Everyone has heard of Livingstone, but the name of Richard Thornton, Livingstone’s geologist, has been completely forgotten.
In this video, we take you to his memorial in Shipley and talk about his roots, and his works.
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
B.1838
Cottingley House, Cottingley, Yorkshire
D.1863
Died onboard HMS Pioneer, Ng’ona Lodge, Shire River, Malawi, East Africa
Father was Richard Thornton and associated with the Bradford Old Court of Requests.
Mrs Elizabeth Thornton interviewed for a governess for young Richard, a prime candidate applied but was turned down due being unable to teach music…. She could write books though, as it was Charlotte Bronte!
Richard went to the Royal School Of Mines to be educated as a Mining Geologist.
He had a home at 39 Great Horton Road, Bradford at the time of his death. He left £1,500 to his mother and only next of kin. Close to Bradford Technical College.
In 1858 he was recommended by Sir Roderick Murchison as an excellent geologist and geographer to travel with Dr. David Livingstone on his expedition.
1859 Richard left with Mr Livingstone, qualifying himself during the voyage, and at the Cape of Good Hope taking astronomical calculations and improving his sketches and cartography skills. He made some of the first physical geography of the Zambezi River at that time. He made over 7,000 observations on the trip.
Apparently Richard and Dr Livingstone didn’t see eye to eye on many occasions. Dr. Livingstone eventually sacked Richard from the first expedition.
During his time away from Dr Livingstone, Richard became a scientific companion to Baron. C. Von der Decken (German Traveler). They undertook the first European surveys of the mountains around Kilimanjaro from Zanzibar and Mombas. At a height of 20,065ft Richard created the first contoured maps of that region, which he was highly commended for.
Dr Livingstone requested his presence for his second African exploration and they continued their travels until Richards’s untimely death in 1863 at the age of 25. This request from Livingstone highlighted the importance of Richards’s skills on the expedition.
In the words of Dr Livingstone, he is buried 500yds from the foot of the first Cataract Tree on the right bank of the Shire. Under a large Baobab Tree that lives for many years, marked with a large Marlinspike (a pointed metal tool used by sailors to separate strands of rope or wire) from the ship. Two pieces of wood were made into a cross and hammered onto the tree making a makeshift cross that could be seen from the water. Hopefully escaping the hunger of termites! A wooden cross on the grave wouldn’t have survived in that harsh environment.
Hillview International School in 2019 visited his grave at the Ng’ona Lodge; hence a photo of his grave exists.
CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO
𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘀 of Bingley
★ • 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿...
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Grave Of Richard Thornton from Hillview School , Hetherwick Road, Limbe, Malawi
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Hi! My name is Riaz Ahmed , born and bred in Bradford, UK. As you can see I have a taste for history, capturing interesting moments and eye for quirkiness!
If you live around the West Yorkshire area, I am sure you will like to view some of my videos. Better still , hope to reach out much further and interact with the viewer.
Thanks for watching.
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