Photograph of Henry Fowler's Expedition 1878

180 x 105 mm. Albumen print inserted into Fowler's 'A narrative of a journey across the unexplored portion of the British Honduras' (1879), showing a group of men standing amid tropical vegetation.
In 1878 a sugar planter named Drake and a miner named Worth led an exhibition to the Cockscomb Range in the hope of discovering mineral resources. As this met with little success they set off for a second time, this time under the leadership of Henry Fowler, on 23 November 1878, returning to Belize on 18 January 1879. The report gave some indication of potential mineral wealth, but Fowler's reputation has on the whole been overshadowed by allegations that he used his official position to further his personal interests. This copy of his report was presented by him to F. Hardyman Parker and he presumably inserted this photograph.
The central figure in the photograph, wearing a topee and carrying a rifle, is presumably Fowler. To his left is an European with a pick-axe and to his right a bearded man, probably European. These are likely to be Drake and Worth; the remaining nine men in the photograph are presumably Indian porters.

Henry Fowler administered the Colony in Vancouver Island, the Gambia, and Bermuda and was Colonial Secretary of British Honduras 1877 to 1887. He was subsequently Colonial Secretary,Trinidad, and died in that post 27 November 1893.

Y3078E is held at RCS.A.78.

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

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

Unknown