Fonds DE - Papers of David Erskine

Zone d'identification

Cote

GB 891 DE

Titre

Papers of David Erskine

Date(s)

  • 1878 - 1882 (Création/Production)

Niveau de description

Fonds

Étendue matérielle et support

1 bound volume handwritten

Zone du contexte

Nom du producteur

Notice biographique

David Erskine was educated at Harrow, and joined the army (51st King's Own Light Infantry) as an ensign in 1835 seeing service in India, Malta and Australia. He was appointed Visiting Magistrate in Cleveland, Tasmania in June 1839, at Green Ponds from November 1840 to March 1843, and then moved to Hobart.

He was promoted to Captain in 1845 and left Tasmania in 1846 for India. He was promoted to Major in 1855 and in 1858 he left the army by selling his commission. He next became Colonial Secretary of Natal colony until 1875. He was Resident Magistrate in Walvis Bay, Damaraland (Namibia), from 1878-1880. After retirement he returned to England with his family and was employed ordering the Natal archives. He died in 1903.

Histoire archivistique

The work was created by Major David Erskine. It was presented by the creator to Sir Bartle Frere who, in turn, presented it to the Royal Asiatic Society.

Source immédiate d'acquisition ou de transfert

It was presented to the Royal Asiatic Society by Sir Bartle Frere on 3 July 1882.

Zone du contenu et de la structure

Portée et contenu

A manuscript containing a 'Translation of Dr Hahn's Damara-German Dictionary Presented to his Excellency Sir Bartle Frere... by the Translator Major Erskine... 19th January 1880'. Karl Hugo Hahn was a Baltic German missionary and linguist who worked in South Africa and South-West Africa for most of his life. This translation was undertaken whilst Erskine was Resident Magistrate in Walvis Bay, Damaraland (Namibia). Damara is one of the Khoisan languages of Southern Africa.

The manuscript is handwritten with many alterations. It is bound in a card and leather cover which shows considerable wear. One section of the manuscript has become detached from the spine.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation

Conditions d’accès

Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Language of material

  • anglais
  • langue khoïsan

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Caractéristiques matérielle et contraintes techniques

    Finding aids

    Zone des sources complémentaires

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    The Society possesses an English translation of "Entwurf einer Grammatik der Herero Sprache", also by Karl Hugo Hahn (SC25). It was the first grammar of the Herero language spoken by the Herero people in Southern Africa.

    Descriptions associées

    Zone des notes

    Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)

    Mots-clés

    Mots-clés - Lieux

    Mots-clés - Genre

    Zone du contrôle de la description

    Identifiant de la description

    gb891-de

    Identifiant du service d'archives

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Statut

    Niveau de détail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Langue(s)

      Écriture(s)

        Sources

        Archivist's note

        This manuscript was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

        Accession area