British Imperialism and its Legacies: Models of Missionary and Exploration Vessels

Comments

Glasgow Museums has three ship models relating to missionary and exploration work, within the wider ship model collection.

Missionary and exploration work contributed to the expansion of the British Empire. Christian proselytising was a core feature of Empire consolidation and was often used to justify the expansion of the Empire physically, politically and socially. Scottish missionary groups operated in America, Canada, Africa, the Indian sub-continent, China, the East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, often working closely with civil and military explorers and surveyors.

Scottish missionary workers travelled by sea to their overseas postings, but also used water transport to move around communities.

Interesting examples are the models of the shallow draft steamer Lady Nyassa, built in 1861 for use by missionary David Livingstone in exploring territory belonging to the Mang'anja people in East Africa, and the small exploratory steamer Le Stanley, built in 1883 for Henry Morton Stanley when he was employed by King Leopold II of Belgium to explore and annex land in the Lunda and Luba Kingdoms of Central Africa. Another example of a missionary-society funded vessel is Dayspring, built in 1895 for use around the islands of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean.

Broader term

British Imperialism and its Legacies: Missionaries in Africa, Asia and Oceania