly end in a shocking tragedy. 

Patrick Thurburn Manson
Patrick Thurburn Manson
Born Amoy, China, 20 Aug, 1878
Died at Christmas Island, Straits Settlements,
8 March, 1902
Laid to rest at the Hong Kong Cemetery
J Hyg (Lond). 1902 Jul 1; 2(3): 382–383

SAD FATALITY AT CHRISTMAS ISLAND

Accidental death of Dr Manson.
A gun shot wound.

We regret to hear that a telegram has been received in Singapore announcing the death of Dr. Manson, son of Sir Patrick Manson, who passed through Singapore a fortnight ago for Christmas Island, where he was going to study beri-beri. The cause of death was a gun accident.

All who met Dr Manson during his recent brief stay here will be grieved at this sudden extinction of so promising a career, and the far too premature close to the life of so genial and capable a young man.

The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 20th March 1902. Reprinted with permission

A couple of years earlier Dr Manson volunteered to be infected with malarial mosquitoes thus enabling his father, Sir Patrick (“The Father of Tropical Medicine”) to finally prove beyond doubt the transmission route of malaria. 

In 1900 he [Patrick Thurburn Mason] submitted himself to the crucial experiment through which he will be remembered in the history of medicine’. He exposed himself to the bites of infected Anopheles [mosquitoes] sent from Rome by Bignami and Bastianelli. The insects had previously sucked the blood of a patient suffering from mild tertian malaria. The result of the experiment was that Manson developed tertian fever, the parasites being found in his blood. The initial infection was followed by two recurrences, the first at Aberdeen during the summer of 1901, the second whilst he was out on a holiday shooting. The attacks were cut short through the administration of quinine. This experiment removed the doubts of those sceptics who remained unconvinced by the similar infection experiments of Grassi, Bignami and Bastianelli, on the ground that the Italian experiments were conducted in a country where malaria was indigenous.

J Hyg (Lond). 1902 Jul 1; 2(3): 382–383

The above quote showed that Patrick went shooting whilst on holiday the year before but the circumstances around the gun accident on Christmas Island is not known. 

His loss came as a terrible blow to his father — a blow that was never effaced — and he never mentioned his name again.

History of The School Of Tropical Medicine In London, 1899-1949 by Sir Philip Manson-Bahr 1956 (son-in-law of Sir Patrick Manson).

Shooting party c1914
A shooting party c1914. Was Dr Manson in a similar party when he met his sad fate 12 years earlier?
This image also appears in the story of William Henry Rusholme fully labelled.
National Archives of Australia NAA: N29, 1

 

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Christmas Island Archives was selected for preservation by the State Library of Western Australia. It is now listed in perpetuity on PANDORA, Australia’s website archive established by the National Library of Australia.

Grant acknowledgement

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The base ruins of the Assistant Manager/Chief Engi The base ruins of the Assistant Manager/Chief Engineers house. It was once a substantial colonial home from the 1930s with beautiful gardens. It was still being occupied in June 1965 but by the 1970s it had been abandoned and neglected and fell into decay. The decision to demolish it was taken by a meeting of the CI Club members in 1977.
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But no-one was there.
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When exploring this old ruin at South Point on Chr When exploring this old ruin at South Point on Christmas Island with my sister-in-law, she noticed a bracket type fixture. It is located in the back corner where the white arrow indicates in the main picture. Were these meant for chains and shackles?
#christmasisland #history #shackles #oldstructure #christmasislandarchives #ruin #southpointchristmasisland
A photo of probably the first Chinese temple to be A photo of probably the first Chinese temple to be built on Christmas Island c1902-1904. This site is in Settlement at the Temple Court area on Gaze Road. The original temple, shown here in black and white, appears to have been replaced in later years by the current one (scroll across) still standing on the original site. It is today known as the Tai Pak Kong temple - Tua Pek Kong (Chinese: 大伯公; Tâi-lô: Tuā-peh-kong).
#christmasisland #taoisttemple #chinesetemple #christmasislandarchives #culture #taoist
“In the universe, there are things that are know “In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.” ~ William Blake
I think the old wooden banners around the door may have been rescued when a nearby temple was being renovated many years ago? I'm not sure about this, so if anyone can tell me their origin that would be great.
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Just one of many fascinating stories that were exh Just one of many fascinating stories that were exhibited at my Faded Lost Forgotten exhibition held on Christmas Island during Territory Week in 2021 and 2022.
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