BAKER ON STANLEY'S RECEPTION AT THE ALBERT HALL BAKER (Sir Samuel White, 1821-1893, Explorer & Sportsman)

Fine Long Autograph Letter Signed to Mrs Boyle saying that "nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be of use to you, but in the matter of Stanley's reception at the Albert Hall on 5 May I am afraid that I am as helpless as all others. The Members of the Society are only allowed two tickets, i.e. for the member personally and for one lady. We are going to town 3 May on purpose, ands we shall stay for a few days with our friends the Douglas Murrays ... He is a member, therefore he can take his wife. Up to this moment I have not received my own tickets, and I have written a rather testy letter on the subject this evening the the Chief Clerk of the Society. I do not know whether the Society will make any new arrangements later, but if so, I will let you know, and endeavour to procure you a ticket. It will be one of those formidable crushes which delight English people. You have always been so kind to Agnes that I may confide to you the information that next month is expected to increase the small population at Newera Eliya in Ceylon. It is curious that she is now living in the same spot upon which she was born and if she has a child it will be baptised in the same church as herself, and which we were the first to originate and assist in building ...", 4 sides 8vo., Sandford Orleigh, Newton Abbot, 17th April

Sir Samuel White Baker (1821-1893) was an English explorer, officer, naturalist, big game hunter, engineer, writer and abolitionist. He also held the titles of Pasha and Major-General in the Ottoman Empire and Egypt. He served as the Governor-General of the Equatorial Nile Basin (today's South Sudan and Northern Uganda) between April 1869 and August 1873, which he established as the Province of Equatoria. He is mostly remembered as the discoverer of Lake Albert, as an explorer of the Nile and interior of central Africa, and for his exploits as a big game hunter in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Baker wrote a considerable number of books and published articles. He was a friend of King Edward VII, who as Prince of Wales, visited Baker with Queen Alexandra in Egypt. Other friendships were with explorers Henry Morton Stanley, Roderick Murchison, John H. Speke and James A. Grant, with the ruler of Egypt Pasha Ismail The Magnificent, Major-General Charles George Gordon and Maharaja Duleep Singh.
Agnes is the oldest of the Baker's seven children, born in Ceylon.

Item Date:  1890

Stock No:  39724      £1950

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