Images Dated 15th March 2005

Port of Christianborg near Accra, 1873

This former Swedish outpost on the Gold Coast was sold to the British in 1873 when, after decades of an uneasy relationship between the British and the Acing people of central Ghana, the British attacked and virtually destroyed the Asanti capital of Kumasi, and officially declared Ghana a crown colony on 24 July 1874. They then moved their administrative capital from Cape Coast Castle to Accra and their new acquisition, the Fort of Christianborg

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Accra and its coastline in 1873

Accra sketched in 1873, the year, when after decades of an uneasy relationship between the British and the Acing people of central Ghana, the British attacked and virtually destroyed the Asanti capital of Kumasi, and officially declared Ghana a crown colony. Shortly thereafter, the British moved their administrative capital from Cape Coast to Accra. The main factors in this decision were Accra's drier climate relative to Cape Coast, and the fact that Accra was not home to the tsetse fly, allowing the use animal transport

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Grand Palaver at Jellah Coffee, 1874

A scene from the Gold Coast - a Grand Palaver at Jellah Coffee between the Administrator and the native kings and chiefs. From left to right, Folu, King of Jellah Coffee; Adjaba, King of Awoonah; Cocumay, War Captain of Awoonah and Okobim Paba, Chief Ashanti Ambassador on the left of the image. On the right, from left to right, Tubolu the interpreter, Commodore Sir William N.W. Hewitt, Charles C. Lees the acting administrator of the Gold Coast and H. Gibson the Secretary to the Commodore. Beyond the British line up is Solomon, King of James Town, Accra; Tackie, King of Accra; Lieutenants E.N. Rolfe and A.B. Crombie. In 1873, after decades of an uneasy relationship between the British and the Acing people of central Ghana, the British attacked and virtually destroyed the Asanti capital of Kumasi, and officially declared Ghana a crown colony on 24 July 1874

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans