Who was Harry Johnston?
Johnston grew up in England and received a liberal arts education. His grounding in art, languages, geography and anthropology equipped him for meeting colonialism’s need for exploration, expansion and documentation. By the 1880s, Johnston had become a career diplomat specialising in Africa. He was appointed vice consul for the Cameroons and Niger Delta in 1885. As a geographer, he wanted to give an accurate picture of the countries that he visited and his archive is a visual travelogue. Johnston took hundreds of photos, which would have accompanied his numerous RGS lectures, including an address he gave at the centenary of David Livingstone’s birth in 1913. We’re delighted that the Society holds–and is able to put on public display–a selection of these magnificent prints, which capture so much of early 20th century Caribbean life. Tina Gardner, Communication Officer, RGS-IBG * The exhibition, entitled ‘The Caribbean in black and white: Island photographs from 1908-09’, runs from 4 O
