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“Suva Prison, 1946” Source: Bart van Aller, Suva Gaol (Suva, National Trust of Fiji 2015).
Suva Prison

The Suva Prison is the major receiving centre in Fiji. Established at Korovou soon after the capital moved to Suva, the prison has housed men, women and juvenile prisoners at various times in its history. The complex includes Fiji’s first ferro-concrete building and a gallows where executions took place until 1964. Prisoners have maintained the nearby Suva cemetery since the prison was opened.

“Borron House overlooking the Waimanu Road area, around 1942” Source: Time Connections: A Quarterly Newsletter from the Friends of the Fiji Museum, 1996
Borron House

Borron House was once the home of a wealthy colonial planter family and is now used as a state guesthouse by the Government of Fiji to accommodate VIP guests.

"Laucala Bay Secondary School Classroom". Source Shivani, 1991, LAUCALAN magazine
Laucala Bay Secondary School

Laucala Bay Secondary began as a demonstration school for University of the South Pacific teacher trainees in 1972. Many Suva students will remember it as the site of the N.Z.U.E. Examinations. The school motto was “In Omnia Paratus” meaning “Be prepared for all things”. LBSS was closed in 2015.

“Suva Government Buildings, Cakobau Memorial replacing obelisk at old government bldgs demolished late 40s” Source: Fiji Musuem P32.5/14
Government Buildings

Originally comprised of wooden buildings relocated from Levuka, the government buildings precinct today includes the Parliament of Fiji, the law courts and other government ministries. The art deco design was completed in 1939 and includes a unique clock tower with a dome covered in glazed tiles.

“Landing of the Southern Cross at Albert Park, 1928”, Source: http://suvacity.org/albert-park /
Albert Park

Albert Park was constructed as a cricket ground in the 1880s on land that once belonged to the indigenous village of Suva. It has since hosted sporting events, national celebrations, visiting dignitaries, and was the site of the first airplane landing in Fiji in 1928.

An example of diagrams at the Nasonini Battery outlining how to use the defensive equipment, photographed in 2016 and partially defaced by graffiti (taken from Global Archaeology).
Nasonini Gun Battery

The gun battery now nestled within the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s main premises has deteriorated like its sister structure in Veiuto, with it also existing in less-than-ideal conditions. However, only one of its guns remains in it (broken up into pieces, unfortunately) and one of its three emplacements has been demolished so a residence for the High Commissioner of New Zealand could be built in its stead.

“Saint Francis Xavier Church”, 2016, Source: Google maps
St Francis Xavier Church, Ra

The Church of St Francis Xavier is a popular tourist attraction for its mural of a black Christ which blends Christian motifs with elements of Fijian tradition and culture.

“Boys Grammar School postcard”, Co-operative (W.J.B. Stinsone), c.1930s? Source: http://www.justpacific.com/fiji/fijiphotos/grammar/bgs3.jpg
Suva Grammar School

The original Suva Grammar School was built in 1917 on Victoria Parade specifically for European boys. Girls were educated at another building on Selbourne Street a year later. Suva Grammar School is a co-ed school currently located at Nasese.

“A small child, possibly the Governor’s son, Jack, seated on a pony with two Fijian attendants in front of Government House in Nasova, Ovalau Island, Fiji”. Source: collected by A. von Hügel, 1875-77, Museum of archaeology and anthropology, P.99680.VH, http://maa.cam.ac.uk/photo-government-house-p-99680-vh/
Government House

Government House was the residence of the British Colonial Governors of Fiji since 1892 and was rebuilt after a lightning strike in 1921. Today it is known as the Presidential Palace.

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Website content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. All material used on this site retains the original Creative Commons Licences and can only be re-used under their respective licences. Note that corporate logos (such as the Fijian History logo) and images used in some collections and branding are specifically excluded from the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, and may not be reproduced under any circumstances without the express written permission of the copyright holders.

Fijian History © 2018 - The University of the South Pacific
About

This project was a collaborative effort by staff and students of The University of the South Pacific to document some of the historic sites of Fiji.

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