Maps, Empire and the Manchester Geographical Society
Examining colonialism through our Special Collections
Give me a map: then let me see how much
Is left for me to conquer all the world
(Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine, Part 2, act 5, scene 3)
- Introduction
- The power of maps
- Maps and empire
- Propaganda and empire
- The Manchester Geographical Society
- Conclusion
- Additional resources
- References
Introduction
Maps, like many of our special collections, reveal attitudes, behaviours and values of the past. They tell us about the society in which they were produced and how the past has shaped the present. This guide looks at a selection of items from the University of Manchester Map Collections, which reveal stories of empire and colonialism. It will also explore the origin of some of our collection items, who collected them and why.
The maps below can be viewed as high resolution zoomable images. Click on the maps to examine them in more detail. Discussion points have also been added beneath each section.
The power of maps
We often think of maps as being objective, factual, even scientific objects but maps are far from neutral. It is impossible to reproduce absolutely everything about a place on a single map and recreating a spherical object (the earth) on a flat surface must distort the shape and size of land mass in some way or another.
For a map to be readable and useful, it’s creator must select which features of the landscape to include and which to leave out. Decisions must be made about which features should be emphasised and how these should be represented. It is easy to forget, that the person who created or commissioned the map has made these decisions. It is their representation of the world which we see, which is inevitably biased towards their point of view.
“Since every map takes a point of view, it is important to ask, whose point of view is this? Whose interest is served by this particular view of the world?” (Wood 1993, p.19).
When analysing maps, it is therefore important that we consider questions such as: Who made the map? Who was it made for? What is the purpose of the map and whose interest does it serve? We should think carefully about whose viewpoint is represented and also about those stories which may be hidden or missing. Looking at how the map was disseminated and its format may also provide clues about its purpose. For example, was it a piece of artwork commissioned to impress royalty and state ownership of land and property, or was it a supplement in a newspaper circulated to a mass audience, hoping to influence public opinion?
Examining maps in this way can help us to understand the context of their production and facilitate discussion around the perceptions, values and behaviour of the past and the impact they have had on forming legacies, opinions and attitudes today.
Maps and empire
“As much as guns and warships, maps have been the weapons of imperialism. In so far as maps were used in colonial promotion, and lands claimed on paper before they were effectively occupied, maps anticipated empire.” (Harley, 1988, p.132)
During the colonial era, good geographical knowledge, and the power to create accurate maps, ensured Britain remained competitive with other European powers who were competing to acquire territory, wealth, resources and power. By the early 20th century the British Empire alone controlled about a quarter of the world’s land surface. The map below shows the extent of British Possessions at the height of the British Empire.
Since the Portuguese exploration of West Africa in the early fifteenth century, maps have been used by European colonial powers to assert dominance over much of the world. Maps have assisted European rulers in tasks such as charting trade routes, defining and acquiring territory, and establishing new colonies. Maps have facilitated the efficient control and exploitation of natural resources and have been essential tools in extracting and providing access to them.
On the map below you can see the most popular resources exported from West Africa at the end of the 19th century. For Britain, one of the most important products was palm oil which was used to produce soap and lubricants for machinery.
The Scramble for Africa is also evident in the following map produced by Tanganyika Concessions Limited, a British mining and railway company. Its purpose was to exploit minerals in Northern Rhodesia [Zambia] and in the Congo Free State.
Discussion points:
- What is the significance of the Cape-Town to Cairo Route?
- What raw materials were exported from Africa in the late 19th century and what were these used for?
- Why do you think it would be important to have ‘good geographical knowledge’ in order to be competitive with other nations over the scramble for resources?
Propaganda and empire
Maps reflect human territorial instinct and embody powerful emotions associated with land. As such they have become potent symbols of power and national sentiment (Barber and Board, 1993). Maps have therefore been used as powerful tools of propaganda.
The maps below are souvenir items which relate to Sir Henry Morton Stanley’s explorations of Africa. Stanley was a charismatic explorer, colonial administrator, journalist and politician. His exploration of Central Africa and his search for the missionary and explorer Dr. David Livingstone earned him great fame and the affection of the general public.
Stanley gave high profile, passionate speeches about how knowledge of the world and its resources was essential to Britain remaining competitive in trade and industry. In his lecture on ‘Central Africa and the Congo basin; or the importance of the scientific side of geography’, Stanley describes how:
geographical knowledge clears the path for commercial enterprise…the beginning of civilisation (Stanley, 1885, p.10).
The first map below was produced by a commercial company (George Philip and Son) and was issued as a folded pocket map. The map is also accompanied by descriptive text on it’s reverse.
The second map is a ‘Special Stanley Supplement of the Daily Graphic’. Underneath the map there is a statement that the original Stanley issue of the Daily Graphic newspaper sold out within two days and that due to public demand extracts from the original issue would be published as special supplements in the paper once a fortnight until completed.
Today, Stanley’s legacy is a controversial one, in particular his role as Administrator for King Leopold II of Belgium, whose rule of the Congo Free State (Democratic Republic of the Congo) was characterized by human atrocities, brutality and violence.
The term ‘dark continent’ is used in both maps, implying a sense of the unknown and previously unexplored regions. But it also suggests evidence of racial stereotyping and western attitudes to African indigenous peoples, believed to be un-civilised, savage and without religious or moral beliefs.
Discussion points:
- How are Stanley and his officers portrayed in the map and the accompanying text?
- How might your view of these individuals be altered after consulting secondary sources?
- How would this map have been circulated and who was the intended audience?
- Discuss the terms ‘dark continent’ and ‘unknown continent’. How might these terms indicate western imperial attitudes to African indigenous peoples?
The Manchester Geographical Society
Cultural institutions such as libraries, archives, museums and galleries act as society’s memory. It is therefore important to consider who compiled an archive or collection, what is included or absent, whose viewpoint it represents, and whose stories are told. Most of the maps included in this guide are from the collections of the Manchester Geographical Society, which were transferred to the University of Manchester Library in 1970.
The Manchester Geographical Society was one of the leading geographical societies in Britain during the Victorian era. Its early activities focussed on commercial geography and the opportunities created by colonial expansion in Africa and other areas. Seeking new markets and alternative sources of raw material was of particular importance to Manchester due to its thriving industrial growth. The city had also suffered greatly from the lack of raw cotton imported during the American Civil War.
The patrons of the new Society represented business, education and missionary interests. It’s committee members included manufacturers, merchants, academics, and members of parliament and the clergy. The declared aim of the society was to:
Promote the study of all branches of Geographical Science, especially in its relation to commerce and civilization. (Brown, 1971, p6)
The collections of the Manchester Geographical Society include books, atlases, maps and glass lantern slides; the Library also holds the Societies archives. Together, the collections offer an insight into Victorian exploration, trade, industry and technological innovation. But they also bear witness to imperialism, colonialism and the expansion of empire.
However, it is possible to reveal hidden stories within the archive which offer an alternative perspective. The society was one of the first of its kind to allow women to join on the same footing as men and several women were elected as members of the committee. A number of women geographers, travellers and explorers also contributed to the Society’s lecture program. Amongst them Harriette Emily Colenso who argued against the injustices of British rule and campaigned for better conditions for the AmaZulu in Southern Africa (Watts, 2023).
The Manchester Geographical Society continues to operate today and is active in the promotion of geography in the Greater Manchester area. Its current aims are to encourage geographical research on or relevant to the North West of England, and to further the pursuit of geographical knowledge.
Discussion Points:
- Why do you think palm oil was so important to Manchester’s manufacturers, businessmen and local government?
- Whose stories or perspectives would be most prevalent in a collection/ archive such as the Manchester Geographical Society?
- Whose stories might be missing from an archive such as the Manchester Geographical Society and how might these stories be uncovered?
Conclusion
The map collections of the University of Manchester, document the spread of geographical ideas. They record early exploration and the expansion of empires. They bear witness to colonial administration, imperial propaganda and the enforcement of western ideals and religious beliefs on so-called ‘uncivilised’ societies.
This guide has used a small selection of items, mostly taken from the collections of the Manchester Geographical Society and focusing on colonialism in Africa. However, many more of our maps tell stories of European imperialism throughout the world. We hope to create more material relating to India, America, Australia and New Zealand as well as more in depth pieces about related themes and individual maps.
In the meantime you may want to look at some of the additional resources below.
Additional Resources
Blogs:
Library collections:
- Maps, travel and discovery collections
- Manchester Geographical Society Collection
- Manchester Geographical Society Archive
- Military, colonial, and international history collections
- TANKS Group Archive which includes numerous sources of material relating to mining and railway operations in colonial Africa
References
- Harley, J. Brian (1998). Maps, knowledge, and power. In: D. Cosgrove, and S. Daniels, eds. The iconography of landscape. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Barber, P. and Board, C. (1993). Tales from the Map Room. London: BBC Books
- Stanley. H. M. (1885). ‘Central Africa and the Congo basin; or the importance of the scientific side of geography’. In: Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society, volume 1, pp.6–25.
- Watts, James (2023). “Carrying with her a most influential and intelligent audience.” Women Lecturers, the British Empire, and the Manchester Geographical Society, 1884–1920. In: North West Geography, volume 23:1, pp. 1–11.
- Wood, Dennis. The power of maps. Routledge, 1993.
If you are interested in using any material from Special Collections please get in contact with our Reading Room staff : uml.special-collections@manchester.ac.uk
Images reproduced with the permission of The John Rylands University Librarian and Director of the University of Manchester Library. All images used on this page are licenced via CC-BY-NC-SA, for further information about each image, please follow the link in the description.
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