10 Facts about Mary Kingsley

Post On: July 8, 2017
By: Agustina
In: People

Have you ever read Facts about Mary Kingsley? She was known as an English ethnographic and scientific writer. People also recognized her as an explorer. She was born on October 13, 1862 and died on June 3, 1900. Her full name was Mary Henrietta Kingsley. Kingsley contributed to shape the perception of the Europeans toward the British Imperialism and Africa cultures. She traveled to West Africa to study the culture. Let us check other interesting facts about Mary Kingsley below:

Facts about Mary Kingsley 1: parents

Her mother was Mary Bailey. Her father was George Kingsley. She was the oldest child in the family. Her father was a writer, traveler and doctor.

Facts about Mary Kingsley 2: the family background

The family background of Kingsley was a writer family. Her father was a writer. Henry Kingsley and Charles Kingsley were the uncles of Mary. Both were novelists.

Facts about Mary Kingsley

Facts about Mary Kingsley

Facts about Mary Kingsley 3: education

When she was young, Mary had German lessons. Compared to her brother, she received less formal education.  At that time, a girl did not have to pursue higher education. However, she was eager to learn by accessing the large library of her father. Moreover, she liked to hear the stories of foreign countries from her father.



Facts about Mary Kingsley 4: the types of book

Mary was interested to read the books about memoirs of explorers or even sciences. During the era, many girls and women were interested to read the books by Charlotte Bronte or Jane Austen. However, she had different taste.

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Facts about Mary Kingsley 5: criticism on Christian missionaries

Kingsley criticized the Christian missionaries for they took away the African culture.

Mary Kingsley Facts

Mary Kingsley Facts

Facts about Mary Kingsley 6: family responsibilities

Kingsley ended up in family responsibilities due to her ill mother. After an excursion, her father had rheumatic fever, which made him bedridden.

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Facts about Mary Kingsley 7: death of her parents

In February 1892, her father died. In April, her mother died. She was capable to reach her dream to travel and became an explorer after the death of her parents. Moreover, she shared an inheritance with her brother at £8,600.

Facts about Mary Kingsley 8: visiting Africa

Kingsley went to Africa to study African culture so that she could complete the book started by her father.

Mary Kingsley

Mary Kingsley

Facts about Mary Kingsley 9: traveling to Africa

It was very surprising that Kingsley traveled to Africa without being accompanied by a man.

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Facts about Mary Kingsley 10: arriving to Africa

On August 17th, 1893, she arrived in Sierra Leone. Then she went to Luanda, Angola. The African people taught her on how to survive in the jungles.

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