G.B. Kettle collection on East Africa 1921-1935

Geoffrey Bernard Kettle was born on 31 May 1897 and served in the Royal Air Force. At the end of 1920 he went to East Africa as an engineer with the Magadi Soda Company, Kenya. After three years he moved to Uganda and appears to have engaged in various occupations until his appointment as a road foreman under the Uganda Government on 3 April 1928. He was a road overseer in 1948, but nothing is known of his subsequent career.

Three albums containing 638 photographs mostly taken by G.B. Kettle. The photographs are capable amateur work, mostly in good condition, and most have substantial descriptive captions.

Album 1, 1921-1923 (plates 1-247) shows scenes at Lake Magadi including aspects of the soda factory, and also visits to other parts of East Africa.

Album 2, 1923-1931 (plates 248-513) consists of an unused 1929 diary with photographs stuck in. There are a few (248-251) of Magadi, but most relate to Uganda, including scenery, wildlife, and Africans. There are also photographs of road building, some of formal occasions. A few relate to Kenya.

Album 3, 1931-1935 (plates 513-638) which is not full, contains similar material, with a few photographs of other parts of Africa, presumably taken on leave, and finishes with Kettle's marriage to Betty Kilgallon at Palma de Mallorca on 7 March 1935.

Presented to The Royal Empire Society by G.B. Kettle's father Bernard Kettle (former Librarian of the Guildhall Library) in February 1949.

Please cite as Cambridge University Library: Royal Commonwealth Society Library, G.B. Kettle collection on East Africa 1921-1935, Y30468O

Indexed

This collection level description was entered by WS and MJC using information from the original typescript catalogue.

This collection is available on microfiche: Africa, fiche numbers 100-110.