KINGSLEY (Mary Henrietta, 1860-1901, Traveller, Ethnologist and Author)

Splendid collection of 27 Autograph Letters Signed (5 of them lacking a side or two at the beginning or end), written on her return from her second West African journey till shortly before she went out as a nurse to South Africa, the greater number to George William NEVILLE in Putney, (d. 1929, formerly with Elder Dempster, and the first Lagos manager of the Bank of British West Africa), and Mrs Neville, those to Mr Neville include an important discussion about 'Nana' (Nanna OLOMU, deposed as 'indirect rule' governor of what is now most of the Delta State of Nigeria), in social and economic terms, suggesting Nanna might be amenable to building a new town for himself and his people and provide labour for Mr Swanzy's mines, she bares her heart over the alcohol question, missionaries, amateur officials, her feelings about native Africans, always with deep knowledge and her unconventional brand of common sense, other letters deal with interviews, lectures and articles, on one of which her uncle William Bailey suggests she "emigrate not later than the 25th", others again with the calls on her energy by relations, all written in Mary's inimitable humorous style even under the most trying conditions, and with her remarkable ability to 'network', with a press cutting of the memorial, 1901, to her at Eversley, and a letter identifying the recipient of two of the letters as Grant Reid, editor of the Aberdeen 'Northern Figaro', Mary's letters 54 sides 8vo., 100 Addison Road and 32 St. Mary Abbots Terrace, Kensington, 11th October 1895 - 20th September

We have not come across any mention of the Neville correspondence. Mr Neville had a fine collection of artefacts, which Mary urges him not to lend (e.g. to ethnologist Ling Roth) but to keep intact. Of Neville's account of Nanna Olomu, she writes "it is the most important document that so far has come into my hands, because behind every paragraph of it I see my beloved native law". She takes the new Bishop of Sierra Leone (John Taylor Smith) to see them before he goes out in 1897, and asks if Mr Neville's friend "the black Bishop" (Isaac OLUWOLE, (1852-1932, Assistant Bishop at Lagos, from 1893, previously head of the grammar school there) "is still in London". Mary writes to them in increasingly affectionate terms, and in 1899 is intent on finding a house for them near her address in Kensington.
Checklist (all 8vo). From 100 Addison Road:
1. 11th October 1895, 1 side, to 'Dear Madam'. "It is a comfort to get in touch with anyone who is not a mere vulture after copy", and suggesting dates.
2. 23rd December 1895, 2 sides, to 'Dear Madam'. Saying a friend has carried off 'The Queen' but lending some cuttings which are "near the truth", she will be "very glad to see you unprofessionally" any Saturday.
3. n.d. c. 1895, 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. "Thank you for the very pleasant afternoon ... I reached home in a succession of omnibi" which she describes with Latin names, "I am talking like this because I have caught it from the Lady learned in butterflies who has been here going on in this awful way ... for hours - the coralinne man did not come. The butterfly lady" says he usually gets lost "as soon as he gets out of the museum", enclosing a proof [not present] and asking if she and Mr Neville as "a great favour" will "put a pencil through those parts you disapprove of & add anything you think ought to be said".
4. 21st January 1896, 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. "Tell Mr Neville [he] has not seen half the palaver yet", and enclosing "the article on my letter" [not present], "I shall get into an awful row when the National Review comes out, my uncle [William Bailey] advises my emigrating not later than the 25th".
5. 12th June 1896, last side only, no addressee. "I will be waiting here or come to you whichever suits you best".
6. 16th June 1896, 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. Explaining that she has had "desperate alarms and excursions over my Brother [Charles]" who has arrived safe on the Oceana, a "charming letter from Sir Gilbert Carter [Governor of Lagos, 1891-1896]" has heaped "coals of fire on my head for my light hearted cheek of him", she hopes "Mr Neville is not going out to Lagos again yet".
7. 25th August 1896, last 2 sides, [to Mrs Neville]. "My cousin Miss Chanters wedding ... must needs take place in the middle of Exmoor - 16 miles from a railway station on the Slow & Doubtful - ie the Somerset & Devon Railway ... I hope you still have good news from Mr Neville I have been hearing a great deal of Lagos from Mr Fowler the Govt Surveyor".
8. 18th January 1897, 2 sides, [to Grant Reid, editor of the 'Northern Figaro', Aberdeen]. Suggesting he ask "the Ladies Realm who came and filched the only portrait of myself I have ... to lend you their block ... As for the book [Travels in West Africa] I have not a copy, myself, all Messrs MacMillan sent me I sent forthwith to my West Coast friends they will read anything gladly in West Africa".
9. n.d., c. April 1897, first 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. Explaining that "confusion has been made worse confounded ... by my relations", the Revd. William Harrison, the Rector of Clovelly, and husband of her cousin Mary Kingsley ('Lucas Malet'), thinks it is "good ... to mortify the flesh, i.e. leave off his underclothes & suddenly developing a dreadful affair in his throat ... necessitating a severe operation ... has had to be brought up to London ... his wife has done most & I the remainder".
10. 12th May 1897, 2 sides, to Grant Reid. Explaining that "the severe illness of my Brother [Charles] & the death of the Revd. Wm. Harrison my cousins husband have entailed much work & worry", and sending some mats "from Bonny River ... my fish take up all my money".
11. n.d. c. 1897, first 2 sides only, to Miss Sichel. Apologizing for missing her by 5 minutes at Mary's cousin Rose Kingley's, about getting estimates for curtains from Whitely and from the Decorating and Contracting Company in Victoria Street, "do not do anything until I see you ... tomorrow ... do not imagine I mind doing this sort of thing ... I shall feel all the better if I know you are not wearying yourself out".
12. 29th May 1897, 1 side, to Mrs Early Smith. About Mary's forthcoming lecture at Oxford, suggesting Miss Miller come with "Miss Toulmin Smith ... & me & Dr Odgers. I am sure this chaperonage will be heavy enough". [On verso in another hand: With Aunt Tina's love Monday 31st 1897, two spike holes in blank margin].
13. 2nd June 1897, 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. Sending 2 tickets for "that horrid [Oxford] Lecture", saying Mr Jones will chair it "if Lubbock fails ... I am only fit for a very cheap funeral today", and asking her to ask Mr Neville if a slave's "being head of a house" makes him "a free man or is he in any way under obligation to his owner ... I want this for Oxford ... badly".
14. 26th June 1897, 2 sides, to Mr. Neville. About meeting ethnologist [Henry] Ling Roth, (1855-1925, part time curator near Halifax), "who is not a friend of mine save ... as I hope all men are ... But dont you go & give him things ... I will come if I feel better", and thanking him "for the coinage answer - Blow those 3d. bits from an ethnologist's point of view"
15. 1st September 1897, 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. About going to meet the Blaizes at dinner, her brother Charley will be at Uncle's [William Bailey's], she is very glad "the ivory went off so well", but is "frantic with toothache" following the dentist's.
16. 2nd September 1897, 1 side, to Mrs Neville. She cannot "stay over Sunday ... Master Charles' movements are too uncertain. I've got some amusing letters to show you".
17. 8th September 1897, 2 sides, to Mrs. Neville. Inviting her to come to Burr's Hotel to meet "the good Bishop [of Sierra Leone, John Taylor Smith, consecrated 27th May 1897] & his lady", or for them to call on her in Putney, she hopes "you thought no more of what I said on Saturday but ... I get alarmed at people if I find I have to be careful what I say ... that remark about the convent ... showed me what a gulf [exists] between your mind and Liverpool ... I will write reams to Mr Neville".
18. 9th September 1897, 3 sides, to Mrs Neville. "The Bishop [Smith] is a reasonable man and only wants a little educating on the subject of Blacks to be of some real use in Africa ... I could bring the Hartzells over either day ... Thank you ... for the slip in Mr Blaizes letter ... he ... is a dear old thing", she promises to look him up when next near Lagos, with a note about her lecture at Birkbeck next 13th October.
19. 10th September 1897, 1 side, to Mrs Neville. Will bring the Bishop on Monday [13th] at 4.30 and mentioning the Copelands and "Mrs Lawrence C's [at home] days ... but I am an imbecile at days".
20. 6th October 1897, 7 sides, to Mr Neville. Explaining that "poor Professor Roy is dead & I must go over to Cambridge ... really I can remember as many tragedies in Cambridge as on the coast only they are of men going out of their wits instead of their lives", the Pitt Rivers "curator's mouth is watering" for Mr Neville's tile which she took to Oxford, there follows a long and important "intensely confidential" passage on "the Nana", (Nanna Olomu, recently deposed as governor of a large part of the present Niger Delta State), "In spite of my refusing to accept Africans as men and brothers I have a sneaking affection for them", she has seen "Swanzy at York" and discussed labour for his Gold Coast mines, importing foreign labour would be "imbecile" or "unfair", but Nana might bring his people over and "build himself a town ... I ... told Swanzy I know a man who has Nana under his thumb" without mentioning Neville's name, she comments on her enclosed article [not present] on the liquor traffic, the missionaries have not dared publish "Peter's analysises" and "Van Huytman's" [of the alcohol] that she sent them, and asking if he will proof read her forthcoming "history of the trade with W A from 500 BC", in a note she asks if Mrs Neville might bring Georgie to see "my magic lantern slides at Birkbeck ... Next Sunday [10th] I am going to try & take some of the conceit out of the superior white man ... but you need not come".
21. 11th October 1897, 2 sides, to Mrs. Neville. About to send tickets "for my entertainment as you lightly call it" at Birkbeck but on second thoughts reckons that she and "Georgie ... will both be bored".
22. 18th October 1897, 2 sides, to Mrs Neville. "Especially awful" at Birkbeck was being told "that I must speak as loud as possible & quick or I should not be heard ... Ling Roth has calmly asked me to send him a lot of things if he has made a similar requisition to Mr Neville dont you let him do it ... it gives you a lot of trouble and gets them damaged", also mentioning Mr Jones and Mrs Pinnock.
23. c. November 1897, 1 side, to Mr Neville. "Could you tell me ... if your friend the black Bishop [Isaac Oluwole, Assistant Bishop of Lagos 1893-1932] is still in London ... Ling Roth has written me a very grateful letter about your kindness to him".
24. 12th December 1897, last side only, to an unnamed correspondent. Hoping that a recent widow will "get into some work where her abilities will be valued" and that "you are in better health than when I last heard of you from Rose [Kingsley, Mary's cousin]".
25. 8th March 1898, 2 sides, to Mr Sheowring. "I was very ill in January ... & that lecture is adrift ... in a sea of papers ... If I cannot find it I will try & write it out for you just at present I am very overworked ... things .. got behind hand during my illness".
From 32 St. Mary Abbot's Terrace:
26. 7th April 1899, 4 sides to Mr Neville. If she escapes alive "from the Dentist & ... my publisher I may call in at the Hotel Victoria to talk House with Mrs Neville ... I made a conscientious cruise ... and have found two beauties in Melbury Road where the big artists dwell - one ... just left by Thorneycroft the sculptor", describing others, "You see my mind is set on getting you fixed up here", as another "is further back from the Road than mine I withdraw my criticism of the horrors of the high Road [Kensington High Street]", she cannot remember if she has sent him 'West African Studies' or what she last wrote to him about, "I know I meant it whatever it was ... I have been in such a mixed up state with West Coast affairs up here latterly that I want a talk with you badly ... I was sorry you did not come today because Dr Freeman was here - who is devoted to you. I gave him your address".
27. 20th September 1899, 1 side, to 'Dear Sir'. "I will be very glad to ... lecture for you if I am in London in February next. - I hope to be in Africa but my Brothers movements govern mine".
Together with a photocopy of another long autograph letter
28. 11th October 1897, 8 sides, to Mr Neville. She read his "bitter cry of Nana son of Alumbo [Nanna Olomu] ... at once ... It is the most important document that so far [h]as come into my hands, because behind every paragraph of it I see my beloved native law. It is a sort of book of reference ... I was right when ... I dipped my tomahawk in blood in wait for the English official because he did not know the language of the people he tried to govern", she talks of officials wasting "blood & money ... making amateur experiments ... the scientific way is heavy work and I wish there were more teachers of it for the English ... the French being human beings as well as scientists, a thing the Germans in this matter are not, will succeed", citing Dubois' and Bingen's books, at a talk yesterday at "the South Place Ethical society - a superior and precious body - I took some of the stuffing out of them on blacks", she "disagrees with much heat" with much of two recent articles in Blackwood and the Spectator, "but they show that healthy discontent which we who like the African because we know him must work on", she returns to the question of Nanna, "of course you know best but I should not have thought it impossible to teach the Beninite the beauty of irrigation - see what Nana says 'my people starve' ", in a P.S. she says "those missionaries since my analysises have dropped the 'poison' ... missionaries give good sport".

Item Date:  1899

Stock No:  51955      £5750

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