Forty books related to the African continent define the literary output of Harry Johnston, a figure instrumental to the late 19th-century colonial expansion known as the Scramble for Africa. Born in London in 1858, his career traversed multiple disciplines, encompassing roles as a naturalist, diplomat, colonial administrator, and ethnologist throughout a complex geopolitical era.
Early Training and Travels
Johnston received his education at Stockwell Grammar School and King's College London. He subsequently dedicated four years to the study of painting at the Royal Academy. This artistic background influenced his early travels to Tunisia and North Africa. By 1882, he had reached southern Angola, and the following year, he encountered Henry Morton Stanley in the Congo, becoming one of the first Europeans to observe the river beyond Stanley Pool.
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The Royal Geographical Society and the British Association appointed him to lead a scientific expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro in 1884, where he secured treaties with local chiefs. In 1886, the British government named him vice-consul for the Kamerun and Niger River delta regions. By 1887, he had achieved the rank of acting consul, during which time he deposed the local chief Jaja.
Geopolitical Strategy
Johnston was a proponent of the Cape to Cairo vision, advocating for a continuous band of British territory spanning Africa. He publicized these concepts through anonymous articles in the press during the late 1880s with the approval of Lord Salisbury. His efforts also extended to the Katanga region, where he presented claims for the British South Africa Company, attempting to secure influence against the Congo Free State.
Nyasaland and Final Years
Appointed Commissioner and Consul-general for Mozambique and the Nyasa districts in 1888, he arrived in Blantyre in 1889. He managed complex regional disputes, including the Karonga War. His career resulted in numerous distinctions, including the Founder’s Medal in 1904, the Silver Medal of the Zoological Society of London, and appointment as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.
Fast facts
- Born: 1858, London
- Died: 1927, Nottingham and Worksop
- Education: King's College London, Royal Academy of Arts
- Awards: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Notable Membership: Zoological Society of London
- Book count: 40 books published on Africa
Questions readers ask
What were Harry Johnston's primary occupations?
He served as a naturalist, photographer, writer, diplomat, zoologist, colonial official, and ethnologist.
Which regions did Johnston focus on during his administration?
His work centered on Kamerun, the Niger River delta, and the Nyasaland/Mozambique districts.
Achievements
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Founder’s Medal
- Companion of the Order of the Bath
- honorary degree
- Recorded as explorer, diplomat and zoologist
