Nomination form International Memory of the World Register

title of item being proposed 2014-39

1.0 Summary (max 200 words)

Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing captured the world’s imagination in 1953 by conquering Everest, the highest mountain on earth, when everyone before them had failed. In 1953 the Order of Gorkha Dakshina was conferred on him by the King of . Hillary went on to explore places where no man had been before and dedicated much of his life to improving healthcare and education with and for the Sherpas. His enduring legacy in Nepal earned him the title of Surra Sahib (Big Man). Hillary’s heroic stature continues to grow on the international stage today, with the sixtieth anniversary of the ascent in 2013 attracting worldwide attention.

Sir , KG,ONZ, KBE (1918-2008), renowned New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, environmentalist and philanthropist, bequeathed his personal archive of documents to Museum. The Sir Edmund Hillary Archive is a unique and substantial collection of personal papers, photographs, audio visual material and documents collected and largely written by Sir Edmund. Correspondence, diaries, drafts of books, lists of expedition supplies, scrapbooks, lecture notes and original photographs give first-hand account of his adventures and reveal the details and impact of his humanitarian and environmental work in India, Nepal, Antarctica and beyond. The Archive spans the second half of the 20th century through to the early 21st century.

2.0 Nominator 2.1 Name of nominator (person or organization) Auckland War Memorial Museum/Tamaki Paenga Hira Roy Clare CBE, Director Auckland War Memorial Museum/Tamaki Paenga Hira

2.2 Relationship to the nominated documentary heritage Responsible for Auckland Museum’s documentary heritage collections which include published works, manuscripts and archive collections, maps, ephemera, pictorial and audio visual collections

2.3 Contact person(s) (to provide information on nomination) Theresa Graham ,Team Leader Library Collections Auckland War Memorial Museum

2.4 Contact details Name Address [email protected] Auckland War Memorial Museum/ Tamaki Paenga Hira

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Private Bag 92018 Victoria St West 1142 Auckland Domain Auckland New Zealand

64 9 3060 7070 ex.7077 [email protected]

3.0 Identity and description of the documentary heritage 3.1 Name and identification details of the items being nominated Sir Edmund Hillary Archive. MS 2010/1 Auckland War Memorial Museum/ Tamaki Paenga Hira The archive consists of approx. thirty linear metres of folders in archival boxes, outsize folders, photographs and audio visual items. There are approx. 25,000 photographs and colour slides in the archive. Summary of scope: substantial amount of original material relating to: the Himalayan Scientific & Expedition, 1960 – 1961; World Book (Jet Boat) Schools Expedition, 1969 – 1970; expedition diaries of Sir Ed and Lady Louise Hillary; manuscript drafts of books written by Hillary, official certificates and awards presented to Sir Ed from childhood onwards (including his official appointment to be High Commissioner for New Zealand in the Republic of India and his appointment as Knight of the Royal Garter in 1995); inwards and outwards official &personal correspondence from 1944 onwards; papers relating to parent Gertrude and Percy Hillary and children Peter, Sarah and Belinda; business papers & financial records; speech & lecture notes on themes such as Antarctica, Nepal and the Himalayan Trust projects; personal diaries and letter books; papers relating to the establishment of the Tenzing Fellowship & Tenzing Memorial Museum in 1988; papers relating to Sir Ed’s time as New Zealand High Commissioner in India; papers relating to the Chicago-American Hillary Foundation.

3.4 History/provenance The Archive was bequeathed to the Auckland Museum by Sir Edmund Hillary, as stated in his will. It was incorporated into the Library Collection as part of the Manuscript & Archive Collection in 2009 and an extensive listing was compiled by archivist Mary Donald. The catalogue entry for the archive was created at that time and included in the public catalogue which is available online through the Auckland Museum’s website: http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collections- and-library/library-info-centres

MS 2010/1 Open Open. Some material requires permission for access. See Notes. Hillary, Edmund, 1919-2008 Personal papers [http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/6h1/1 Dictionary of New Zealand Biography] essay on Sir Edmund Hillary. Some material is on restricted access until 2028. Written requests for permission to Museum Library Manager, who will present the request to Peter and Sarah Hillary. Hillary, Edmund, Sir, 1919-2008. Personal papers. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2010/1.

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Hillary, Edmund, 1919-2008 Hillary, Louise, d. 1975 Hillary family Rose family Photographs, slides, negatives and outsized photographic material is located in Cool Store 1. Please ask Library staff regarding access Finding Aid Electronic inventory available. F:\Manuscripts_inventories\PDFInventories\HILLARY2010-1.pdf

Citation Hillary, Edmund, Sir, 1919-2008. Personal papers. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS2010/1.

4.0 Legal information 4.1 Owner of the documentary heritage (name and contact details) Auckland Museum – Auckland Domain, Bag 92018 Victoria St West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand Tamaki Paenga Hira

+64 9 306 7070; aucklandmuseum.com

4.2 Custodian of the documentary heritage (name and contact details if different from the owner) n/a

n/a

4.3 Legal status Public institution. From the estate of Sir Edmund Hillary.

4.4 Accessibility The Archive is held in secure, environmentally controlled conditions in the closed stack area of the museum library, which is located on the 2nd Floor of the Museum building. The photographic images are kept in a Cool Store on the same floor, to ensure their ongoing preservation care. Access to these areas is by nominated staff swipe card only. Access for reproduction: selected, unrestricted items from the Archive have been digitised based on researcher and curator needs. For example the ‘Everest diary’, 1953. A project to digitise and make available 25,000 colour slides and images held in the Archive is currently underway and manuscripts and photographs relating to the ‘Silver Hut Himalayan Scientific exhibition were digitized in 2014, as phase one of the project.

Public access in physical, digital or other format digitised items from the archive is available to the public on request. Some digital photographic are online. Restricted items in the archive are digitised only with the consent of Sarah and Peter Hillary, as set out in Sir Edmund’s will. Visitors to the Auckland Museum Library are able to request unrestricted items from the archive for viewing and research purposes. Email and written enquiries are responded to by

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4.5 Copyright status Describe the copyright status of the item(s) / collection

The Museum will not publish Documents in any form for the period of 20 years from Sir Edmund’s death without the permission of the Hillarys. The Museum may exhibit or display (including online) any Documents that are not classified as Restricted Documents. The Museum will notify the Hillarys of its intended used beforehand. Section 4.16 Deed of Agreement, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Peter Hillary and Sarah Hillary.

Copyright of the literary works of Edmund Percival Hillary is with Auckland Museum. Note: There is some content (especially letters and photographs), where copyright remains with the authors or commissioning institutions.

5.0 Assessment against the selection criteria

5.1 Authenticity.

Yes. Authenticity of provenance is established.

5.2 World significance

The Archive in its entirety is a unique and irreplaceable documentary heritage collection. It documents and records the life and work of arguably the world’s greatest hero of the twentieth century and reveals the huge impact of his humanitarian work, particularly for the people of Nepal.

5.3 Comparative criteria:

Does the heritage meet any of the following tests? (It must meet at least one of them.)

1 Time Is the document evocative of its time (which may have been a time of crisis, or significant social or cultural change? Does it represent a new discovery? Or is it the “first of its kind”? Yes, evocative of its time and the first of its kind. The ascent of Everest was a landmark achievement of the mid-twentieth century. Hillary’s ensuing adventures and humanitarian work in Nepal is evocative of its time.

2 Place Does the document contain crucial information about a locality important in world history and culture? For example, was the location itself an important influence on the events or phenomena represented by the document? Does it describe physical environments, cities or 4

institutions that have since vanished? Yes, crucial information about: Everest, Nepal, Antarctica , Ganges River.

3 People

Does the cultural context of the document’s creation reflect significant aspects of human behaviour, or of social, industrial, artistic or political development? Or does it capture the essence of great movements, transitions, advances or regression? Does it illustrate the lives of prominent individuals in the above fields? Yes, great advance in the field of mountaineering and exploration in the and Antarctica. Illustrates and reveals the life of Sir Edmund Hillary.

4 Subject and theme

Does the subject matter of the document represent particular historical or intellectual developments in the natural, social and human sciences? Or in politics, ideology, sport or the arts? Yes. For example, the scientific and historical developments in the Himalayan Scientific & Mountaineering Expedition,1960–61 which examined the sustained, scientific effects of high altitude on the human body. The Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition was the first overland crossing of Antarctica since Scott and Amundsen.

5 Form and style

Does the document have outstanding aesthetic, stylistic or linguistic value? Or is it a typical exemplar of a type of presentation, custom or medium? Is it an example of a disappeared or disappearing carrier or format?

6 Social/ spiritual/ community significance: Application of this criterion must reflect living significance – does documentary heritage have an emotional hold on people who are alive today? Is it venerated as holy or for its mystical qualities, or reverenced for its association with significant people and events? (Once those who have revered the documentary heritage for its social/ spiritual/ community significance no longer do so, or are no longer living, it loses this specific significance and may eventually acquire historical significance.)

6.0 Contextual information

6.1 Rarity – Unique documentary heritage archive

6.2 Integrity – personal archive compiled by Sir Edmund Hillary

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