Ernest Chinnery

Ernest William Pearson Chinnery (5 November 1887 – 17 December 1972) was an Australian anthropologist, ethnographer, and public servant. He worked as a senior colonial official and held many appointments throughout his career, such as Government Anthropologist in the Territory of Papua and Director of the Northern Territory Department of Native Affairs. He worked extensively in Papua New Guinea and visited communities along the Sepik river.

Early life Ernest Chinnery was born on 5 November 1887 in Waterloo, Victoria, to John William Chinnery, a miner, and Grace Newton (née Pearson).

Career Ernest Chinnery began working in public service administration in the Australian territory of Papua at the age of 22. After a year as a clerk he was appointed to be a patrol officer in lands yet unexplored by the Australian settlers. In 1917, he entered the Australian Flying Corps and served as Lieutenant, Air Mechanic 2nd Class, in World War I. After Chinnery was demobilized in England he attended University of Cambridge, where he was mentored by Alfred Cort Haddon, and obtained a degree in anthropology in 1919. As a result of these debates, the position of Government Anthropologist was created, and Chinnery assumed the position in April of 1924. He advocated for the application of anthropology to colonial governance and was a proponent of the function of the anthropologist as a mediator of cultural conflict as the Australian government pushed for control over the Territory of Papua. Chinnery died in Pahran on 17 December 1972.

Bibliography and sources Chinnery Papers (Australian National Library) E. J. B. Foxcroft, Australian Native Policy (Melb, 1941) C. D. Rowley, The Destruction of Aboriginal Society (Canb, 1970); Northern Territory, Annual Report, 1938–39; New Guinea, Report on the Administration of the Territory, 1938–39; Government Gazette (Commonwealth), 14 Sept 1939 D. J. F. Griffiths, The Career of F. E. Williams, Government Anthropologist of Papua, 1922–1943 (M.A. thesis, Australian National University, 1977) Gilbert Murray papers (National Library of Australia); A56, A73, A452 59/6066, 6067, A518 C828/2 (National Archives of Australia).