Lieutenant Colonel Robert Gardner Warton of the Staff College, Camberly (F.R.G.S.) was the first Englishman in North Rhodesia (Zambia). He undertook three expeditions between 1892-1898, successfully receiving land concessions which he brought to the British Commissioner, and which were among the last areas to be linked with the British Commonwealth. The collection consists of correspondence, letter book, reports with accounts, diaries including sketches, maps, photographs, and clippings relating to Warton's activities as a pioneer member (later Administrator and Managing Director in Africa) of the North Charterland Exploration Company.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Gardner Warton of the Staff College, Camberly (F.R.G.S.) was the first Englishman in North Rhodesia (Zambia); undertook three expeditions between 1892-1898, successfully receiving land concessions which he brought to the British Commissioner, and which were among the last areas to be linked with the British Commonwealth.Lt. Col. Robert G. Warton (b. 16 Jan. 1847, d. 20 Sept. 1923) of the Staff College, Camberly (F.R.G.S.) represented the North Charterland Exploration Co. in its dealings with Portuguese and other trading companies in Mozambique and Northern Rhodesia (later Zambia) in the late 19th century. He negotiated the purchase of land concessions from Carl Wiese (a German citizen who received the land from a native Zulu chief),and which were among the last areas to be linked with the British Commonwealth. He was appointed by Cecil Rhodes to act as the British South Africa Company's Commissioner and Magistrate for the North Charterland Exploration Company in Northern Zambesia under Forbes, the Administrator for the area, and was the first Englishman (but not the first European) to enter the area, setting up telegraph stations that would eventually link to the Cape in South Africa. In 1888 he also brought the first English cricket team to South Africa for a test match.

2 boxes (1.0 linear ft.)

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