I’m pleased to let you know that the Library now has access to two more digital primary source collections covering colonial rule in African countries in the 20th century. The two databases are Uganda Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1903-1961 and Malawi Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1907-1967 from British Online Archives. Between them they contain 92 documents with over 84,000 pages of original primary source material.

You can access both of these databases via the Digital Primary Source and Archive Collections guide, the Databases A-Z list or the African Studies subject guide.

Malawi Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1907-1967

This collection contains annual reports compiled by the British colonial government of Nyasaland (modern day Malawi). The documents cover the period from the dissolution of the Central African Protectorate in 1907 to Malawi’s declaration of independence and beyond. The Annual Departmental Reports provide a unique insight into the colonial administration’s evolving attitude towards native power structures. For convenience, the documents are divided into nine sections. These are Administration, Finance, Judicial and Police, Natural Resources (1), Natural Resources (2), Social Services, Transport and Public Works, Communication and Post Office Savings, and Miscellaneous.

Uganda Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1903-1961

The colony of Uganda was managed by the government departments who wrote these progress reports. Some reports start in the 1900’s, but most reports cover from the 1920’s until independence. These reports explain why those statistics are at the levels recorded. The contents pages at the front of each report list the departments which existed at that time. Comparing the contents pages reveals how the structure of the colonial government changed over time.

You can access both of these databases via the Digital Primary Source and Archive Collections guide, the Databases A-Z list or the African Studies subject guide.

Access is only available to current students and staff at the University of Edinburgh.

Caroline Stirling – Academic Support Librarian for School of Social and Political Science