Old photographs, stamps and film · 1787–1895
Thecolony
Many were made by colonial officials, missionaries and foreign visitors. Titles and descriptions come from the collections that hold them and can carry the attitudes and language of their time. We show them as historical records, not as endorsements. Dates, eras and categories were assigned automatically from those records and some will be wrong. If you or your family appear in a picture, you hold rights to one, a detail is wrong, or you think a picture should not be here, tell us through daverosetholley.com.
Photographs
All 55 →
Freetown from the Tower Hill barracks c. 1870
An albumen print by the photographer J. P. Decker.
John Parkes Decker · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
A survey of the entrance of Sierra Leona river / Capt. Thomson 1794 date QS:P571,+1794-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Portrait of a Gentleman, Joshua Johnson paints Coker, 1805 1805
Joshua Johnson · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
The slave fort on Bunce Island, at the mouth of the Sierra Leone River in West Africa circa 1805 date QS:P,+1805-00-00T00:00:00Z/9,P1480,Q5727902
Joseph Corry · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Costumes of West Africa - a Kroo-Man between 1820 and 1830 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
T.W. Ramsay · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Costumes of West Africa - Ministrels between 1820 and 1830 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
T.W. Ramsay · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Bana between 1839 and 1840 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
Townsend, William H. (1822-1851) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Bar between 1839 and 1840 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
Townsend, William H. (1822-1851) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Boro between 1839 and 1840 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
Townsend, William H. (1822-1851) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Bungair between 1839 and 1840 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
Townsend, William H. (1822-1851) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Fargina between 1839 and 1840 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
Townsend, William H. (1822-1851) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Farquanar between 1839 and 1840 date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7,P
Townsend, William H. (1822-1851) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Maps
All 21 →
Plan of Free Town 1885
J. T. F. Wallace · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Chart of the Bay of Free Town 1884
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1813 pinkerton 1813
John Pinkerton · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Western Africa 1813 (dated)
John Pinkerton · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Map of Part of the Western Coast of Africa, extending the Ilses de Los to Sherboro Island... 1838 date QS:P571,+1838-00-00T00:00:00Z/9
Wyld, James, 1790-1836 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
West Africa 1839 1839
Unspecified (1839) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
A cyclopedia of missions - containing a comprehensive view of missionary operations throughout the world - with geographical descriptions, a 1855
Newcomb, Harvey, 1803-1863 · No restrictions · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
A cyclopedia of missions - containing a comprehensive view of missionary operations throughout the world - with geographical descriptions, a 1855
Newcomb, Harvey, 1803-1863 · No restrictions · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
(1868) MAP OF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA, by Africanus Horton, Sierra Leone 1868
Scan courtesy of The British Library · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Kong Mountains 1872
James Monteith · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
(1873) Map Liberia and Sierra Leone published 1873
Reade, William Winwood, (1838-1875) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
West Africa in 1875 2015-12-24
Original title: Africa de l'Oèst en 1875
Nicolas Eynaud · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Prints & paintings
All 26 →
A view of Freetown 1803
One of the earliest pictures of the settlement, from Thomas Winterbottom's account of the colony.
Thomas Masterman Winterbottom · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Regent's Town c. 1820
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Free Town, Sierra Leone 1850
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Freetown from the water c. 1856
John Leighton Wilson or an uncredited artist employed or licensed by him · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Pademba Road 1856
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
The New Burial Ground 1860
Julia Sass · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Freetown from the hills c. 1892
Robert Brown · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Church and mission house, Regent 1850
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Paul Cuffee 1812
Engraved for Abrm. L. Pennock by Mason & Maas., From a drawing by John Pole, M.D., of Bristol, Eng. · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Paul Cuffee4 1812
Engraved for Abrm. L. Pennock by Mason & Maas., From a drawing by John Pole, M.D., of Bristol, Eng. · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1824 Bathurst Sketch 1824
S. Bowdich · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Slaves sierra leone 1835
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Objects & finds
All 35 →
Interior Hanging (Mende, Vai, or Temne peoples) early–mid-19th century
Mende, Vai, or Temne artist · Public domain (CC0) · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Source ↗
Horn (Probably Mende people) 19th century
Probably Mende people artist · Public domain (CC0) · The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Source ↗
Helmet Mask for Sande Society (Ndoli jowei) late 19th century
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Helmet Mask for Sande Society (Ndoli jowei) 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Pendant and Chain late 19th century
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Pendant and Chain late 19th century
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Fragment of a Female Figure 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Fragment of a Female Figure 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Horn and Silver Pendant 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Horn and Silver Pendant 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Ivory and Silver Pendant 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Ivory and Silver Pendant 19 th century date QS:P571,+1850-00-00T00:00:00Z/7
Unknown author Unknown author · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Stamps
Fourpence, Queen Victoria 1876
De La Rue &Co, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1876ca 1d Sierra Leone unused Yv11 Mi3B SG17 rose-red 1876
De la Rue, Ltd, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1876ca 1sh Sierra Leone unused Yv17 Mi7B SG22 green 1876
De la Rue, Ltd, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1876ca 3half Sierra Leone unused Yv12 Mi9 SG18 lilac 1876-11
De la Rue Ltd, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1884ca 2d Sierra Leone unused Yv23 Mi16 SG30 grey 1884-11
De la Rue Ltd, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1888ca 1sh Sierra Leone used Yv28 Mi21 SG34 red-brown 1888
De La Rue &Co, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1889ca 3d Sierra Leone B31 Yv25 Mi18 SG32 yellow 1889
De La Rue &Co, London · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Coins
Sierra Leone Company one cent, clasped hands 1791
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
Sierra Leone Company one cent, lion 1791
Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1 Dollar, Sierra Leone Company, 1791 2014-08-24 11:10:39
User:Mattes · CC BY 2.0 de · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
20 cent coin 1791 2018-10
Geni · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1803 Counterstamped 2 reales 1803
Spanish government · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗
1803 Counterstamped 2 reales reverse 1803
Spanish government · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Source ↗