Reference
  • 2007/014
Archive collection
  • British Empire & Commonwealth
Level of description
  • Collection
Date
  • 1930-1938, 1990
Description
  • There are two parts to this collection - the films of Leon Levson (2007/014/1) and the photographs albums and diary compiled by James MacDonald Troup (2007/014/2-3). This catalogue was produced with support from the National Cataloguing Grants Programme for Archives
Extent and medium
  • 2 films, 2 videotapes, 6 volumes, 1 file
Creator
Biographical history
  • Leon Levson (1887-1961) was born in Lithuania. He was an emigre to South Africa, and became one of the first documentary photographers in the country. Initially he was a renowned portrait photographer but after WW2 travelled the country with his wife Freda, documenting social conditions. Freda Levson (formerly Troup) moved to England after Leon's death, and was active in the Anti-Apartheid movement.There are two films by Leon Levson, one showing the journey of a flying boat and the second of an African township. Dr James MacDonald Troup (1867-1945) was a general medical practitioner who emigrated to South Africa. He has been described as a 'thorough diagnostician who treated his patients with care and good timing, had extensive experience to fall back on and an outstanding memory'. His main achievement was his recognition, based on years of clinical observation, of tick-bite fever as a new disease. He and Adrianus Pijper were the first to investigate the disease properly and published their findings in 'Tick-bite fever in South Africa' (The Lancet, 1931). In 1910 Troup married Alberta Beatrice Caroline Davis, with whom he had three daughters, Winifred (later Freda Levson, who was active in the Anti-Apartheid movement), Margaret (later Lady Margaret Casson, the architect and designer) and Isobel who had Down Syndrome. Freda edited a memorial volume to her father entitled 'Physician and friend: James MacDonald Troup', a biography consisting mainly of letters he wrote. Troup was also a keen photographer, and he compiled the 6 photograph albums in this collection. These are full of images of wildlife and generally record his trips made around South Africa, Rhodesia and Nyasaland. There is also a diary account of his trip in 1936.
Access status
  • Open
Access conditions
  • None