History of Nigeria bookshops

Notes and extracts collected by Thomas concerning the history and administration of the Nigeria Bookshops of the Church Missionary Society, with related papers.

Harold Beken Thomas (1888-1971) entered the Colonial Service in 1911 as a cadet in the Land and Survey Department in Uganda. He spent nearly thirty years in Uganda, retiring as Director of Surveys in 1940. During this time, he developed an extensive knowledge of Uganda and an interest in East Africa in general. He contributed articles, notes and reviews to the 'Uganda journal', mainly on historical subjects, and also provided editorial assistance. He was a leading figure in the Royal Commonwealth Society's development of a 'Dictionary of East African biography', in which he cooperated with his old friend Sir John Gray. Thomas served as Vice President of the Uganda Society and of the Church Missionary Society. He died on 12 August 1971.

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Received as a bequest of H.B. Thomas, 1971.

Includes index.

MSS 43 V

Donald H. Simpson, ed., 'The manuscript catalogue of the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society' (London, 1975), p. 89.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

The R.C.S. Manuscripts Collection includes papers of H.B. Thomas, RCMS 150.

This collection level description was created by RAS.

Thomas, Harold Beken, 1888-1971