Alfred Martin Duggan-Cronin
Encyclopedia
Alfred Martin Duggan-Cronin was a photographer at Kimberley
, South Africa
, who traveled throughout the subcontinent to document people and tribal life in rural Southern Africa.
, County Cork
, Ireland
on 17 May 1874, went to Kimberley, South Africa, to work for De Beers
Consolidated Mines in 1897. He worked as a security officer in one of the mine ‘native compounds’. This undoubtedly sparked his later interest in the indigenous people of Southern Africa.
In 1904 Duggan-Cronin bought himself a simple camera and became interested in photography. In 1919 he went to the Langeberg to photograph the San living there. Many similar expeditions followed. Between the world wars he travelled some 128 000 kilometres, making at least 18 expeditions to photograph the peoples of southern Africa.
He died in August 1954 and is buried in Kimberley, which he considered his home.
In Duggan-Cronin's time he was visited by many eminent people including Olive Schreiner, the Free State President Reitz, Alfred Lord Milner, General J.C. Smuts, Noel Coward and the British Royal Family.
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, who traveled throughout the subcontinent to document people and tribal life in rural Southern Africa.
Background and career
Duggan-Cronin, born at InnishannonInnishannon
Innishannon or Inishannon , is a large village on the main Cork–Bandon road in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. Situated on the River Bandon, the village has rapidly grown in recent years due to its proximity to Cork, and has now become a dormitory town for city workers.The...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 17 May 1874, went to Kimberley, South Africa, to work for De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
Consolidated Mines in 1897. He worked as a security officer in one of the mine ‘native compounds’. This undoubtedly sparked his later interest in the indigenous people of Southern Africa.
In 1904 Duggan-Cronin bought himself a simple camera and became interested in photography. In 1919 he went to the Langeberg to photograph the San living there. Many similar expeditions followed. Between the world wars he travelled some 128 000 kilometres, making at least 18 expeditions to photograph the peoples of southern Africa.
He died in August 1954 and is buried in Kimberley, which he considered his home.
Duggan-Cronin Gallery
The Duggan-Cronin gallery which houses his legacy in photographs and ethnographic artefacts is situated in a charming building previously known as the Lodge. Built in 1889, it was owned by one of the wealthy citizens of early Kimberley, J. B. Currey. Later it became the property of De Beers, who generously allowed Duggan-Cronin to live and store his photographs there.In Duggan-Cronin's time he was visited by many eminent people including Olive Schreiner, the Free State President Reitz, Alfred Lord Milner, General J.C. Smuts, Noel Coward and the British Royal Family.