Memoir of Hubert Hervey Author: Earl Grey Published: 1899; Edward Arnold Size: 24cm x 18.5cm; 151pp
1st Edition and inscribed by the author. A biographical account of Hubert Hervey, a student at Oxford and an imperialist in the late 19th century. The memoir details Hervey's life, as a student, his travels, and involvement in the British South Africa Company’s (BSAC) expansion. Hervey, joined the BSAC in 1891, was a trooper in the 1893 Matabele War and worked under Leander Starr Jameson, Administrator General for Matabeleland. Hervey died in 1896, in the second Matabele War, shortly after being appointed by the BSAC, as Deputy Administrator in Barotseland. This book was written by Hervey’s cousin Earl Grey, who succeeded Jameson as Administrator of Rhodesia. Inscribed on the front endpaper, "Presented by the Author” above the owner's plate. The book is complete with the original colour folding map to the rear and rare with the author's inscription.
Externally, block edges are untrimmed and bound in the original vellum backed green cloth boards, titled in gilt with a Rhodesia (Matabeleland) Medal vignette on the front cover. The covers and gilt stampings have faded with time and there is some shelf wear to the extremities. Gilt stamped titling on the spine has faded and the spine shows some wear . The top end of the spine has been sympathetically repaired with some tape and the bottom end of the spine has a minor split between spine and front cover but the book is still tightly bound. Internally, some tanning on the title page from the tissue insert. All other pages are clean and clear and there appears to be no foxing. Photos provided reflect the condition in addition to the above description. Overall condition is good.
