British Anthropologist and Psychical Researcher
- Lived from 1868 to 1936.
- Studied history at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1890 and an MA in 1894.
- Authored over fifty articles in academic journals and numerous books.
- Held positions on the councils of the Folklore Society and the Royal Anthropological Institute.
- Notably, Thomas was the first Government Anthropologist appointed by the British Colonial Office in 1909.
Anthropological Work in West Africa
- Conducted anthropological surveys in Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
- Studied the Edo and Igbo peoples in southern Nigeria.
- Primarily worked with Temne and Limba communities in Sierra Leone.
- His fieldwork resulted in a vast collection of artifacts, documenting cultural practices, languages, and botany.
- Over 2,000 objects he collected are currently housed in the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology at Cambridge University.
- You can find his published reports on Sierra Leone and the Igbo and Edo peoples of Nigeria online.
Additional Interests
- Besides anthropology, Thomas had an interest in psychical research, a field exploring paranormal phenomena.
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