Gambia Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1881-1966

This comprehensive collection explores in detail Gambia’s history under British colonial rule through extensive governmental reports. Beginning near the end of the nineteenth century with the formation of Gambia as a British colony and protectorate, this collection tracks the wide-ranging administrative duties of various governmental departments within Gambia up until the country’s independence in the 1960s.

From recording crime and disease levels throughout the territory, to in-depth reports concerning agricultural reform. These documents contributed by The British and Commonwealth Office provide a thorough level of insight into Gambia’s history as a British colony.

This collection is accompanied by an online guide to the microfilm edition by D. C. Dorward, Lecturer in African History, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

In the past some of you have been brought together from time to time to mark important local or imperial events, but never before has the Governor of the Colony required the attendance of all the District Heads of the Protectorate at a meeting called to consider and discuss Government plans for the welfare of the country.

Conference of Chiefs, 1944-1954, img 6

Insights

The British Empire established the military post of Bathurst on the island of Banjul in 1816. This territory — previously under the jurisdiction of the British Governor-General in Sierra Leone — became a separate colony in 1888, with its borders officially drawn in 1889 following an agreement with the French republic.

As seen in the Public Services and Natural Resources volumes, the Government encountered many challenges while attempting to install an adequate infrastructure that would result in profit and successful colonial rule. Detailed within the collection, Gambia’s climate was of particular concern for the colony’s agricultural efforts.

The local groundnut (peanut) industry was quickly seized upon as a source of income for the British Empire. The collection details how Western agricultural practices were introduced to the Gambia, resulting in the groundnut becoming one of the country’s largest exports. Explore the Trade and Shipping volume for further insight into Gambia’s exports and imports and how they were affected during the two World Wars.

Receiving its own executive and legislative councils in 1901, Gambia slowly started to shift towards being a self-governing colony. Outlined within the collection are records concerning Gambia’s judicial system and details of local crime incidences as well as reports on local prisons throughout the colony.

Following the Second World War, calls for constitutional reform became increasingly loud throughout the country. Contained within this collection are extensive records of conferences between the British Government and Gambia’s local chieftains. These allow readers to trace the gradual transfer of power from the British Empire to the Gambian people, culminating in the UK granting Gambia full internal self-governance in 1965.