Views of Achimota College circa 1945

A collection of photographs taken by the Ministry of Information West African Photographic Service, giving a comprehensive record of the varied aspects of the College's work. These pictures have been extensively reproduced in books and articles. As Dr. R.W. Stopford is shown as Principal, a post he held from 1941 to 1945, they must date from this period. The Library has three different groups of photographs drawn from this series, two of which form this collection:
(A) 55, 260 x 200 mm prints
(B) 38 prints with 17 duplicates, 230 x 170 mm.
20 photographs are common to A and B.
All the prints have a serial number preceded by DW, commencing with 1947 and ending with 2043. The prints in group B also have a serial number which presumably relates only to the Achimota photographs; these begin with 2, corresponding to DW 1948. The total collection therefore appears to comprise 97 prints of which 79 are to be found in A, B or the third group (C). The groups, though containing parts of the same set of photographs, vary in character as well as size. For example, A utilises most of the negatives.
The following list sets out groups A and B with titles abbreviated from the accompanying captions. Photocopies of the 6 photographs unique to C are filed with this collection.
The following are DW numbers for which no photograph is held;
DW 1953 - An informal group of the college prefects
DW 1968, 1970-1971, 1973-1975, 1977-1978, 1985-1987, 1991-1992, 1999, 2019, 2031, 2037 - no copies have been traced.

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).

(A) was presented by the Inter University Council for Higher Education Overseas in February 1982. (B) was presented by Mr. A.W.E. Winlaw in 1982.

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

Some of the prints in A have faded in the middle.

The third group of photographs from this series (C) is catalogued at Y3011U and includes 26 photographs which are duplicates of this collection. Other photographs of Achimota are at Y30448G and Y30448I.

This item level description was created by MJC using information from the original typescript catalogue.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Ministry of Information, West African Photographic Service