Buchanan John D H
J. D. H. Buchanan 1902-1961
MA(Cantab.) BSc. John Duncan Henry Buchanan was a schoolmaster and for a time headmaster of Hereworth School in Havelock North. He was the Royal Society representative on the Historic Places Trust Board from its inception in 1955. He was the primary creator of the New Zealand Archaeological Association (NZAA) site recording scheme, working on this over several years leading up to its 1958 launch. Scarlett (1958) reporting a talk he gave gives some of the rationale Buchanan used in devising the scheme. Mumford (1959) gives a contemporary account of its formation crediting also the other people involved. Golson (2004:34) reflects on the early development of the scheme and the changes made in its early life.
Buchanan was also an archaeological field recorder and a traditional historian. The output from that work was published posthumously (Buchanan 1973).
Jones (1996:10) notes Buchanan as having an influence in raising the interest of New Zealand Aerial Mapping in photographing pa. There are fine examples in Buchanan's book.
Some of Buchanan's papers are held in the Hawke's Bay Art Gallery and Musuem. Butts (1985) gives a summary of these.
Obituary: Anon. 1961 The late Mr J.D.H. Buchanan. New Zealand Archaeological Assocaition Newsletter 4(4):1.
Buchanan, J D H 1973 The Maori History and Place Names of Hawkes Bay. edited D R Simmons, A H and A W Reed, Wellington.
Butts, D J 1985 Letter to the Editor. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 28(4):259-6.
Golson, J 2004 NZAA: The Circumstances of its Conception, Birth and Early Upbringing. Archaeology in New Zealand 47(4):27-37.
Mumford, W 1959 Field Recording Scheme. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 2(4):7-12.
Jones, Kevin L 1996 The development of aerial photography in New Zealand archaeology. AARGnews 13:7-13. Paper online part 1 part 2
Scarlett, R J 1958 Talks at Whanganui conference. New Zealand Archaeological Association Newsletter 1(4):2-3.
