Henry Stanhope Freeman
Encyclopedia
Henry Stanhope Freeman was the first Governor of the Lagos Colony
, serving from 22 January 1862 to April 1865.
in Libya
, and while there put together notes on one of the Tuareg languages
.
Freeman was elected a member of the Royal Asiatic Society on 14 December 1861.
He was also a member of the Anthropological society, attending and speaking at some of the meetings but not contributing to the society's publications.
Before being appointed Governor of Lagos, Freeman was British Vice-Consul at Janina in Greece
.
When Freeman arrived in January 1862 to take over from acting Governor William McCoskry
, the colony included Lagos Island
and a small amount of mainland territory to the east and west. The rulers of the interior states were not unfriendly to the British, but were constantly fighting each other, making trade dangerous.
In his Annual Report for 1863, Freeman said that trade had almost stopped altogether due to the by war between Ibadan
and Abeokuta
.
In a letter of 9 October 1862 Freeman defended his decision to extend his authority to Palma and Badagry
on the grounds that there were precedents for considering these to be under the authority of Lagos.
The Ogun River
leading to Abeokuta
was not safe for canoe traffic, with travelers at risk from Egba robbers. For this reason, on 14 November 1862 Freeman called on all British subjects to return from Abeokuta to Lagos, leaving their property, for which the chiefs of Abeokuta would be answerable to the British government.
In 1863 he took an anti-Ijebu and pro-Kosoko policy, leading to the bombardment of Epe
by naval vessels.
On 18 February 1862 Freeman signed a treaty with the former ruler of Lagos, King Docemo, clarifying that he would receive an annual pension of 1,200 bags of cowries for his lifetime.
He was authorized to appoint a legislative council by a letter dated 13 March 1862.
On 4 March 1863 Freeman enacting an ordinance that made the laws of England effective in the Colony.
On 6 July 1864 his council established a Chief Magistrate's Court to handle civil and criminal cases.
Freeman agreed with the former explorer Richard Burton
, who visited Lagos, that the blacks were more likely to be converted by Islam than by Christianity.
He attempted to suppress an attempt by Robert Campbell, a Jamaican of part-Scottish, part-African descent, to established a newspaper in the colony. He consider it would be "a dangerous instrument in the hands of semi-civilized Negroes".
The British government did not agree, and the first issue of the Anglo-African, Nigeria's first weekly newspaper, appeared on 6 June 1863.
Freeman suffered from ill-health, and was often forced to be absent. In his last two years his responsibilities were assumed by Captain William Rice Mulliner
and then by Captain John Hawley Glover
. He died in April 1865.
Freeman was just thirty four at the time of his death.
Lagos Colony
Lagos Colony was a British colonial possession centered on the port of Lagos in what is now southern Nigeria. Lagos was annexed on 6 August 1861 and declared a colony on 5 March 1862....
, serving from 22 January 1862 to April 1865.
Background
Freeman was British Vice-Consul at GhadamesGhadames
Ghadames or Ghadamis is an oasis town in the Nalut District of the Fezzan region in southwestern Libya.-Geography:Ghadames lies roughly to the southwest of Tripoli, near the borders with Algeria and Tunisia. Ghadames borders Illizi Province, Algeria and Tataouine Governorate, Tunisia.The oasis...
in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, and while there put together notes on one of the Tuareg languages
Tuareg languages
Tuareg is a Berber language or family of very closely related languages and dialects spoken by the Tuareg Berbers, in large parts of Mali, Niger, Algeria, Libya and Burkina Faso, with a few speakers, the Kinnin, in Chad.- Description :Other Berber languages and Tamashaq are quite mutually...
.
Freeman was elected a member of the Royal Asiatic Society on 14 December 1861.
He was also a member of the Anthropological society, attending and speaking at some of the meetings but not contributing to the society's publications.
Before being appointed Governor of Lagos, Freeman was British Vice-Consul at Janina in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Lagos governor
The Lagos colony had been established by an enforced treaty in August 1861.When Freeman arrived in January 1862 to take over from acting Governor William McCoskry
William McCoskry
William McCoskry was a British merchant who served as Consul at Lagos, then as acting Governor of Lagos Colony.-Lagos trader:McCoskry reached Lagos in early 1852, soon after the Oba Kosoko has been expelled. He had already represented the British firm of W.B...
, the colony included Lagos Island
Lagos Island
Lagos Island is the principal and central local government area of the Metropolitan Lagos in Nigeria. It is part of the Lagos Division. As of the preliminary 2006 Nigerian census, the LGA had a population of 209,437 in an area of 8.7 km²...
and a small amount of mainland territory to the east and west. The rulers of the interior states were not unfriendly to the British, but were constantly fighting each other, making trade dangerous.
In his Annual Report for 1863, Freeman said that trade had almost stopped altogether due to the by war between Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
and Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
.
In a letter of 9 October 1862 Freeman defended his decision to extend his authority to Palma and Badagry
Badagry
Badagry is a coastal town and Local Government Area in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is situated between Metropolitan Lagos, and the border with Benin at Seme...
on the grounds that there were precedents for considering these to be under the authority of Lagos.
The Ogun River
Ogun River
The Ogun River is a waterway in Nigeria that discharges into the Lagos Lagoon.-Course and usage:The river rises in Oyo State near Shaki at coordinates and flow through Ogun State into Lagos State....
leading to Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
was not safe for canoe traffic, with travelers at risk from Egba robbers. For this reason, on 14 November 1862 Freeman called on all British subjects to return from Abeokuta to Lagos, leaving their property, for which the chiefs of Abeokuta would be answerable to the British government.
In 1863 he took an anti-Ijebu and pro-Kosoko policy, leading to the bombardment of Epe
Epe, Nigeria
Epe is a town and Local Government Area in Lagos State, Nigeria located on the north side of the Lekki Lagoon. At the 2006 Census the population of Epe was 181,409.-References:...
by naval vessels.
On 18 February 1862 Freeman signed a treaty with the former ruler of Lagos, King Docemo, clarifying that he would receive an annual pension of 1,200 bags of cowries for his lifetime.
He was authorized to appoint a legislative council by a letter dated 13 March 1862.
On 4 March 1863 Freeman enacting an ordinance that made the laws of England effective in the Colony.
On 6 July 1864 his council established a Chief Magistrate's Court to handle civil and criminal cases.
Freeman agreed with the former explorer Richard Burton
Richard Francis Burton
Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his...
, who visited Lagos, that the blacks were more likely to be converted by Islam than by Christianity.
He attempted to suppress an attempt by Robert Campbell, a Jamaican of part-Scottish, part-African descent, to established a newspaper in the colony. He consider it would be "a dangerous instrument in the hands of semi-civilized Negroes".
The British government did not agree, and the first issue of the Anglo-African, Nigeria's first weekly newspaper, appeared on 6 June 1863.
Freeman suffered from ill-health, and was often forced to be absent. In his last two years his responsibilities were assumed by Captain William Rice Mulliner
William Rice Mulliner
William Rice Mulliner was a British officer who was the acting governor of the Lagos Colony in 1863.On 1 September 1854 Mulliner purchased a commission as Ensign with the 3rd West India regiment....
and then by Captain John Hawley Glover
John Hawley Glover
Sir John Hawley Glover , captain in the British Royal Navy, entered the service in 1841 and passed his examination as lieutenant in 1849, but did not receive a commission till May 1851....
. He died in April 1865.
Freeman was just thirty four at the time of his death.