Photocopies of journals of Arthur Jermy Mounteney Jephson compiled during the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition led by Sir Henry Morton Stanley

Photocopies of journals, 1887-1889, of A J Mounteney Jephson, comprising Books One to Four, giving a detailed description of activities of H.M Stanley's expedition to relieve Emin Pasha, including the journey via Zanzibar, and the hardships faced. Book Three includes copies of some of Stanley's correspondence. Book Four, covering April to [October] 1889, is less detailed than Books One to Three, and less accurately dated. With typescript transcriptions of the journals [1960s] for Dorothy Middleton's published edition.

Arthur Jermy Mounteney Jephson: born in Brentwood, Essex, 1858; educated at Tonbridge School, 1869-1874; a cadet with the Merchant Navy, serving on HMS Worcester, 1874-1876; joined the Antrim regiment of the Royal Irish Rifles, 1880; resigned his commission, 1884; accompanied H M Stanley's expedition to relieve Emin Pasha in Central Africa, 1887-1889; Medallist, Royal Geographical Society and Royal Brussels Geographical Society, 1890; following his return from Africa, suffered ill health, and his attempts to return to Africa were frustrated; Queen's Messenger, 1895-1901; King's Messenger from 1901; died, 1908. Publications include: Emin Pasha and the rebellion at the equator: a story of nine month's experiences in the last of the Soudan provinces ... with the revision and co-operation of Henry M Stanley (1890); Stories told in an African forest (1893).

Emin Pasha: born in Germany, 1840; originally named Eduard Schnitzer; a physician and explorer; served under General Charles Gordon in Sudan as a district medical officer, 1876-1878; succeeded Gordon as governor of Equatoria, the southernmost province of the Egyptian Sudan, 1878; isolated from the outside world by the Mahdist uprising, 1885; European explorers including H M Stanley were sent to rescue him, 1887; eventually agreed to accompany Stanley to Mombasa, 1889; murdered while engaged in exploration for Germany in the Lake Tanganyika region, 1892.

Sir Henry Morton Stanley: born in Denbigh, Wales, 1841; originally named John Rowlands; Anglo-American journalist and empire builder; took the name of his adoptive father in New Orleans; became a naturalized US citizen; fought in the American Civil War; became a journalist; commissioned to go to Africa to find the explorer David Livingstone, whom he located on Lake Tanganyika, 1871; returned to England with news of his discovery; led a second expedition to further Livingstone's explorations, 1874-1877; followed the Congo River from its source to the sea; accepted the invitation of Leopold II of Belgium to head another expedition, and helped to organize the future Independent State of the Congo, 1879-1884; at the Berlin Conference (1884-1885), instrumental in obtaining American support for Leopold's Congo venture; his last African journey was to find Emin Pasha, 1887-1889; again became a British subject, 1892; sat in Parliament, 1895-1900; Knight, 1899; died, 1904. Publications include: In Darkest Africa (1890), giving his account of the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition.

The material comprises four files of photocopies and four files of transcriptions.

Open

Donated in 1972.

The journals were discovered in 1955 by a descendant of the author.

The School of Oriental and African Studies also holds Jephson's letters to Sir William Mackinnon, 1890-1892 (Ref: PP MS 1).

Nottingham University Library, Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections, hold A J M Jephson's letters to Lady Middleton, 1890-1904 (Ref: Mi). Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections, holds the Sudan Archive (Ref: SAD), including papers, 1888-1891, relating to A J M Jephson, comprising a microfilm copy of of letters from Stanley to troops under the command of Emin Pasha and from the amir 'Umar Salih to Emin, and copy of Emin Pasha's will.

Privately owned.