James Sinclair was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia on the 18th of April, 1928. The prolific author came to Papua New Guinea in August of 1948 as a cadet patrol officer.
He served successfully on many stations as a Patrol Officer, Assistant District Officer, Deputy District Commissioner and District Commissioner then retired in 1975 around the time of PNG’s independence.
During his service, James carried out extensive exploratory and appeasement patrols in Morobe and Southern Highlands Districts.
He opened Koroba station in 1955, the in 1956 he opened Kopiago base camp and also explored the then Uninhibited area to the Strickland River until the late 1958.
James later served in Wau, Finschhafen and Lae sub-Districts before he moved to Eastern Highlands in 1968.
He was the last Australian District Commissioner of Eastern Highlands District from 1969-1974.
James Sinclair retired in August of 1975 after the position was localized because of independence.
After retiring, Sinclair turned his hobby of writing PNG history into a full time job and have since published more than 30 books.
Sinclair published his first six books while he was still in PNG after his retirement in 1975.
His first book “Behind the Ranges: Patrolling in New Guinea” published in 1966 was an account of his early exploratory patrols in New Guinea.
His recent publication “Diwai”: A history of Divine Word University was the last book he wrote before he passed on in October of 2017 at the age of 89.
James was also awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1992.
In 1999 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters from the Australian National University.
And in 2008 a companion, order of the Star of Melanesia (PNG).
Last Wednesday his wife Jan Sinclair presented several of his publications to Divine Word University’s Noser Library for research.
“I’m proud to give James Books” to Noser Library, and I thanked Sir Peter Barter for his support, without him I wouldn’t have shared all this stuff. I came to Papua New Guinea two years ago and found out that Divine Word Research Library didn’t have all of James books. So I thought IL go home and see if I have more books and fill in the gaps.
“When James was alive, he came to Madang saw the university’s Library and he came back and told me, I’m very interested in Noser Library and the Research Library and I would look more into it, so when I was looking for a place to send things to, this place seems obvious for anybody to research.”
Jan Sinclair didn’t just donate James books but two medals of Luluais and Tultuls.
Luluais are village chief or headmen in the New Guinea specially and Tultuls are more like an interpreter in the village.
James also sent some of his collection to the Australian National University, a public research university in Canberra. The collection includes patrol reports, station journals, district annual reports, old photographs including various other reports, reviews and studies and many more collections.
“The collections are kept in an underground archive at ANU, Jan said.”
Jan Sinclair was also in Madang to share some of his husband’s ashes, as they have long ties with Madang and as a closure for her.
“And so when we were touring his ashes my son said stop don’t you think some of his ashes should go back to New Guinea, we have long ties with Madang but for me it’s closure.”
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