James Robert Phillips (1863 - 1897) was the deputy commissioner and consul for the

Niger Coast Protectorate The Niger Coast Protectorate was a British protectorate in the Oil Rivers area of present-day Nigeria, originally established as the Oil Rivers Protectorate in 1884 and confirmed at the Berlin Conference the following year. It was renamed on 12 Ma ...

. He is remembered for his part in the events that led to the

Benin Expedition of 1897 The Benin Expedition of 1897 was a punitive expedition by a British force of 1,200 men under Sir Harry Rawson in response to the ambush of a previous British party under Acting Consul General James Phillips, of the Niger Coast Protectorate. ...

. In 1897, Phillips set out to depose the

Oba of Benin The Oba of Benin is the traditional ruler and the custodian of the culture of the Edo people and all Edoid people. The then Kingdom of Benin (not to be confused with the modern-day and unrelated Republic of Benin, which was then known as Dah ...

, although his reasons for doing so remain unclear. He and his party were ambushed and slaughtered as they approached

Benin City Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...

, with Phillips being among the casualties. Though Phillips had acted without consulting the

Royal Niger Company The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company chartered by the British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the ''United African Company '' and renamed to ''National African Company'' in 1881 and to ''Royal Niger Co ...

authorities, after his death the

British government ga, Rialtas a Shoilse gd, Riaghaltas a Mhòrachd , image = HM Government logo.svg , image_size = 220px , image2 = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg , image_size2 = 180px , caption = Royal Arms , date_es ...

dispatched an

punitive expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavio ...

against the Benin monarchy, which the force defeated and deposed, leading to the kingdom's eventual absorption into

colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...

Life

James Phillips was the eldest son of Reverend

Thompson Phillips Thompson Phillips (1832 – 1909) was Archdeacon of Furness from 1892 until 1901. Born at Convamore, County Cork, Ireland, he was educated at Manchester Grammar School, Trinity College, Dublin and St John's College, Cambridge, and ordaine ...

, vicar of

Ivegill Ivegill is a small village in the Eden district, Cumbria, England. The village has one place of worship and a school. It is located on an unclassified road near Southwaite services which is on the M6 motorway. It takes its name from the River ...

and later

Archdeacon of Furness The Archdeacon of Westmorland and Furness is a senior ecclesiastical officer within the Diocese of Carlisle. As such he or she is responsible for the disciplinary supervision of the clergy within its four rural deaneries: Barrow, Windermere, K ...

in the Diocese of Carlisle, and Eliza, daughter of General

James Wallace Sleigh Sir James Wallace Sleigh CB (1775–1865) was an officer of the British Army. He rose to be a general, and fought with Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. Family background Sleigh was the son of William Sleigh and Frances Wallace. His mothe ...

Education

Phillips was educated at

Uppingham School Uppingham School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for pupils 13-18) in Uppingham, Rutland, England, founded in 1584 by Robert Johnson (rector), Robert Johnson, the Archdeacon of Leicester, who also established Oa ...

, an independent boarding school. In 1882 he went up to

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by Henry VIII, King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge ...

to read law. He served his solicitor's articles (trained as a solicitor) at Carlisle with the

Clerk of the Peace A clerk of the peace held an office in England and Wales whose responsibility was the records of the quarter sessions and the framing of presentments and indictments. They had legal training, so that they could advise justices of the peace. Histo ...

for Cumberland and was in due course admitted a solicitor. He played football for the Eden Wanderers Football Club for several seasons, proving himself a man of strong physique, vigour and resource. He was well liked by his teammates.

Gold Coast

After qualifying as a solicitor, he believed that there might be better openings for him in the colonies. In 1891, he accepted an appointment as a colonial officer on the

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

(present-day Ghana) as a Sheriff and Overseer of Prisons. In 1892 he was promoted to the position of Acting Queen's Advocate of the Gold Coast.

Niger Coast Protectorate

In 1896, Phillips returned to England on leave and while visiting friends in Cumberland he expressed himself pleased with his prospects. In May 1896, he was appointed deputy commissioner and consul for the

and adjoining native territories. He was ordered by the Foreign Office in London to wait in England until he could meet with the current Niger Coast Protectorate Commissioner and Consul-General,

Ralph Denham Rayment Moor Sir Ralph Denham Rayment Moor, (31 July 1860 – 14 September 1909) was the first high commissioner of the British Southern Nigeria Protectorate. Life Ralph Moor was born on 31 July 1860 at The Lodge, Furneux Pelham, Buntingford, Hertfords ...

, who was en route to England to begin a period of leave. No record exists on where they met or what they discussed but they most probably met in London in September 1896. As a lawyer, Phillips had a brief from the Foreign Office to concentrate on the prisons and legal system of the Protectorate. He arrived in the Protectorate on 24 October 1896. On 31 October 1896, he held a meeting with members of the Benin Rivers trading companies to introduce himself to the traders. This included European traders of the

Itsekiri The Itsekiri (also called the Isekiri, ''iJekri'', ''Itsekri'', ''Ishekiri'', or Itsekhiri) are one of the Yoruboid subgroup of Nigeria's Niger Delta area, Delta State. The Itsekiris presently number 2.7 million people and live mainly in the Wa ...

chiefs and native traders. Additionally, he wanted to hear directly from them about trading issues they were having. During this meeting, he met Chief Dogho and other Itsekiri chiefs, as well as a number of European traders including representatives of the Royal Niger Company at

Sapele ''Entandrophragma cylindricum'' is a tree of the genus ''Entandrophragma'' of the family ''Meliaceae''. It is commonly known as sapele or sapelli ( ) or sapele mahogany, as well as aboudikro, assi, and muyovu. Origin of the name The name ''sap ...

on the Benin River. After this meeting and his discussions with Moor, Phillips felt that he had ‘gained a very clear picture of the state of affairs’ in the Benin Rivers trading situation. On 16 November 1896 he wrote to the Foreign Office in London stating that:

“The King of Benin has continued to do everything in his power to stop the people from trading and prevent the Government from opening up the country. By means of his Fetish he has succeeded to a marked degree. He has permanently placed a Juju on (Palm) Kernels, the most profitable product of the country, and the penalty for trading in this produce is death. He has closed the markets and has only occasionally consented to open them in certain places on receipt of presents from the Jakri chiefs. Only however to close them again when he desires more blackmail…I feel so convinced that every means has been successfully tried that I have advised the Jakri chiefs to discontinue their presents.” “I therefore ask for his Lordship’s permission to visit Benin City in February next, to depose and remove the King of Benin and to establish a native council in his place and to take such further steps for the opening up of the country as the occasion may require. I do not anticipate any serious resistance from the people of the country – there is every reason to believe that they would be glad to get rid of their King – but in order to obviate any danger I wish to take up a sufficient armed Force, consisting of 250 troops, two seven-pounder guns, 1
Maxim gun The Maxim gun is a recoil-operated machine gun invented in 1884 by Hiram Stevens Maxim. It was the first fully automatic machine gun in the world. The Maxim gun has been called "the weapon most associated with imperial conquest" by historian M ...
, and 1 Rocket apparatus of the Niger Coast Protectorate Force (NCPF) and a detachment of Lagos Hausas 150 strong, if his Lordship and the Secretary of State for the Colonies will sanction the use of the Colonial Forces to this extent…PS I would add that I have reason to hope that sufficient Ivory may be found in the King’s house to pay the expenses in removing the King from his Stool.”

Phillips' letter was sent in a dispatch to London on 17 November 1896. Without waiting for a response from the Foreign Office, he began an expedition to Benin. Phillips with six other British officials, two businessmen, translators, and 215 porters, set off from the small port of Sapele. The total number of men who embarked on this expedition has been put at over 500 by some sources, based on references made by survivor

Alan Maxwell Boisragon Alan Maxwell Boisragon (22 January 1860 – 18 March 1922) was a British Army officer, and author, and was Captain Superintendent of the Shanghai Municipal Police from 1901 to 1906. Life Born in Bengal, India, on 22 January 1860, the son of an ...

in his book ''The Benin Massacre'' (1897). The official number of participants in the expedition was put at 250 African carriers and nine white men.

The Benin massacre

Captain Alan Boisragon & District Commissioner Locke

On 17 December 1896, Phillips set off from

Old Calabar Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...

in the yacht ''Ivy'' on the expedition to Benin. He also sent a message through Chief Dogho (Itsekiri Chief) to

Ovonramwen Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (ruled 1888–1897), also called Overami, was the Ọba (king) of the Kingdom of Benin up until the British punitive expedition of 1897. Born circa 1857, he was the son of Ọba Adọlọ. He took the name Ovọnramwẹn ...

, the 36th

, that he was on his way to visit. Although they had given word of their intended visit, they were later informed that their arrival must be delayed, because no foreigner could enter the city while rituals were being conducted;''Benin Diplomatic Handbook'', p. 21. however, the travellers continued on their expedition. His true intentions were not clear to Oba Ovonramwen, who replied asking him to wait for some days whilst he and his Council of Chiefs investigated claims that ‘the whitemen are bringing war to Benin’. He also informed Phillips that he was currently engaged in 'worshipping his father's head' in the Ague Festival. Phillips failed to heed the Oba's advice, as well as pleas from his Itsekiri advisors, and on 4 January 1897 he pressed ahead with his plan. Phillips and his party were ambushed en route to

by Benin warriors led by Ologbosere, and only two Europeans escaped the ensuing massacre. The circumstances of their deaths are unclear. Phillips and at least three other white men (Vice Consul Major Peter Wade Grant Copland-Crawford, of the 7th Battalion King's Royal Rifles, and vice-consul of the Benin and Warri District; Dr Robert Hannah Elliot, medical officer of Sapele and Benin District; and Captain Arthur Irwin Maling, lieutenant of the 16th Lancers) are believed to have been killed during the initial attack near Ugbine village on 4 January. Robert Home concluded that three other white men (Kenneth Chichester Campbell, a District Commissioner at Sapele; Harry Simes Powis of Miller, Brother and Company; and Thomas Gordon of the

African Association The Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa (commonly known as the African Association), founded in London on 9 June 1788, was a British club dedicated to the exploration of West Africa, with the mission of discove ...

) may have been taken to Benin City as hostages and died during the subsequent British attack in February. Only two white officers survived: Captain Alan Boisragon, Commandant of the Constabulary of the Niger Coast Protectorate; and Ralph Locke, District Commissioner of Warri. The fate of the African troops, carriers and other servants who were working for the party is largely unclear, with initial press reports stating that 250 were killed. Boisragon reported that a small number of carriers survived the attack and managed to reach the safety of a British steamer downriver. The British Foreign Secretary

Lord Salisbury Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom three times for a total of over thirteen y ...

responded to Phillips on 9 January 1897 advising him to postpone the planned expedition for another year as there were not currently enough troops to undertake the mission. Salisbury stated that 400 men would be required for this and as there were currently other expeditions in progress elsewhere in the protectorate, this number could not be raised. However Phillips was by this time already dead.

Aftermath

The

British Admiralty The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...

responded swiftly to the Benin Massacre by authorizing the

which departed in February 1897. On 18 February, Benin City was captured by the expedition and the Kingdom of Benin was overthrown; it was eventually absorbed into

. The

revoked the Royal Niger Company's charter (granted in 1886) as a result of these events and ongoing complaints against the company from the Brass people of the Benin Rivers, the deaths of Hausa princes during skirmishes in the

Bida Emirate The Bida Emirate is a traditional state in Nigeria, a successor to the old Nupe Kingdom, with its headquarters in Bida, Niger State. The head of the state is the Etsu Nupe, considered the leader of the Nupe people. History The old Nupe Kingdo ...

in 1897 and ongoing territorial rivalry with the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

. Following the revoking of its charter on 31 December 1899, the Royal Niger Company sold its holdings to the British government for £865,000 (). On 1 January 1900 all its territories and assets passed to the

British Crown The Crown is the state (polity), state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, British Overseas Territories, overseas territories, Provinces and territorie ...

. The surrendered territories together with the Niger Coast Protectorate were formed into

Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

and

Southern Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, M ...

Protectorates of the Niger River. In 1914, the two protectorates were formally united and amalgamated as the

Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain an ...

by Governor Lord

Frederick Lugard Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard (22 January 1858 – 11 April 1945), known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator. He was Governor of Hong ...

Memorials

eagle lectern An eagle lectern is a lectern in the shape of an eagle on whose outstretched wings the Bible rests. They are most common in Anglican churches and cathedrals, but their use predates the Reformation, and is also found in Catholic churches. Histo ...

in Christ Church,

, was inscribed in his memory; it is now in

Carlisle Cathedral Carlisle Cathedral is a grade-I listed Anglican cathedral in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria, England. It was founded as an Augustinian priory and became a cathedral in 1133. It is also the seat of the Bishop of Carlisle.Tim Tatton-Brown and John ...

. At the site of the massacre, a memorial cross was erected to the seven Britons killed.

References

* Bacon, R. H. Benin City of Blood, 1897 * Bacon, R. Admiral Sir, Benin Expedition, A Naval Scrap-Book, First Part, 1877 – 1900: 197 – 207 * Boisragon A, The Benin Massacre, 1897 * http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/foreign-office-correspondence-1891-1905/ * https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmselect/cmcumeds/371/371ap27.htm * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2HHWsr3A2M * Kirk, J. Sir, Benin Massacre, Latest News at the Foreign Office, Reasons for Hope, Interview with Sir John Kirk (Central News Telegram); Publication: Guardian 1821 – 2000; Date: Jan 14, 1897, Section: None; Page 2 * Phillips, J.R., 17 Nov 1896. Dispatches to Foreign Office from Consul-General, Catalogue of the Correspondence and Papers of the Niger Coast Protectorate, 268 3/3/3, p. 240. National Archives of Nigeria Enugu. * Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; date; Feb 10, 1897; Section: None; page 6 * THE BENIN MASSACRE. CONFIRMATORY NEWS. EXPECTED PUNITIVE EXPEDITION. IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE OF OFFICERS ORDERED. RECENT EVENTS IN THE “CITY OF BLOOD.” THE VICTIMS (CENTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM.) LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING. Publication: Guardian 1821 – 2000; Date: Jan 13, 1897, Section: None; Page 10 * THE BENIN DISASTER. PROBABLE PLANS OF A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION. INTERVIEW WITH SIR A. JEPHSON. THE OBJECT OF THE JOURNEY TO BENIN CITY (CENTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM), LONDON THURSDAY EVENING, Publication: Guardian 1821 – 2000; Date: Jan 15, 1897, Section: None; Page 4 * THE BENIN MASSACRE ITS PROBABLE CAUSE. Hobart Newspaper (3 March 1897), page 3. Retrieved from http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9392982 * THE BENIN MASSACRE. MESSAGE FROM THE SURVIVORS. DEPARTURE OF OFFICERS FROM LIVERPOOL. (REUTER’S TELEGRAM), MALTA, SATURDAY, Publication: Guardian 1821 – 2000; Date: Jan 18, 1897, Section: None; Page 2. * THE BENIN MASSACRE – MESSAGE FROM THE SURVIVORS - DEPARTURE OF OFFICERS FROM LIVERPOOL – WHY THE EXPEDITION WENT TO BENIN, Reuter Liverpool Correspondent interview with unnamed gentleman, Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; Date: Jan 18, 1897, Section: None; Pages 2 –3. * THE BENIN MASSACRE – NARRATIVE OF MR. LOCKE (REUTER’S SPECIAL SERVICE); FORCADOS RIVER, FEBRUARY 4. * Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; Date: Feb 10, 1897, Section: None; Page 6. * THE BENIN MASSACRE - WHY THE EXPEDITION WENT TO BENIN;19. Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; Date: Jan 18, 1897, Section: None; Page 5. * THE DISASTER TO THE BENIN EXPEDITION – SAFETY OF TWO OFFICERS- CONSUL GENERAL MOOR ON THE SITUATION – PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM, FRIDAY EVENING, 15 January 1897, LONDON, Publication: Guardian 1821 - 2000; Date: Jan 16, 1897, Section: None; Page 8 * Roth, H. L, Great Benin, 1903, app xiv – xv * Roth H. L., Transcript of the Trial of the king, (appendix 11); 1903 * Roth H. L Transcript of the Trial of Ologbosheri; 27 June 1899, (appendix xviii); 1903

Dissertations and theses

* Ratté, Mary Lou
"Imperial looting and the case of Benin"
Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014. Paper 1898. Pages 8, 33, 37, 43 -47.

External links

Benin Massacre News

Benin Punitive Expedition News
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, James Robert 1863 births 1897 deaths 1897 in Africa 19th-century military history of the United Kingdom Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge British colonial governors and administrators in Africa Conflicts in 1897 History of Nigeria People educated at Uppingham School People from Eden District