AFRICA THROUGH WESTERN EYES

Part 4: Papers of Sir John Kirk (1832-1922) from the National Library of Scotland

The third and fourth parts of this project are based on the rich holdings of the National Library of Scotland. 

Part 4 is entirely devoted to the papers of Sir John Kirk (1832-1922), explorer, naturalist, diplomat and founder of the East African rubber trade.  It offers rich sources for:

• Malawi
• Zambia
• Mozambique
• Zimbabwe
• Tanzania
• Zanzibar

The records describe Kirk's work as Livingstone's assistant for the second Zambezi expedition (1858-1863).  He made spectacular photographic records and his research formed the basis of his Flora of Tropical Africa (1868–1917).  They also describe his role as British plenipotentiary to the African slave-trade conference at Brussels (1889–90) and his activities as High Consul and virtual ruler of Zanzibar, where he represented British, German, Portuguese and Italian interests.