THE handing over of a photo album containing old photographs captured back in the colonial era took place at the national archives yesterday.

His Excellency Mr Moses Kouni Mose, the country’s ambassador to Brussels handed the photo album to permanent secretary of the ministry of culture and tourism, Mr Andrew Nihopara.

Speaking to the paper, Mr Mose said that he was invited to present the photo album and gave a brief encounter of what this interesting piece of history was all about.

He said that the photo album comprises of old photographs dated back to the visit of His Royal Highness, Duke Edinburgh who paid a royal visit to the country in 1974.

The ambassador also showed copy of a letter addressed to him by Mrs Mary R Chandler Allen, who worked for Mr Thomas Russell in 1974 when became the governor of the Cayman Islands.

Mrs Allen in her letter to the ambassador which was sent on November 16, 2016 stated that she was not sure whether the national government was aware that Mr Thomas Russell had passed away on July 5, 2016.

She also mentioned that Mr Thomas Russell CMG CBE served the country from 1948 to 1974 in various positions including financial secretary and chief secretary to Western Pacific High Commission.

Mrs Allen added that Mr Russell continued his association with Solomon Islands through the UK Pacific Islands Society.

She described the warm connection Mr Russell had with Solomon Islands stating that Mr Russel was always fond of the country and the people given that it became a huge part of his life.

Mrs Allen in her letter included a piece from Mr Russell’s memoirs describing how he felt, leaving in 1974 after having served the country for 26 years.

“It was like tearing my right arm off at the shoulder”, he said.

She included in her letter that she worked for Mr Thomas Russell when he became Governor of Cayman Islands in 1974 and when this photo album was passed on to her from Mr Russell’s executor, she only saw it fit to return it to the Solomon Islands.

In her closing remarks to His Excellency Mr Moses Kouni Mose, she writes that she thought the photographs might be of some historic importance to Solomon Islands and sent it over to be placed in either the national archives or a local museum.