P001201 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2026-03-17 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001201b.htm person Plomley Norman James Brian AM AACR2 6 November 1912 8 April 1994 Place of Birth Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Place of Death Launceston, Tasmania, Australia Anatomist Ethnologist Museum director Historian Norman Plomley qualified as a biophysicist and anatomist, and early in his career undertook research on the effects of ultra violet light. Between 1950 and 1973 he taught anatomy at several Australian and overseas universities. Plomley is best known as a highly respected and scholarly ethnographic historian, particularly of Tasmanian Indigenous people. He published widely on the culture and languages of Tasmanian Aborigines, their relations with European visitors and settlers, and Aboriginal material in overseas repositories. Some of these works are regarded as seminal in the field. Plomley donated a large collection of papers, books, maps and other material to the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston, with which he had a long association. As Director from 1946 to 1950 he promoted scientific research, appointing to the staff a geologist and an anthropologist. He was an early advocate for the preservation of Tasmanian historical records. 1935 1935 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), University of Sydney 1936 1937 Career position - Postgraduate fellow, University of Cambridge 1938 1938 Career position - Secretary, northern branch, Royal Society of Tasmania 1938 1938 Career position - Temporary assistant, Queen Victoria Museum 1939 1943 Career position - Research student, Department of Physics, University of Tasmania 1946 1949 Career position - Secretary, northern branch, Royal Society of Tasmania 1946 1950 Career position - Director, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston, Tasmania 1947 1947 Education - Master of Science (MSc), University of Tasmania 1950 1960 Career position - Senior Lecturer in Anatomy, University of Sydney 1961 1965 Career position - Senior lecturer in anatomy, University of New South Wales 1966 1973 Career position - Senior lecturer in anatomy, University College, London 1974 1976 Career position - Senior Associate in Aboriginal and Oceanic Ethnology, University of Melbourne 1979 1979 Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - for service in the field of historical research 1983 1983 Award - Clive Lord Memorial Medal, Royal Society of Tasmania The University of Sydney (1850 - )

Senior lecturer in anatomy 1950 - 1960

 The University of New South Wales (1958 - )

Senior lecturer in anatomy 1961 - 1965

 The University of Melbourne (1853 - )

Senior Associate in Aboriginal and Oceanic Ethnology 1974 - 1976

 Royal Society of Tasmania (1843 - )

Secretary, northern branch 1938, 1946 - 1949

 Clive Lord Memorial Medal, Royal Society of Tasmania (1930 - )

Awarded the Medal 1983

 Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, City of Launceston (1891 - )

Director 1946 - 1050

Wikidata

 Plomley, N J B (19121106-19940408)

Trove

 'Plomley, Norman James Brian', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Plomley, Norman James Brian Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource Section: Plomley, Norman James Brian Plomley, Norman James Brian Australian Science Archives Project 1995 Physics in Australia to 1945 R.W. Home, with the assistance of Paula J. Needham Book: Francois Peron's natural history of Maria Island, Tasmania Plomley, Brian; Cornell, Christine; and Banks, Max Francois Peron's natural history of Maria Island, Tasmania Launceston, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum 1990 Book: The Baudin Expedition and the Tasmanian Aborigines, 1802 Plomley, N. J. B. The Baudin Expedition and the Tasmanian Aborigines, 1802 Hobart Blubber Head Press 1983 Book Section: Meston, Archibald Lawrence (1890-1951), educationist, historian and anthropologist Plomley, N. J. B. Meston, Archibald Lawrence (1890-1951), educationist, historian and anthropologist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1986 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 10: 1891 - 1939 Lat-Ner Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 489-490 Journal Article: Thomas Bock's Portraits of the Tasmanian Aborigines Plomley, N.J.B. Thomas Bock's Portraits of the Tasmanian Aborigines 1965 Records of the Queen Victoria Museum (Tasmania) 18 1-24 Journal Article: The Baudin Expedition and the Tasmanian Aborigines in 1802 Plomley, N.J.B. The Baudin Expedition and the Tasmanian Aborigines in 1802 1990 Margin 22 4-12 Book: Plant foods of the Tasmanian Aborigines Plomley, Brian; and Cameron, Mary: edited by C. B. Tassell Plant foods of the Tasmanian Aborigines Launceston, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum 1993 Book: The general: the visits of the expedition led by Bruny d'Entrecasteaux to Tasmanian waters in 1792 and 1793 Plomley, Brian; and Piard-Bernier, Josiane The general: the visits of the expedition led by Bruny d'Entrecasteaux to Tasmanian waters in 1792 and 1793 Launceston, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum 1993 Book: The sealers of Bass Strait and the Cape Barren Island community Plomley, Brian; and Henley, Kristen Anne The sealers of Bass Strait and the Cape Barren Island community Hobart Blubberhead Press 1990 Book: A list of Tasmanian Aboriginal material in collections in Europe Plomley, N. J. B. A list of Tasmanian Aboriginal material in collections in Europe Launceston, Tas. Museum Committee, Launceston City Council 1962 Book: An annotated bibliography of the Tasmanian Aborigines Plomley, N. J. B. An annotated bibliography of the Tasmanian Aborigines London Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 1969 Book: The Tasmanian tribes and cicatrices as tribal indicators among the Tasmanian Aborigines Plomley, N. J. B. The Tasmanian tribes and cicatrices as tribal indicators among the Tasmanian Aborigines Launceston, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery 1992? Edited Book: Friendly mission: the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829-1834: supplement Plomley, N. J. B. Friendly mission: the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829-1834: supplement Bellerive, Tas. Tasmanian Historical Research Association 1971 Journal Article: Some notes on the life of Doctor Henry Grattan Douglass Plomley, N. J. B. Some notes on the life of Doctor Henry Grattan Douglass 1961 Medical journal of Australia 1 22 801-7 Book: The Aboriginal/settler clash in Van Diemen's Land, 1803 - 1831 Plomley, N. J. B.; with the assistance of Smythe, Martina and Goodall, Caroline The Aboriginal/settler clash in Van Diemen's Land, 1803 - 1831 Launceston, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery [1992] Book: A summary of published work on the physical anthropology of the Tasmanian Aborigines Plomley, N. J. B. A summary of published work on the physical anthropology of the Tasmanian Aborigines Launceston, Tas. Museum Committee, Launceston City Council 1966 Book: The Tasmanian Aborigines Plomley, Brian The Tasmanian Aborigines Launceston, Tas. Plomley Foundation 1993 Edited Book: Weep in silence: a history of the Flinders Island Aboriginal settlement, with the Flinders Island journal of George Augustus Robinson, 1835 - 1839 Plomley, N. J. B. Weep in silence: a history of the Flinders Island Aboriginal settlement, with the Flinders Island journal of George Augustus Robinson, 1835 - 1839 Sandy Bay, Tas. Blubberhead Press 1987 Edited Book: Jorgen Jorgenson and the Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land: being a reconstruction of his "lost" book on their customs and habits, and on his role in the Roving Parties and the Black Line Plomley, N. J. B. Jorgen Jorgenson and the Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land: being a reconstruction of his "lost" book on their customs and habits, and on his role in the Roving Parties and the Black Line Sandy Bay, Tas. Blubberhead Press 1991 Book: A word-list of the Tasmanian languages Plomley, N. J. B. A word-list of the Tasmanian languages Launceston, Tas. N. J. B. Plomley in association with the Government of Tasmania 1976 Book: Tasmanian Aboriginal place names Plomley, N. J. B.; with the assistance of Goodall, Caroline Tasmanian Aboriginal place names Launceston, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery 1992 Journal Article: Miscellaneous notes on the culture of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Plomley, N. J. B.; and Meston, A. L. Miscellaneous notes on the culture of the Tasmanian Aboriginal 1956 Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria 20 191-200 Journal Article: The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science Plomley, N. J. B. The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science 1969 Papers and proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 103 13-5 Edited Book: Friendly mission: the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829-1834 Plomley, N. J. B. Friendly mission: the Tasmanian journals and papers of George Augustus Robinson, 1829-1834 Hobart Tasmanian Historical Research Association 1966 Book: Guide to the Plomley collection: CHS 53 Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery Guide to the Plomley collection: CHS 53 Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Tas. Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery [?1994] Journal Article: Obituary: Norman James Brian Plomley 1912 - 1994 Glover, Margaret Obituary: Norman James Brian Plomley 1912 - 1994 1994 Tasmanian Historical Research Association papers and proceedings 41 2 125-6 Book: An annotated bibliography of the Tasmanian Aborigines, 1970 - 1987 Sagona, Claudia An annotated bibliography of the Tasmanian Aborigines, 1970 - 1987 [Melbourne] Art School Press, Chisholm Institute of Technology 1989 Book: A very secret trade: the dark story of gentlemen collectors in Tasmania Pybus, Cassandra A very secret trade: the dark story of gentlemen collectors in Tasmania Sydney Allen & Unwin 2024 Norman James Brian Plomley - Records Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales Norman James Brian Plomley - Records ML MSS 694 Correspondence associated with the British Museum Department of Ethnography collection [1 folder, ML MSS 694]. Norman James Brian Plomley - Records Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales Norman James Brian Plomley - Records ML MSS 1248 1891 - 1962 Writings by N.J.B. Plomley, with related correspondence 1961-62; 'Dowling's pictures of Tasmanian Aborigines' 1961-2, manuscript copy, typescript with manuscript annotations and corrections; correspondence between Plomley and Ursula Hoff 1961-62; typescript of "Portrait of the Tasmanian Aborigines" by T. Bock with reference to his son A. Bock; writings by E. W. Stephens with related notes and correspondence 1891-1912; manuscripts, notes 1891-94, correspondence 1896-1912 [2 volumes, ML MSS 1248]. 2 volumes