Edward Banks
Encyclopedia
Edward H. Banks (1903 – 1988) was a British
administrator, amateur naturalist
and museum curator.
, Wales. He studied at Oxford University.
In 1925 Banks entered the Sarawak
Service and served as a District Officer during the period of the White Rajahs
. He was also Curator
of the Sarawak Museum in Kuching
from 1925 to 1945. During the Japanese occupation of Sarawak
in the Second World War, Banks was interned at Batu Lintang camp
near Kuching. Banks retired in 1950
A collection of Banks' papers are in the Papers of the Brooke Family of Sarawak (1941–1981), held in the Rhodes House Library
in Oxford, England.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
administrator, amateur naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and museum curator.
Life
Banks was born in NewportNewport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Wales. He studied at Oxford University.
In 1925 Banks entered the Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
Service and served as a District Officer during the period of the White Rajahs
White Rajahs
White Rajahs refers to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. A Rajah is a monarch in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.-Rulers:...
. He was also Curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the Sarawak Museum in Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
from 1925 to 1945. During the Japanese occupation of Sarawak
Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
in the Second World War, Banks was interned at Batu Lintang camp
Batu Lintang camp
Batu Lintang camp at Kuching, Sarawak on the island of Borneo was a Japanese internment camp during the Second World War. It was unusual in that it housed both Allied prisoners of war and civilian internees...
near Kuching. Banks retired in 1950
A collection of Banks' papers are in the Papers of the Brooke Family of Sarawak (1941–1981), held in the Rhodes House Library
Rhodes House
Rhodes House is part of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on the south of South Parks Road in central Oxford, and was built in memory of Cecil Rhodes, an alumnus of the university and a major benefactor.- History :...
in Oxford, England.
Articles
- 1931 "A trip through the Murut country. Ulu Trusan and Bah Kelalan." Sarawak Gazette 61:144-146.
- 1936 "The Kelabit country. An account of a recent visit." Sarawak Gazette 66:158-159.
- 1937a "Some megalithic remains from the Kelabit country in Sarawak with some notes on the Kelabits themselves." Sarawak Museum Journal 4(5):411-437.
- 1937b "Native drinks in Sarawak." Sarawak Museum Journal 4(5):439-447.
- 1937c "Drink." Sarawak Gazette 67:3-6 (reprint of 1937b).
- 1939 "Murut morons." Sarawak Gazette 69(1030):107.
- 1940 "The natives of Sarawak." Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic SocietyJournal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic SocietyThe Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society is a scholarly journal published by the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society or MBRAS. The journal covers topics of historical interest concerning peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan and Singapore...
18:49-54.
Books
- 1949. A Naturalist in Sarawak. Kuching Press: Kuching, Sarawak.
- 1949. Bornean Mammals. Kuching Press: Kuching, Sarawak.
- c.1963. The Green Desert. Author.