Francis Hall collection

Five loose prints, 165 x 110 mm, which are modern copies by Payne Jenkins of Tunbridge Wells of originals owned by B. Foster Hall, nephew of Francis Hall.
These photographs, though of indifferent quality, are of interest as portraying some of the early Europeans in East Africa.
Francis George Hall (1860-1901) travelled widely in Africa in the 1880s. In 1892, he entered the service of the Imperial British East Africa Company, and for the rest of his life was an employee of the Company and the British administration which succeeded it. Most of his time was spent at Fort Smith, which he was responsible for from 1893 to 1899. In 1899 he was transferred to Machakos, but in 1901 died at Mbirri, where he was establishing a new station. This was re-named Fort Hall in his memory (see A.T Matson 'Francis Hall' in 'Kenya Historical Biographies', 1971, pp. 45-71).
The original typescript provides a list of the persons shown in the photographs. John Ainsworth and Dr. Henry Bodeker appear to have been the photographers:
Ainsworth, John Dawson (1864-1946), administrator in East Africa.
Ansorge, William John (1850-1913), doctor and zoologist.
Berkeley, (Sir) Ernest James Lennox (1857-1932), Commissioner and Consul General Uganda 1895-99.
Bodeker, Henry Albert (c. 1871-), M.O. Uganda.
Dugmore, Francis Sandys (1839-1898), freelander and military officer.
Jackson, (Sir) Frederick John (1860-1929), assistant, Uganda: later Governor.
Lane, Charles Robert William (1871-1936), East African Protectorate Government Service.
Martin, James (1857-1924), Maltese caravan leader and Uganda Government official
Owen, Edward Roderick ('Roddy') (1856-1896), soldier in East Africa.
Smith, Algernon Fox Eric (1856-1942), transport officer and soldier in East Africa: founder of Fort Smith.

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).

Presented by A.T. Matson, who was working on Hall's letters with a view to publication (an enterprise later abandoned).

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

This collection is available on microfiche: Africa, fiche number 111.

good condition

This collection level description was entered by MJC and WS using information from the original typescript catalogue.

DateText: The original photographs date from about 1880 to 1901..

Various