23 



British Museum. In some parts of South Africa this view still 

 has its adherents, even today. 



Sentiments of this kind were at least partly responsible for the 

 late foundation and initially slow growth of the East London 

 Museum. In December 1938 the East London Museum was little 

 known, being one of the youngest in the country. It had indeed 

 quite a struggle for existence, being supported by only a small 

 grant from the Government, and distressingly small material 

 support from its own community, which at that time did not 

 regard it as of importance or value. The total annual income then 

 was less than seven hundred pounds, which had to cover salaries 

 and wages, material, stationery, everything. It is almost incredible 

 that anythi^ng like a musuem could have existed under such cir- 

 cumstances, for it had started without endowment of any kind 

 and was poorly equipped. Like most such institutions in South 

 Africa it was supervised at first by a series of honorary part- 

 time Curators, but eventually Miss M. Courtenay-Latimer was 

 appointed as its first full-time Curator. 



While there were some who found it strange that a relatively 

 young woman should have been selected for this position, it is 

 plain that those responsible had perception and sound judgment, 

 for they could scarcely have made a better choice. Miss Latimer 

 showed herself able, capable, and energetic, and was soon at 

 grips with the many difficulties that beset her ideas and ambitions 

 for the Museum. She had great difficulty, not only in managing 

 all that she desired with such limited means, but also in con- 

 vincing the Board and especially its Chairman of that time, that 

 their Museum could be developed into one of the best known in 

 South Africa, and even beyond, as indeed it is now. 



From the start Miss Latimer wisely concentrated on building 

 up exhibits representative of the life of the area served by the 

 Museum, and this she carried out with characteristic energy and 

 enthusiasm. As Miss Latimer realised that angling is the chief 

 sport and hobby in that area, she got the commercial fishing firms 

 to collaborate, and especially from Messrs. Irvin and Johnson's 

 branch at East London received a constant stream of valuable 

 marine specimens which were mounted and exhibited at the 

 Museum. She wisely made personal contact with the officers and 

 crews of the trawlers, and infected them with some of her own 



