Derek Holt West African photographs

A collection of loose prints and one modern copy print. These photographs presumably relate to the activities of John Holt and Co. They fall into three main groups: mounted photographs (1-3), unmounted photographs (4-31), and carte de visite photographs (32-67). In the first category are the important Mary Kingsley groups (1-2) and the Morel family photograph (3). Included in the second are a number of prints (9, 11-17, 24-25) which appear to have been removed from an album or other mount. Some of these prints have pencilled captions on the back; in other cases descriptive titles have been added. It has been possible to discover the subject of nos. 4-7 from comparisons with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office album Nigeria Vol. 25, and relevant photocopies are kept with the collection. The carte-de-visite photographs are an interesting collection, 20 being the work of Francis W. Joaque, of Gabon and Freetown. Eight others have named photographers. Unfortunately, it has not been possible yet to identify many of the individuals or places depicted.

John Holt (1841-1915) was the founder and first chairman of John Holt and Co (Liverpool) Ltd. Setta Kama (Setté Cama) in Gabon, French Equatorial Africa, was a centre for the company's trading activities.

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).

This album, together with Y3043MM and Y3043NN, was presented to the Library in 1986-87 by Derek Holt, a member of the Liverpool family formerly involved in West African trade.

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

Of varying condition.

For further information on John Holt and Co., see Y3043MM.

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

Holt, John, 1841-1915