Reference
  • 2019/004
Archive collection
  • British Empire & Commonwealth
Level of description
  • Collection
Date
  • 1960-1970
Description
  • These photographs were taken by Dorothy Myers in the course of her work in the town planning department of Nairobi City Council, during the 1960s. The images depict vivid scenes of daily life in post-colonial Nairobi. They include industrial work in mills and factories, the building of social housing estates, and aerial shots of architecture around the city. They also reveal the sites of the human interactions which are so crucial to building communities: nursery and school lessons, markets, football pitches - and especially community centre activities, including cookery and sewing sessions, board games and boxing classes. * Please note that cataloguing of this collection is still in progress. Check back soon for more images *
Extent and medium
  • 0.5 box
Creator
Biographical history
  • Dorothy Myers was born Dorothy Halliman in 1936, only daughter of Frank and Amy Halliman. Her father took up a teaching post in Nairobi in 1956 and Dorothy joined them soon after graduating from the London School of Economics (Geography) in 1959. During the 1960s Dorothy worked in the Town Planning department of Nairobi City Council, submitting a thesis on suburban renewal in Kibera as part of the requirements for membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute. She published several articles, and her 1965 article "The City of Nairobi" (with W.T.W. Morgan) is still referred to today. In 1965, Dorothy married the photographer and environmentalist Norman Myers; their two daughters grew up in Kenya until the family moved to Oxford in 1982. The Myers' built up a photographic business specialising mainly in wildlife, which helped to support them while Norman pursued his scientific research. He pursued his environmental interests until his death in 2019 and enjoyed international recognition for his far-sighted ideas, especially on biodiversity.
Access status
  • Open
Access conditions
  • None