Thomson, Joseph, 1858-1895

Contributed to

Through Masai land
book chapter 1885

Summary: Joseph Thomson was a British geologist and explorer who played an important part in the Scramble for Africa. Thomson's gazelle and Thomson's Falls, Nyahururu, are named after him. Excelling as an explorer rather than an exact scientist, he avoided confrontations among his porters or with indigenous peoples, neither killing any native nor losing any of his men to violence. His motto is often quoted to be "He who goes gently, goes safely; he who goes safely, goes far." Wikipedia
Encyclopædia Britannica: Biography [4]
Gender or Sex: Male [1][2][3][4]
Born: 1858-02-14 [2]
Birth Place: Penpont [4]
Died: 1895-08-02 [2]
Death Place: London [4]
Country: Great Britain [2]
Language: English [3]
Occupation: explorer [4]; geologist [4]; naturalist [4]; writer [4]; botanist [4]
Profession: Forschungsreisender [2]
Educated at: University of Edinburgh [4]
Country of Education: United Kingdom [4]

Sources: 1. VIAF; 2. Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (Germany); 3. Bibliothèque nationale de France; 4. Wikidata

Last updated May 14, 2025