John Evans Collection
- Reference:GB 551 NCAP/10/4/3/1
- Name of Creator:
Scope and Content
The collection comprises the papers of John Martin Evans relating to the Directorate of Overseas Surveys and John Evans' career, both with DOS and prior to his employment there. John Evans was one of the few DOS surveyors who opted always to work abroad, except for the odd spell in Tolworth. Papers include a file listing all the overseas postings of all of the DOS surveyors; a personal work diary; a thesis on work in Guyana showing the method of working using Bilby Towers and work on Ontong Java; information from his work in the Falkland Islands (c. 1956-59) and on trig points.
Administrative / Biographical History
EVANS, JOHN MARTIN (b.1932) Topographic Surveyor.
Evans was educated at Ardwyn County Grammar School and University College of Wales Aberystwyth, obtaining a BSc degree in Geography in 1952. For National Service between 1952-54 he was posted to Air Plans Section, RAF Ismailia in the Canal Zone. On demobilisation he joined the Directorate of Colonial Surveys (DCS) as a Colonial Probationer at the School of Military Survey, Hermitage, Berkshire for 12 months of intensive practical field training.
In October 1956 Evans' first posting was to north western Uganda where he took part in the observing of the primary triangulation scheme between the borders of Sudan, the Congo and the empty lands of the Elephant Sanctuary. This tour was followed by a posting to the Falklands. He arrived in Stanley on the RRS John Biscoe on 26 November 1957 joining George Reid, a Senior DOS Surveyor who had already arrived in August on the maiden voyage of the RMS Darwin. The field survey of the Falklands for 1:50,000 mapping followed the complete air photo cover flown in 1956. The Falklands was the last major classical triangulation scheme undertaken by DOS before the introduction of electronic measuring equipment in the late 1950s. Observations were completed on East Falkland in December 1958, Evans working south of the line Mt Usborne/Mt Kent while Reid completed to the north. On West Falkland, Evans observed the area from Westpoint to Fox Bay while Reid took the southern camps and islands. Observations on the West were completed in April 1960. Evans left Stanley in May 1960 and Reid a month later. The 29 1;50,000 maps were published by DOS in 1962.
Evans was posted to Northern Ghana in 1960-63. Further postings were as Senior Surveyor to the Solomon Islands in 1963-67, to Guyana in 1967-69, to Ethiopia in 1970-72, and 1975-76, to the West Indies in 1972-75, then as Principal Surveyor to Malawi in 1978-81 and finally in 1981-1989 as Survey Adviser to the North Yemen Survey Department.
In 1962 Evans married Barbara Elsie Herriot Goldie, a marine biologist, who with their family of two sons and a daughter accompanied Evans on all his subsequent overseas postings.
Related Material
Information provided by Barbara Evans regarding the field survey of the Falkland Islands (Falkland Islands Journal Vol 2006)
Ideal weather conditions for angular observations by theodolite were rare, the wind being a constant enemy. It was necessary to camp close to most trig stations in order to take advantage of any break in the weather which might occur. Few trig stations were completed in less than a week, while several required up to three weeks camping on the highest hills in adverse conditions of wind, low cloud, rain and snow. Both surveyors worked as individual units each with the invaluable help of an islands horseman.
The Land Rover was invaluable over Lafonia and much of the West, while horse travel with cargeros was necessary on most of the major hills and wet camp. Most of the available small ships were used to visit offshore islands, both farm vessels and the MV 'Philomel'. In December 1959 the use of HMS Protector's helicopters made it possible to complete the survey of the Jason Islands in two days as part of a training exercise with FIDS surveyors on their way to southern bases.
Falklands generous hospitality was a feature of life, from a smoko in passing on the track to extended stays with managers and shepherds alike. Likewise help with workshops, stores and grazing for the horses. Place names for the maps as well as fence lines and gates not discernable on the air photos were collected on these occasions and whilst in Stanley during the winter months of July and August. These interludes made up for the rigours of camping in tents and the relative luxuries of shanties and empty houses.
Personal Names