Following on from our earlier post about the Swire Collection at SOAS, we’d like to tell you more about how the collection has been developed over the last three years since a dedicated archivist has been in post. The collection was originally deposited in the 1970s, and at that stage had around 250 boxes of material. One of the biggest changes since 2001 has been the addition of new material
The Life and Afterlife of David Livingstone: exploring missionary archives is running at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, until May 2014. This blog series highlights some of the fascinating stories and archives selected for the exhibition from the collections at SOAS Library. This time, we look at the broader historical context and the role of African converts in scriptural translation. Missionaries sought to provide translations of Christian texts to their congregations. In order
SOAS has held the archives of John Swire & Sons since the 1970s, and for three years has had a dedicated archivist sponsored by the company to work on developing the collection. This post aims to give a bit of background to the history of the company and the significance of the collection. Future posts will focus in more detail on how access to the collection is being improved. Today
The Life and Afterlife of David Livingstone: exploring missionary archives is running at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, until May 2014. This blog series highlights some of the fascinating stories and archives selected for the exhibition from the collections at SOAS Library. This blog looks at the broader historical context at the time of Livingstone’s arrival in Southern Africa. With the British occupation in 1795, the Cape Colony emerged as an inviting mission
The Life and Afterlife of David Livingstone: exploring missionary archives is running at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, until May 2014. This blog series highlights some of the fascinating stories and archives selected for the exhibition from the collections at SOAS Library. Sechele I was Kgosi, or chief of the baKwena, in modern-day Botswana, from 1831 until his death in 1892. Sechele is seen as a visionary leader, warrior and modernizer who laid
In celebration of Women’s History Month and UNESCO World Poetry Day, we are taking a look at the life of Alice Werner, writer, poet and teacher of the Bantu language. Born in Trieste on 26 June 1859 and educated in Germany and England, Alice traveled extensively, living in New Zealand, Mexico, America and throughout Europe She is notable for her many achievements. Not only was she was one of the first women to graduate from Newnham College,
The Life and Afterlife of David Livingstone: exploring missionary archives is running at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, until May 2014. This blog series highlights some of the fascinating stories and archives selected for the exhibition from the collections at SOAS Library. David Livingstone began his career in Africa as a missionary, spending sixteen years in the service of the London Missionary Society, 1840-1857. Stationed first at Kuruman and then at Mabotsa and
The Life and Afterlife of David Livingstone: exploring missionary archives is running at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS, until May 2014. This blog series will highlight some of the fascinating stories and archives featured in the exhibition. Based on historical material found in missionary archives held at SOAS Library, and taking as its focus Livingstone’s early years as a missionary (1840-1856), this exhibition seeks to explore the life and after-life of this multi-faceted
