George Grenfell
Encyclopedia
George Grenfell was an Cornish
missionary
and explorer.
, St Buryan
, near Penzance
, Cornwall
. In 1875 he went as a Baptist
missionary to Cameroon
, West Africa, with Alfred Saker
(1814–80), and thereafter did some exceedingly important work in exploring little-known rivers of the Congo Basin
. In 1877 he removed to Victoria and explored the Wouri River
and in the following year he ascended Mongo ma Loba Mountain.
, Isangila, Manyanga, and other points, and in 1884, in a small steam vessel, he explored the Congo
to the equator
. He established headquarters at Arthington, near Leopoldville
, in 1884, and launched on Stanley Pool
a river steam vessel, the Peace, in which he explored the Kiva, the Kwango
, and the Kasai
rivers, discovered the Ruki, or Black River, and ascended the Mubangi for 200 miles (320 km) to Grenfell Falls, at lat. 4° 40' N.
In 1885 he explored with Curt von François
other tributaries of the Congo, notably the Busira, along which he found Pygmy Batwa peoples. In the following year he examined the Kasai, the Sankuru
, and the Luebo and Lulua, and made careful records of the Bakuba and Bakete tribes. He was awarded the medal of the Royal Geographical Society
for his map of the Congo Basin.
In 1891 he was appointed a plenipotentiary
for Belgium to delimit the boundary line between the Belgian
and Portuguese
possessions along the Luanda frontier. He protested to King Leopold
against Belgian maladministration in the Congo Free State
, but with little effect.
From 1893 to 1900 Grenfell remained chiefly at Bolobo
on the Congo, where a strong mission station was established. After a visit to England in 1900, he started for a systematic exploration of the Aruwimi River
and by November 1902 had reached Mawambi, about eighty miles from the western extreme of the Uganda protectorate.
, fifteen miles east of the confluence of the Aruwimi with the Congo.
Meanwhile he found difficulty in obtaining building sites from the Congo Free State, which accorded them freely to Roman Catholics. He grew convinced of the evil character of Belgian administration, in which he had previously trusted. In 1903 King Leopold despatched at Grenfell's entreaty a commission of inquiry, before which he gave evidence, but its report gave him little satisfaction. Grenfell died after a bad attack of blackwater fever at Basoko
on 1 July 1906.
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and explorer.
Early years
Grenfell was born at SancreedSancreed
Sancreed is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately three miles from Penzance....
, St Buryan
St Buryan
St Buryan is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom.The village of St Buryan is situated approximately five miles west of Penzance along the B3283 towards Land's End...
, near Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. In 1875 he went as a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
missionary to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, West Africa, with Alfred Saker
Alfred Saker
Alfred Saker was a British missionary who founded the Cameroon city of Victoria, now Limbé , in 1858.He translated the Bible into Duala between 1862 and 1872....
(1814–80), and thereafter did some exceedingly important work in exploring little-known rivers of the Congo Basin
Congo Basin
The Congo Basin is the sedimentary basin that is the drainage of the Congo River of west equatorial Africa. The basin begins in the highlands of the East African Rift system with input from the Chambeshi River, the Uele and Ubangi Rivers in the upper reaches and the Lualaba River draining wetlands...
. In 1877 he removed to Victoria and explored the Wouri River
Wouri River
The Wouri is a river in Cameroon. The river is formed at the confluence of the rivers Nkam and Makombé, northeast of the city of Yabassi. The Wouri then flows about southeast to the Wouri estuary at Douala, the chief port and industrial city in the southwestern part of Cameroon on the Gulf of...
and in the following year he ascended Mongo ma Loba Mountain.
Congo explorations
In 1881, cooperating with the Rev. T. J. Comber and others, he established a chain of missions at Musuko, ViviVivi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Vivi is a town in the Bas-Congo province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located on the Congo River, near the provincial capital of Matadi. In the 19th century, it served as the first capital of the Congo Free State from July, 1885 to May 1, 1886, when the capital was relocated to...
, Isangila, Manyanga, and other points, and in 1884, in a small steam vessel, he explored the Congo
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
to the equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. He established headquarters at Arthington, near Leopoldville
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
, in 1884, and launched on Stanley Pool
Pool Malebo
The Pool Malebo , is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River....
a river steam vessel, the Peace, in which he explored the Kiva, the Kwango
Kwango River
The Cuango or Kwango is a transboundary river of Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the largest left bank tributary of the Kasai River in the Congo River basin. It flows through Malanje town in Angola...
, and the Kasai
Kasai River
The Kasai River is a tributary of the Congo River, located in central Africa. The river begins in Angola and serves as the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo , then flows into the DRC, where it joins the Congo northeast of Kinshasa. The Kasai's tributaries include the...
rivers, discovered the Ruki, or Black River, and ascended the Mubangi for 200 miles (320 km) to Grenfell Falls, at lat. 4° 40' N.
In 1885 he explored with Curt von François
Curt von Francois
Curt Karl Bruno von François was a military and political figure in the early days of German colonialism in Africa. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of German Southwest Africa ....
other tributaries of the Congo, notably the Busira, along which he found Pygmy Batwa peoples. In the following year he examined the Kasai, the Sankuru
Sankuru River
Sankuru River is a major river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its approximate length of 1,230 km makes it the longest tributary of Kasai River....
, and the Luebo and Lulua, and made careful records of the Bakuba and Bakete tribes. He was awarded the medal of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
for his map of the Congo Basin.
In 1891 he was appointed a plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
for Belgium to delimit the boundary line between the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
possessions along the Luanda frontier. He protested to King Leopold
Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
against Belgian maladministration in the Congo Free State
Congo Free State
The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...
, but with little effect.
From 1893 to 1900 Grenfell remained chiefly at Bolobo
Bolobo
Bolobo is a town on the Congo River in Kwango District of Bandundu Province in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ....
on the Congo, where a strong mission station was established. After a visit to England in 1900, he started for a systematic exploration of the Aruwimi River
Aruwimi River
The Aruwimi River is a tributary of the Congo River, located to the north and east of the Congo.The Aruwimi begins as the Ituri River, which arises near Lake Albert, in the savannas north of the Kibale River watershed. It then runs generally south southwest until it is joined by the Shari River...
and by November 1902 had reached Mawambi, about eighty miles from the western extreme of the Uganda protectorate.
Last years
Between 1903 and 1906 Grenfell was busy with a new station at YalembaYalemba
Yalemba was a mission of the Baptist Missionary Society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lying on the north bank of the Congo River between Basoko and Yangambi.The mission was established a short distance downstream from Yabibi Rive...
, fifteen miles east of the confluence of the Aruwimi with the Congo.
Meanwhile he found difficulty in obtaining building sites from the Congo Free State, which accorded them freely to Roman Catholics. He grew convinced of the evil character of Belgian administration, in which he had previously trusted. In 1903 King Leopold despatched at Grenfell's entreaty a commission of inquiry, before which he gave evidence, but its report gave him little satisfaction. Grenfell died after a bad attack of blackwater fever at Basoko
Basoko
Basoko is a town on the Congo River in Tshopo District of northern Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 47,970....
on 1 July 1906.
Publications
- Life on the Congo. By W[illiam] Holman Bentley; with an introd. by George Grenfell. London: The Religious tract society, 1887.
- The upper Congo. Geographical Journal, Bd. 20 (1902)