Papers on David Livingstone

Vere Louis Bosazza, D.Sc., F.R.G.S., F.G.S., was a student of African exploration, particularly its maritime aspects, who wrote on David Livingstone and his colleagues. He was a Member of the Royal Institute of Navigation, and his practical knowledge of seamanship gave him a special insight into the navigational aspects of Livingstone's travels. He published little, but produced a good deal of material in typescript, although his typing was erratic and his scripts have many manuscript additions.

David Livingstone (1813-1873) was born on 19 March 1813 at Blantyre, Lanarkshire. He educated himself while working at a cotton factory near Glasgow, and from 1832 attended a medical class at Anderson College and lectures at Glasgow University. He entered the service of the London Missionary Society, and studied medicine and science in London. In 1840 Livingstone travelled to the Cape of Good Hope as a missionary. He explored the interior of Africa, 1841-1843, and discovered Lake Ngami in 1849, and the Zambesi in 1851. After journeying throughout the continent, 1852-1856, Livingstone was made Consul at Quilimane in 1858. That year he led an expedition to explore Eastern and Central Africa, and in 1859 he discovered Lake Shirwa and Lake Nyasa. He embarked on an expedition to investigate the Nile basin in 1865, and discovered Lake Bangweolo in 1868. He became ill while exploring cannibal territory, and in 1871 was rescued by H.M. Stanley at Ujiji. He made further explorations to discover the source of the Nile, but fell ill and died at a village in the country of Ilala in 1873.

Articles and transcripts relating to David Livingstone, including illustrations and maps.

Presented by Vere Bosazza, 1974-1975.

Please cite as Cambridge University Library: Royal Commonwealth Society Library, Papers on David Livingstone, RCMS 223

The R.C.S. Manucript Collection includes Vere Bosazza's transcript of Browne's expedition to the Zambesi, RCMS 222, and his account of Thomas Baines' expeditions on the Zambesi, RCMS 224.

MSS Addenda, vol. III. Indexed

This collection level description was created by RAS using information from the original typescript catalogue. The biographical history was compiled with reference to the entry on David Livingstone in Sidney Lee, ed., 'Dictionary of national biography', vol. XI (London, 1909), pp. 1263-1275.