Finding Aid for the Robert Gardner Warton Papers, 1892-1929
Processed by Paula Larich; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé and edited by Josh Fiala.
© 2004
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid for the Robert Gardner Warton Papers, 1892-1929
Collection number: 1214
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Los Angeles, CA
- Processed by:
- Paula Larich
- Encoded by:
- Caroline Cubé
- Online finding aid edited by:
- Josh Fiala, February 2004
© 2004 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Robert Gardner Warton Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1892-1929
Collection number: 1214
Creator:
Warton, Robert Gardner
Extent:
2 boxes (1.0 linear ft.)
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library.
Dept. of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Abstract: 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.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including
copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds
the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Open for research. Advance notice required for access. Contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Purchased from E.A. Wharton, 1968.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Robert Gardner Warton Papers (Collection 1214). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young
Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
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.
Expanded Biographical Note
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.
Scope and Content
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, a mining and trading venture in Rhodesia.
Expanded Scope and Content Note
Materials consist of handwritten daily diaries detailing several of Warton's expeditions from England to Zambia via Mozambique
between 1892 and 1896 (including shipboard life, trade negotiations with Portuguese, dealings with natives (including customs,
language, religion, vocabulary, etc.), surveying for the construction of telegraph lines and stations, overseeing prospectors
searching for gold); a typed transcription of the 1893 diary; sketches done by Warton; 2 maps of the grant from the British
South Africa Co. to North Charterland Exploration Co. in Northern Rhodesia, west of Lake Nyassa, east of Muchinga Mountains;
one hand-drawn map of the telegraph line from Gambe (near Beira) to Inyamuriho; annual reports of the North Charterland Exploration
Company; business correspondence; personal correspondence; photographs taken by Warton; and legal documents (1895).
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Diaries (box 1)
- Photographs, correspondence, reports, maps, legal documents, newspaper clippings (box 2)
- Oversized material (box 3).
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Warton, Robert Gardner--Archives.
North Charterland Exploration Company.
Zambia--History--1890-1924.
Genres and Forms of Material
Diaries.
Box 1, Folder 1
Sticker on outside says "August 1892" but entries are for May 1892. Expenses and
notes, lists of luggage, "to-do" lists. Diary mostly empty. Two sketches: Chinde May 25, 1892;
Arab dhow May 16, 1892.
9 May - 26 May 1892
Physical Description: 6" x 3.75" brown leather, with leather pencil holder on left; elastic band attached to
keep closed (no longer elastic). Pocket at back. Writing appears at both ends of diary,with many
blank pages in middle.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 2
Shipboard life; weather; German Anti-Slavery Committee; extensive negotiations with
Portuguese and Wiese for trading concessions; setting up trading areas; other trading companies
active in area
13 Nov. 1893 - 16 July 1984
Physical Description: Leather diary with key (attached with red thread). Gold lettering (Lt. Col. Warton.
Private Journal.). Writing started at both ends. At front, "If found kindly forward either to Durban
Club, Natal, S.A. or Naval Military Club, 94 Piccadilly, London W.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 3
Details of trip mentioned in previous diary: business dealings; trading posts; interactions
with natives; local customs; description of landscapes; registration of Wiese's concessions;
missionaries; agriculture; setting up new post; vocabulary list
29 Jan. - 27 March 1894
Physical Description: At front Warton wrote name and 1893, so daughter wrote 1893 on outside, but is
actually 1894. 6.25" x 3.5" leather notebook with front pocket (empty), made in Germany
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 4
38 sketches by Warton. Typed transcript edited by Warton (with some additions by
daughter). Wildlife; food; landscape; Wiese's dealings with natives; Portuguese rule
11 April - 27 April 1893
Physical Description: 5" x 3" leather diary with front pocket, place for pencil (missing), elastic to close
(missing), attached slate tablet, different colored paper
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 5
Shipboard life; concern about keeping correct time via watches brought from England;
latitudes and longitudes kept; Durban Club; list of letters written and received; diary mostly
empty
12 July - 1 Sept. 1895
Physical Description: 9.25" x 7.25" black leather
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 6
Tete, Muchena, surveying for telegraph; finding of iron ore; possibility of gold mines;
native uprising at Boroma
1 Sept. -14 Dec. 1895
Physical Description: 7" x 4" black leather with place for pencil (included), pocket in front, space for stamps,
calendars pasted to inside front (July -Dec. 1895, Jan.-Dec. 1896), elastic used to close cut off
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 7
Apptointed by Rhodes as BSA Co. Commissioner and Magistrate for NCE Co. in N.
Zambesia under Forbes; 1st European to cross Cadzebesi (?) River (8 June 1896); Ft. Young; list
of routes taken during trip
24 Dec. 1895 - 3 July 1896
Physical Description: 7" x 4" black leather with pencil holder on side; pockets in front to hold stamps, etc.;
in pockets 1 small sketch by Warton, some notes by daughter
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 8
Gold; quartz; description of Zulu chief M'Pesene's subjects, country, tribal life;
telegraph stations; Loangweni; inter-tribal rivalries; problems with native workers; Wiese; Forbes
and discussion of positions relative to BSA Co. and NCE Co.
4 July - 31 Oct. 1896
Physical Description: 6" x 4" brown stamped leather; pencil holder with pencil on side; pocket in front; sheet
of carbon paper in back.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 2, Folder 1
Handwritten list by E.A. Warton of photos by R.G. Warton, mostly landscapes: 6 8 3/8"
x 6.5" (#39-44); 26 5 3/8" x 3.5" (#45-69); handwritten descriptions on inside flap match written
list; most undated; 1 10" x 7.75" framed photo of Warton), no date
7 June 1894 - 4 Dec. 1897
Physical Description: Handwritten list doesn't match photos: list numbers photos consecutively 39-71;
photos labeled consecutively 39-47, 48a, 48b, 49-69.
Physical Description: 34 items.
Correspondence (Business)
Box 2, Folder 2
NCE Co. blank memo paper; letters to Warton upon return; memo re mining concessions; extracts of letters to Wiese; letters
to/from NCE; letter to RCI detailing involvement with NCE
11 Jan. 1894 - 11 Dec. 1919
Physical Description: 8" x 5" letterbook with carbon sheet; some letters handwritten, some carbon copied.
Physical Description: 14 items.
Box 2, Folder 3
Letter book for business correspondence with alphabetical index in front; mention of
German Anti-Slavery committee (undated); letter re father's death (undated)
16 Sept. 1892 - 10 Sept. 1895
Physical Description: 11.5" x 8.75", leather bound; alphabetical index at front; each page number stamped
for reference.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Correspondence (Personal)
Box 2, Folder 4
2 letters to sister re situation with M'Pesene (cf. b1, f8), native ceremonies, household
plans for return to England; letter to father describing development of new country; 2 letters to Miss
Warton re selling shares (from ? Illegible, undated)
17 Sept. 1895 - 31 July 1896
Physical Description: 5 items.
Box 2, Folder 5
Handwritten list of reports/dates; report of pioneer expedition; articles on NCE;
surveyor's report of expedition; various annual meeting reports; undated description by Warton of
final trip to region and suggestions to generate revenue
7 Dec. 1896 - 22 Dec. 1923
Physical Description: 24 items.
Box 2, Folder 6
3 legal documents (power of attorney for Warton; concessions between trading
companies); two maps: grant from British S. Africa Co. to North Charterland Exploration Co.; hand-
drawn map of telegraph stations from Beira to Inyamuriho
4 - 10 July 1895
Physical Description: 5 items.
Box 2, Folder 7
Duplicate of map in Box 2, Folder 6 (grant from British South Africa Co. to North Charterland
Exploration Co.)
Undated
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 2, Folder 8
Handwritten extracts from books, read by E.A. Warton, connected with R.G. Warton's
diaries
Undated
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 2, Folder 9
Typewritten report on expedition to area west of Nysassaland: Zulu native customs,
religion, history; NCE expeditions into area; geography; mineral deposits; ending slavery;
projections for future of NCE in area.
After Dec. 25, 1896
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 2, Folder 10
Newspaper clippings of Warton and NCE members,and NCE's activities. The African
Review, July 27, 1895; reprint from The Truth, Jan. 2, 1929; The Sunday Telegraph, May 17, 1964;
undated clipping re trade with Rhodesia; news photo of Warton, 1892.,
1892-1964 Broken Series
Physical Description: 6 items.
Box 3, Folder 1
Newspapers clippings dealing with R.G. Warton and North Charterland Exploration Co.;
newspaper photo of R.G. Warton British Central Africa Gazette, July 1, 1896, 2 copies; The
Citizen, Jan 30, 1897 two clippings; undated and unidentified clipping.
1896 - ?
Physical Description: Oversized material removed from Box 2, folder 10
Physical Description: 5 items.
