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Purchase from Bookworm and Silverfish, 2015 February 23
Edward C. Tabler (1916-1977) was educated as an engineer at West Virginia University where he received his B.S. degree in 1938 and his M.S. in 1940.
He lived in South Charleston, West Virginia, and held various positions with Union Carbide. In addition to engineering, Tabler also maintained a fascination with the history of South Africa. He dedicated 25 years to researching the topic which resulted in his 1955 book, "The Far Interior: Chronicles of Pioneering in the Matabele and Mashona Countries, 1847-1879."
After over two decades of research, Tabler made his first trip to South Africa in 1957, and he visited many of the locations about which he had written. He also met with several individuals and visited several institutions to further his research. After this initial visit, Tabler returned to southern Africa in 1965, 1967, 1971, and 1973, and he also visited eastern Africa in 1963 and 1969.
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Edward C. Tabler, Diaries, Photographs, and Other Material regarding Africa, A&M 4077, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Papers of Edward C. Tabler (1916-1977) relating to the history of and hunting in South Africa. The journals, photographs, and maps in the collection document Tabler's travels throughout numerous regions in South Africa, and also his research into the history of the country. Tabler was educated as an engineer at West Virginia University and held various positions with Union Carbide. He was also the author of many books on the history of South Africa and big game hunting. For additional material regarding Tabler's book, refer to A&M 819.
There is a contents list for this collection (see control folder).
The collection is divided into five series as follows:
Series 1. Journals; 1957-1973; box 1, folders 1-11.
Series 2. African History Material; 1830-1975; box 1, folders 12-15.
Series 3. Photographs; 1872-1973 and undated; box 2, folders 1-22.
Series 4. Certificates; undated; box 2, unfoldered.
Series 5. Maps and Charts of South Africa; 1866-1964 and undated; box 3 (oversized), folders 1-5.
For additional materials related to Edward C. Tabler, please see A&M 819.
In addition, Yale University Libraries also maintains a Tabler collection: MS 1317.
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
The journals of Edward Tabler (10 items) contain detailed accounts of his trips to the regions of southern Africa (1957, 1965, 1967, 1971 and 1973) and eastern Africa (1963 and 1969), to England (1961), and of his voyage on the chemical carrier
Topics discussed in the journals include daily accounts of weather, meals, and events, and other subjects including research, hunting, fishing, and mining.
Locations visited in southern Africa include: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Kimberly, Bloemfontein, Free State Goldfields, Johannesburg, Durban, Maritzburg, Pretoria, Lydenburg, Bulawayo, Wankie, Salisbury, Umtali, Stapleford, Inyanga, Gorongoza, McIlwaine, Vumba, Zimbabwe, Inyati, Strokestown, Matopos, Pandamatenga, Livingstone, Kafue, Lusaka, Luangwa, Chitengo, Kyle Dam Reserve, Bulilima-Mangwe District, Bechuanaland, Ngweshla Pan, Tshabema, Victoria Falls, Kuruman, Upington, Augrabies, Etosha Pan, Swaziland, Transvaal, Mala Mala, Savuti, Khwai, Moremi, Shangani, Beira, Lisbon, Zululand, Kruger, Maun, Xugana, Matusadona, Ghona-re-Zhou, Faro, Hluhluwe, Umfolozi, and Bana Manzi.
Locations visited in eastern Africa include: Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala, Kabale, Mbarabara, Isilo, Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda, Sambura, Amboseli, Serengeti, Mombasa, Nairobi Park, Treetops, Baringo, Masia Mara, Kericho, Keekorok, Olduvai, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Arusha, Tsavo West/East, and Entebbe.
Locations visited during Tabler's voyage to England include: Southampton, London, and Cambridge.
Locations visited during Tabler's voyage on the
People with whom Tabler interacted on his African journeys include: Ginny Tabler (wife, referred to as "G." throughout), Romaine Tabler (wife), Sir Robert Tredgold (the acting governor-general of Rhodesia), Lady Tredgold, Major Robin Campbell (of Uganda), Sir Stanley Urwin, R.C. Hermer (manager of Queen Elizabeth Park), and M.J. Kimberley (secretary of the Rhodesiana Society).
People who assisted Tabler with research on his African journeys include: R.F. Kennedy, Dr. D.R. Masson, Dr. C.F.J. Muller, Dr. Roger Summers, Thomas Baines, Frederick Hugh Barber, W.F. Webb, Hugh Barber, J.S. Moffat, James Dawson, Richard Brown (head of history depart at University College of Rhodesia), D.W. Krynauw (chief archivist), Dr. Pinhey (curator), and E.E. Burkes (archivist).
Animal sightings during Tabler's trips to Africa include: hippos, ostriches, giraffes, crocodiles, warthogs, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, elephants, waterbucks, impala, rhino, gazelle, jackal, lions, cheetahs, leopards, baboons, monkeys, vultures, bushbucks, antelope, hyenas, mongeese, camels, meerkats, snakes, lizards, reedbucks, foxes, puka, sables, elands, and rams.
Special events mentioned throughout the journals include: voyages, trips to southern and central Africa for research and leisure purposes; visits to libraries, museums, and archives, accidents, unfortunate events, sickness, storms, and hunts.
Additional materials are interleaved between the pages of the journals; they include: cartoon drawings, newspaper clippings, dried leaf specimens, a map and visitor guide of Wankie Game Reserve, engagement schedules for Government House in Salisbury, lists of photographs, Union Carbide Corporation Contract, journal notes, a Wankie National Park map, a Mana Pools Game Reserve map, a Gorongosa National Game Reserve brochure (regulations/map), a Bulawayo Area map, a Rhodes Matopos National Park map, a Gona-re-Zhou Game Reserve map, and complete original lists of unusual happenings.
Includes: listings of waterfalls seen, walkups, game meat, tame or captive animals, kills, out of the ordinary happenings, and animals seen outside parks
Topics: weather, latitude and longitude positions during voyage, meals, research, animal sightings (hippos, ostriches, giraffes, crocodiles, warthogs, zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, etc.), local reviews about Tabler and his wife, hunting, and Tabler's book "The Far Interior"
Locations: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Kimberly, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Durban, Maritzburg, Pretoria, Lydenburg, Bulawayo, Wankie, Salisbury, Umtali, Stapleford, Inyanga, and London
People: Ginny Tabler (wife, referred to as "G." throughout), R.F. Kennedy, Dr. D.R. Masson, Dr. C.F.J. Muller, Dr. Roger Summers, Thomas Baines, Frederick Hugh Barber, W.F. Webb, Hugh Barber, J.S. Moffat, James Dawson, Willie Hartley, Sir Robert Tredgold (acting governor-general of Rhodesia), and Lady Tredgold
Special events: trip to South Africa to see locations about which Tabler wrote and to do more research, visits to libraries and museums, visited Tabler's Music Store in Durban (founded by Adolf Hermann Tabler of Heilbron, Germany), accidents, unfortunate events, sickness, and a small grass fire
Additional material: cartoon drawings, newspaper clippings, dried leaf specimens, a map and visitor guide of Wankie Game Reserve, an engagement schedule for Government House in Salisbury, a partial list of photographs, and supplementary journal notes
Topics: weather, meals, latitude and longitude positions during voyage, fish seen, and an entry about the
Locations: Carteret, NJ; Texas City, TX; and Galveston, TX
Special events: voyage on
Additional material: a Union Carbide Corporation contract
Topics: weather, meals, research
Locations: Manhattan, Southampton, London, and Cambridge
People: Dr. Northcott, Dr. Schapera, Lady Kenyes, and Prof. Dover Wilson
Special events: voyage to England on the
Topics: weather, meals, and animal sightings (hippos, buffalo, elephants, waterbucks, crocodiles, warthogs, impalas, rhinos, giraffes, gazelles, zebras, ostriches, jackals, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, wildebeest, leopards, etc.) Locations: London, Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala, Kabale, Mbarabara, Isilo, Tanganyika, Kenya, Uganda, Sambura, Amboseli, Serengeti, Mombasa, and London
People: Major Robin Campbell (of Uganda) and Sir Stanley Urwin
Speical events: trip to East Africa, leopard hunting, and a museum visit
Additional material: a list of photographs and newspaper clippings
Topics: weather, meals, animal sightings (zebras, wildebeest, impalas, elephants, waterbucks, baboons, monkeys, warthogs, lions, buffalo, vultures, rhinos, ostriches, giraffes, crocodiles, etc.), and mining
Locations: London, Gorongoza, Salisbury, McIlwaine, Umtali, Inyanga, Vumba, Zimbabwe, Inyati, Strokestown, Matopos, Wankie, Pandamatenga, Livingstone, Kafue, Lusaka, Luangwa, Athens, and Switzerland
People: Sir Robert Tredgold and Richard Brown (head of history depart at University College of Rhodesia)
Special events: trip to South Africa, visit to University College of Rhodesia Library, visit to Archives of Zambia, and a car-motorcycle collision
Additional materials: a list of photographs
Topics: meals, animal sightings (wildebeest, ostriches, jackals, camels, meerkats, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, monkeys, cheetahs, warthogs, impalas, snakes, etc.), and fishing
Locations: Kuruman, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Upington, Augrabies, Etosha Pan, Durban, Swaziland, Transvaal, Mala Mala, Bulawayo, Wankie, Chobe, and Amsterdam
People: Romaine Tabler (wife), J.S. Moffat, and D.W. Krynauw (chief archivist)
Special events: trip to South Africa (sightseeing), visits to archives and libraries, and sandstorms
Additional material: a list of photographs and newspaper clippings
Topics: weather, meals, animal sightings (elephants, lions, puka, impalas, giraffes, mongooses, warthogs, zebras, buffalo, waterbucks, sables, crocodiles, hippos, cheetahs, jackals, ostriches, etc.), and animals killed.
Locations: Luangwa, Lusaka, Kafue, Chobe, Savuti, Khwai, Moremi, Wankie, Salisbury, Matopos, Shangani, Umtali, Gorongoza, Beira, Lisbon, and Bulawayo
People: Romaine Tabler (wife), Dr. Pinhey (curator), M. J. Kimberley (secretary of the Rhodesiana Society), Sir Robert Tredgold, Lady Tredgold, and E.E. Burkes (archivist).
Special events: trip to South-Central Africa (sightseeing), a museum visit, induction into the Rhodesiana Society, Lady Tredgold's death (July 30, 1972), and a large grass fire.
Additional material: a Wankie National Park map, newspaper clippings, a Mana Pools Game Reserve map, a Gorongosa National Game Reserve brochure (regulations/map), and a complete original list of occurrences out of the ordinary on pages [49]-[50] (such as: being chased by an elephant, sighting a vulture being attacked, sighting an injured giraffe, sighting a dead guineafowl, and sighting lions stalking a buffalo bull, among others.
Topics: meals, weather, animal sightings (zebras, giraffes, ostriches, rhinos, warthogs, elephants, hippos, reedbucks, buffalo, wildebeest, elands, impalas, rams, baboons, mongooses, lions, monkeys, etc.), game meat, and animals killed.
Locations: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Zululand, Transvaal, Mala Mala, Kruger, Maun, Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, Xugana, Chobe, Matusadona, Wankie, Matopos, Ghona-re-Zhou, Salisbury, Faro, Lisbon, Hluhluwe, Umfolozi, and Bana Manzi.
People: Romaine Tabler (wife).
Special events: trip to Southern Africa (sightseeing), and museum visits.
Additional material: a list of pictures, a Bulawayo Area map, a Rhodes Matopos National Park map, and a Gona-re-Zhou Game Reserve map, and a complete original list of unusual happenings on page 33 (sighting a warthog drinking in the camp, sighting a hippo with a turtle on its back, sighting a dead giraffe, and having hyenas overturn a garbage can, among others.
The materials pertain to the history of South Africa and include mostly published items. Formats include pamphlets, clippings (from magazines and newspapers), handwritten notes, and a reference letter from a library in South Africa.
Materials of note include five issues of Africana Notes and News (1959, 1966, 1971, 1972, and 1975) and a copy of The Military Doctrine of the Matabele.
Photographs are from four albums. The first three (folders 1-18) contain pictures of mostly animals and natural/manmade locations in South Africa, along with pictures of people and artwork. Photographs from the fourth album (folders 19-22) contain portraits of individuals. [Some of the photographs are available online in West Virginia History On View.]
The majority of the photographs in folders 1-6 and 15-18 do not appear to have been created by Tabler.
Photographs of people include: Edward C. Tabler, S.J. Rosenfels, Alexander Hamp, Thomas Baines, and other unidentified individuals.
Photographs of locations include: Moffat's house and church, Kuruman Cemetery, Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, Transvaal, Mangwe, Stokestown, Stapleford Forest Reserve, Goosta Pan, John Lee's house, the Hunter's Road, "Historic Rhodesia," and the National Museum in Bulawayo, among other locations.
Photographs of animals include: lions, antelope, ostriches, monkeys, birds, buffalo, zebras, and elephants, among others.
Portraits include: Thomas Leask, William Cornwallis Harris Robert Moffat, James Chapman, Thomas Baines, W.F. Fairlie, C.C. Thomas, and Captain James Dawson, among others.
Included are 2 certificates received by Tabler during his trips to South Africa. These contain induction into The Order of the Trident for crossing the Equator and honorary membership induction into the Rhodesia Pioneers & Early Settlers Society.
The maps and charts are composed of hand-drawn maps (folders 1-2), printed maps (folders 3-4), and aeronautical charts (folder 5) of the regions of South Africa including: Bechuanaland, Rhodesia, Marotseland, Nyasaland, Natal, and the Cape of Good Hope, among others.
Regarding the hand-drawn maps, different colors are utilized to indicate locations, bodies of water, and roads.
Regarding the aeronautical charts, all charts indicate that they are official publications of the United States Air Force, Washington, DC.