Biographical entry Mountford, Charles Pearcy (1890 - 1976)

Summary

Charles Pearcy Mountford was Honorary Assistant in Ethnology from 1935 at the South Australian Museum and Acting Ethnologist in 1938. He joined the Postmaster-General's Department in Adelaide as an engineer/mechanic in 1913 and in 1920 he was posted to Darwin. This was the catalyst for his interest in all things aboriginal. Mountford became a recognised expert in the area publishing at least 40 scientific papers and a multitude of books on aboriginal art, custom and culture. From 1935 until 1963 he participated in or organised numerous ethnological expeditions across Australia and received many high accolades and awards for his research, including two honorary doctorates and an appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Details

Events

1909 - c. 1911

Education - Correspondence courses in mechanics and engineering completed at the South Australian School of Mines and Industries

1909 - c. 1911

Career position - Tram conductor in Adelaide

1913 - 1920

Career position - Electrical Mechanic at the Postmaster-General's Department

1920 - c. 1924

Career position - Senior Mechanic with the Postmaster-General's Department at the Darwin Post Office

c. 1924 -

Career position - Returned to the Postmaster-General's Department in Adelaide

1926 -

Career position - Foundation Member of the Anthropological Society of South Australia

1935 -

Career position - Honorary Assistant in Ethnology at the South Australian Museum

1935

Career position - Anthropological expedition to the Warburton Range, Western Australia

1935

Career position - Secretary of a board of inquiry to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of Aborigines in the Northern Territory

1937

Career position - Anthropological expedition to the Nepabunna Mission in Flinders Ranges, South Australia

1938

Career position - Acting Ethnologist at the South Australian Museum

1940

Career position - Expedition from Ernabella to Ayers Rock to examine the art of the Pitjantjatjara and Yankuntjatjara (four months)

1945

Award - Australian Natural History medallion received from the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

1948

Career position - Brown Men and Red Sand published

1949

Career position - Expedition to Arnhem land

1949

Award - Franklin L. Burr award received from the National Geographic Society

1951

Career position - Expedition to Yuendumu

1954

Career position - Expedition to the Northern Territory and Melville Island

1955

Award - John Lewis gold medal received from the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, South Australian branch

1955

Career position - Thomson gold medal received from the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia, Queensland branch

1955

Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

1963

Career position - Expedition to Port Hedland, Western Australia

1964

Career position - Expedition to the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland

1964

Education - Master of Arts (MA) completed at the University of Adelaide

1971

Award - Sir Joseph Verco medal received from the Royal Society of South Australia

1973

Education - Litterarum Doctor honoris causa (Hon LittD) received from the University of Melbourne

1976

Career position - Nomads of the Australian Desert published

1976

Education - Doctor of Letters honoris causa (HonDLitt) received from the University of Adelaide

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Oral History Collection

• Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records, 28 October 1966, DeB 189; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
• Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records, 1960, DeB 42; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details

State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana

• Charles Pearcy Mountford - Records, 1907 - 1976, PRG 1218; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details

Published resources

Book Sections

• Jones, Philip, 'Mountford, Charles Pearcy (1890-1976), Anthropologist', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 15, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2000, pp. 431-433. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A150500b.htm. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Mountford, Charles P', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-619126. Details