[2020.0009] Records relating to the audit and management of the 'George Murray Black' and 'Richard Berry' collections of Aboriginal Ancestral Remains

Description

Content Warning

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that these records contains images of deceased persons in photographs and written material. These records contain content which is disturbing and may cause sadness or distress and offend against strongly held cultural prohibitions

IdentifierUMA-ACE-20200009Extent1 unitLinear Meterage0.29Scope and ContentComprises a disparate group of records collated over time by staff from the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology (and its historic antecedents) who had custody and responsibility for the Aboriginal ancestral remains collection. In 2002 when the Harry Brooks Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology was established, these records became part of its holdings. Staff used and created these records during Departmental and University wide audits of Aboriginal ancestral remains including those commonly referred to as the ‘Richard Berry’ and the ‘George Murray Black’ collections.

This is a constructed record set with no discernible original order. Record types include internal and external correspondence, legal opinions, memos, audit sheets, collection catalogues, reports, university building location maps, a field notebook and photographs. Several of these records are copies found in other collections, these have been cross-referenced, where known.

One particularly significant record in this set is George Murray Black’s ‘Results of GM Black Anthropological Expedition Lake Benanee 1946’ field notebook. The notebook is unique in that it documents how George Murray Black recorded and controlled the Aboriginal human remains he excavated from burial sites along the Murray River basin, New South Wales, in the years 1946, 1947, 1949 and 1950. It includes photographs (hard copy and CD) which are of items in the Murray Black collection.

Internal and external correspondence from the University addresses the ‘re-discovery’ of the Berry collection and its recommended media handling, as well as backgrounding documents and timelines prior to the discovery. This includes correspondence from the Secretary for Planning and Environment to the Vice Chancellor, 9 January 1987, giving approval to hold the part of the Berry Collection still in its possession, with the proviso that all Aboriginal remains were transferred to the Museum. Other correspondence includes attempts by the University to understand how it failed to report the existence of Aboriginal ancestral remains still in its possession in 2002.

The records also include completed templates by physical anthropologists involved in the identification of the remains in the Berry Collection following their transfer that took place with the involvement of Aboriginal Affairs Victoria and Museum Victoria. The likely place of origin for the remains is indicated on some of the reports.Access StatusAccess restrictions applyRequest Access to RecordsRequest access to records

Provenance

CreatorAustralian Institute of Anatomy (AIA)

Provenance

CreatorBerry, Richard

Provenance

CreatorHarry Brookes Allen Museum of Anatomy and Pathology

Provenance

CreatorMurray Black, George

Provenance

CreatorDepartment of Anatomy (The University of Melbourne)

Dates

Date1946-2016

Description Control

Previous System ID2020.0009State of Listnot specified

University of Melbourne Archives

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[2020.0009] Records relating to the audit and management of the 'George Murray Black' and 'Richard Berry' collections of Aboriginal Ancestral Remains