113. David Livingstone, H. M. Exploring Ship Pioneer, Zambesi, to Rev Arthur Tidman [Mission House, Blomfield Street, London]

Scope and Content

Comments on the tragedy of the Makololo missionaries; Sekeletu [chief of the Makololo] suffering from a skin disease when they arrived, believed to be leprosy; have received unvarying testimony that Mr & Mrs Helmore "had been highly valued by chief and [Makololo] people"; the generally held belief was that had Helmore survived, he would have led them [the Makololo] to the North East and the Highlands; same regard not entertained towards Mr Price who appears to have failed to secure the respect of either chief or people; discusses claims of wrongs committed towards Price by the Makololo, to which Livingstone expresses some surprise; still sees hope for the mission; has visited the burial place [of the Helmores].

Administrative / Biographical History

Holloway Helmore (1815-1860), LMS missionary to Southern Africa. Having been appointed to open a mission among the Makololo, on the north of the Zambesi, he travelled with Mrs Helmore and their four children, and Mr and Mrs Price, also missionaries, arriving at Linyati on 14 February 1860. Here Mr and Mrs Helmore and two of their children died of fever, as did Mr Price's child and later his wife. Under these disastrous circumstances the mission to the Makololo was given up.

Roger Price (1834-1919), LMS missionary to Southern Africa.

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Archivist's Note

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