Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Russell Hamilton postcards, EEPA 2003-001, between 1900-1909

Summary

Collection ID:
EEPA.2003-001
Creators:
Hamilton, Russell
Dates:
between 1900 and 1909
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
49 Postcards
black & white
9 x 14 cm.
Repository:
Container:
1

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection includes 49 postcards collected by the English petty officer Russell Hamilton (d.1911) during his voyages made prior to 1909, likely for the British Merchant Marines. The postcards are from Madagascar, Mauitius and Seychelles. Among the twenty-seven postcards from Madagascar (dating 1900-1905) are images showing Betsimisarka women weaving a mat and women pounding rice and a Merina family wearing lambas. Several postcards were taken in and around Antsiranana, formerly Diégo Suarez, and late 19th century European and Indian inspired dress. The most prominent of the eleven Seychelles postcard images is one of King Prempeh of Ashanti and his followers as political prisoners in Mahé. Also included are two studio portraits published by S. Ohasi, which show the sitters in front of a classical landscape backdrop imported from Europe. The remaining eleven postcards are mostly of landscapes. One is a street scene from Port Louis.

Arrangement note

Arrangement note
Arranged in 3 series by location:
  • Series 1: Madagascar, EEPA 2003-001-0001 to
  • Series 2: Mauritius
  • Series 3: Seychelles

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Russell Hamilton was born in England around 1880. He became an officer in the British Merchant Navy and around 1900 married Ethel Mary Hadwen. Throughout Russell's voyages to Africa, Australia, China, Japan and elsewhere he gathered picture postcards and exotic curios to bring back to his wife and son, Oliver, born in 1906.
Russell likely contracted tuberculosis by 1903 and for the rest of his life suffered from the effects. By the end of 1908 the tuberculosis had progressed to the point that the Merchant Navy sent him to recuperate in Canada. Between extended stays in a sanatorium he worked at various jobs and fathered a daughter in May 1911. Russell died in a sanitarium from the effects of tuberculosis around 1913.

Administration

Author
Eden Orelove
Custodial History note
Collected by the English petty officer Russell Hamilton (d.1911) during his voyages made prior to 1909, likely for the British Merchant Marines. Hamilton gave these postcards as souvenirs to his wife, Ethel Mary, neé Hadwen, who left them to her daughter, Mary Shepherd Slusser. Donated by Mary Shephard Slusser as part of a larger collection of postcards to the Freer-Sackler Art Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transferred to the National Museum of African Art, 2002.
Description note
All titles are taken directly from the postcards

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Russell Hamilton Postcards, EEPA 2003-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Conditions Governing Access note
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Africa Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Seychelles Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Picture postcards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Madagascar Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mauritius Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
National Museum of African Art
P.O. Box 37012
MRC 708
Washington, DC 20013-7012
elisofonarchives@si.edu