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James Henry Green Collection

Brighton & Hove Museums cares for and provides access to a unique collection of photographs, textiles and artefacts mainly from Burma/Myanmar, assembled by Colonel James Henry Green and his Anglo-Burmese wife Dorothy Green in the early 20th century.

The collection is on long-term loan from the James Henry Green Charitable Trust, a UK-registered charity that preserves the legacy of James Henry Green (1893–1975), who served as a recruitment officer for the Burma Rifles (1918–1935) in Burma (now Myanmar) and was an accomplished amateur photographer.

Colonel James Henry Green assembled a pre-eminent collection of textiles, and photographs from Burma/Myanmar in the 1920s and 30s whilst serving in the Burma Rifles. Green’s military role involved assessing local people for their potential to serve in the British colonial army. Based in the northern hill states of Burma/Myanmar, Green was fascinated by the ethnic diversity he witnessed and used photography as a way of recording the people and places he encountered.

A red and black woven cotton bag from Burma (Myanmar) associated with the Kachin cultural group. It is decorated with pink, green and yellow brocaded diamonds patterns. It has woven cotton attached to strap and also with white beads and red cotton tassels. It was collected in Kachin State in 1920s.
A red and black woven cotton bag from Burma/Myanmar associated with the Kachin cultural group. Early 20th Century
Finely woven split cane, dyed red outer, with woven natural colour pattern, inner structure in thicker woven cane. Plume of hair, dyed red, in vertical line over whole. Large metal disc attached to both sides.
Hat from the Naga cultural group found western Burma/Myanmar and northeast India. Early 20th Century

Green’s documentation of life in Kachin State in northern Burma/Myanmar constitutes a rare if not unique visual record of life in this area in the early 20th century. Alongside the photographs he took, Green and his wife Dorothy also collected 230 textile pieces and objects, which form the basis of the James Henry Green Collection.

Following Colonel Green’s death in 1975, a Trust was founded by Dorothy Green. In 1992 the Trust chose Brighton Museum & Hove Museums to be the long-term caretaker of the collection. The financial gift bequeathed to the Trust by Dorothy Green has, since 1992, been used to support the care for and access to the James Henry Green Collection in the context of the Museum’s World Art Collection, providing support for curation, and for wider research, education and outreach activities.

The photographs have all been digitised and can be accessed on our Digital Media Bank, alongside images of some of the textiles and artefacts. For further information about the collection or to request access please use the collections enquiry form.

Photograph of four Lisu girls from a village called Abuta. It was taken by James Henry Green in Kachinland (northern Burma) in the 1920s.
Photograph of four Lisu girls from a village called Abuta. It was taken by James Henry Green in Kachinland (northern Burma/Myanmar) in the 1920s. WA0109.
Burma image, WA1528. Rafting bullock carts. It was taken by James Henry Green. 1920s
Rafting bullock carts. It was taken by James Henry Green in the 1920s. WA1528.

Further information