After his demobilization in 1919, Lambert remained in East Africa and was appointed assistant District Commissioner on the southern coast of Kenya. During this period, he studied Swahili history and culture, becoming fluent in the language. Gaining indigenous respect and recognition, he became known as "Sheikh Lambert." His subsequent postings were as District Commissioner in Kiambu, Lamu, Embu, Kenya, Voi, and other places, where he gained an "outstanding" reputation as an administrator known for his "profound" knowledge of indigenous law and culture (especially Kikuyu). In 1939, the British Governor of Kenya nominated Lambert be appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and promoted him to Senior District Commissioner.
Controversially, Lambert advocated early initiation for young women in Meru District, involving female genital mutilation (FGM). This was driven by concerns of population growth, and what he saw as an alarming rate of abortions (driven possibly by other material factors) and the idea of using culture to maintain "the well-being and cultural equilibrium of the tribe". This was opposed by the Attorney General in Nairobi. When Lambert left Meru in 1937, he informed his successor that "propaganda" encouraging early initiation had been entirely successful".[1]
Lambert was married to Grace Firr, a trained nurse and daughter of Tom Firr,[2] a famous Huntsman of the Quorn Hunt. After his retirement in 1950, the couple settled in Nairobi. He remained very active as a Swahili language scholar until his death in Nairobi, 1967. Many Africanists, anthropologists and linguists greatly benefited from H.E. Lambert's expert knowledge and generous assistance in the field and in their subsequent research. Among those he mentored were A. H. J. Prins, who did ethnographic research on the Taita and, subsequently, the coastal Swahili,[3] and Philip Gulliver[4] who researched the Turkana.
Selected publications
The Administrative Use of Indigenous Institutions of the Meru. (1939). 34 pp.
The Constitution and Personnel of Statutory Institutions in the Meru Native Reserve. (1939). 47 pp.
Disintegration and Reintegration in the Meru Tribe. (1940). 45 pp.
The Use of Indigenous Authorities in Tribal Administration: Studies of the Meru in Kenya Colony. (Communications from the School of African Studies No.16, Cape Town: University of Cape Town, 1947)
Land Tenure Among the Akamba. (1947, African Studies, Vol. 6(4), pp. 131–147, 157–175)
The Work of an African Chief. (Nairobi 1948)
The Systems of Land Tenure in the Kikuyu Land Unit (Communications from the School of African Studies No. 22). (Cape Town, 1949)
The Background to Mau Mau: widespread use of secret oaths in Kenya. (1952)
"The Taking of Tumbe Town." Journal of the east African Swahili Committee 23:36-45 (1953).
Kikuyu Social and Political Institutions. (Oxford U Press, 1956)
"Some Songs from the Northern Kenya Coast." Bulletin of the East African Swahili Committee 26:49-52 (1956).
Chi-Chifundi: A Dialect of the Southern Kenya Coast. (Kampala: East African Swahili Committee, 1956)
Ki-Vumba: A Dialect of the Southern Kenya Coast. (Kampala: East African Swahili Committee, 1957)
Chi-Jomvu and ki-Ngare: Subdialects of the Mombasa Area. (Kampala: East African Swahili Committee, 1958)
Wimbo wa kiEbrania. (Arusha, 1959)
"Some Riddles from the Southern Kenya Coast." Swahili 33(1):14-18 (1962).
"The Beni Dance Songs." Swahili 33(1):180-21 (1962).
"Some Initiation Songs of the Southern Kenya Coast." Swahili 35(1):49-67 (1965).
Abel, Richard L. 1969. A Bibliography of the Customary Laws of Kenya (with Special Reference to the Laws of Wrongs). Faculty Scholarship Series. Paper 4014.
Frankl, P.J.L. 1999. "H.E. Lambert (1893–1967): Swahili Scholar of Eminence (being a short biography together with a bibliography of his published work." In Journal of African Cultural Studies 12 (1):47–53.
Murray, Jocelyn. 1976. "The Church Missionary Society and the 'Female Circumcision' Issue in Kenya, 1929–1932. Journal of Religion in Africa. Vol.8:92–104.
^"Presentation to Tom Firr - 1899 - The Quorn Village On-line Museum". www.quornmuseum.com.
^Returning from fieldwork in Kenya, Prins named his 4th son after Lambert, who thus became a "classificatory grandfather" to the newborn who became an anthropologist as well
harold, lambert, 1893, 1967, british, linguist, anthropologist, kenya, obeborn1893pield, heath, ukdied1967alma, materqueens, college, cambridgeknown, forbritish, linguist, anthropologist, kenyaborn, pield, heath, raised, bournemouth, educated, queens, college,. Harold E Lambert OBE 1893 1967 was a British linguist and anthropologist in Kenya Harold E LambertOBEBorn1893Pield Heath UKDied1967Alma materQueens College CambridgeKnown forBritish linguist and anthropologist in KenyaBorn in Pield Heath raised in Bournemouth and educated at Queens College Cambridge 1912 1915 Lambert served as a platoon commander in the Gloucestershire Regiment during World War I and was wounded at the Battle of the Somme in July 1916 A year later the young Lieutenant joined the King s African Rifles in Nyassaland in the East African Campaign against the German army in Tanganyika After his demobilization in 1919 Lambert remained in East Africa and was appointed assistant District Commissioner on the southern coast of Kenya During this period he studied Swahili history and culture becoming fluent in the language Gaining indigenous respect and recognition he became known as Sheikh Lambert His subsequent postings were as District Commissioner in Kiambu Lamu Embu Kenya Voi and other places where he gained an outstanding reputation as an administrator known for his profound knowledge of indigenous law and culture especially Kikuyu In 1939 the British Governor of Kenya nominated Lambert be appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE and promoted him to Senior District Commissioner Controversially Lambert advocated early initiation for young women in Meru District involving female genital mutilation FGM This was driven by concerns of population growth and what he saw as an alarming rate of abortions driven possibly by other material factors and the idea of using culture to maintain the well being and cultural equilibrium of the tribe This was opposed by the Attorney General in Nairobi When Lambert left Meru in 1937 he informed his successor that propaganda encouraging early initiation had been entirely successful 1 Lambert was married to Grace Firr a trained nurse and daughter of Tom Firr 2 a famous Huntsman of the Quorn Hunt After his retirement in 1950 the couple settled in Nairobi He remained very active as a Swahili language scholar until his death in Nairobi 1967 Many Africanists anthropologists and linguists greatly benefited from H E Lambert s expert knowledge and generous assistance in the field and in their subsequent research Among those he mentored were A H J Prins who did ethnographic research on the Taita and subsequently the coastal Swahili 3 and Philip Gulliver 4 who researched the Turkana Selected publications EditThe Administrative Use of Indigenous Institutions of the Meru 1939 34 pp The Constitution and Personnel of Statutory Institutions in the Meru Native Reserve 1939 47 pp Disintegration and Reintegration in the Meru Tribe 1940 45 pp The Use of Indigenous Authorities in Tribal Administration Studies of the Meru in Kenya Colony Communications from the School of African Studies No 16 Cape Town University of Cape Town 1947 Land Tenure Among the Akamba 1947 African Studies Vol 6 4 pp 131 147 157 175 The Work of an African Chief Nairobi 1948 The Systems of Land Tenure in the Kikuyu Land Unit Communications from the School of African Studies No 22 Cape Town 1949 The Background to Mau Mau widespread use of secret oaths in Kenya 1952 The Taking of Tumbe Town Journal of the east African Swahili Committee 23 36 45 1953 Kikuyu Social and Political Institutions Oxford U Press 1956 Some Songs from the Northern Kenya Coast Bulletin of the East African Swahili Committee 26 49 52 1956 Chi Chifundi A Dialect of the Southern Kenya Coast Kampala East African Swahili Committee 1956 Ki Vumba A Dialect of the Southern Kenya Coast Kampala East African Swahili Committee 1957 Chi Jomvu and ki Ngare Subdialects of the Mombasa Area Kampala East African Swahili Committee 1958 Wimbo wa kiEbrania Arusha 1959 Some Riddles from the Southern Kenya Coast Swahili 33 1 14 18 1962 The Beni Dance Songs Swahili 33 1 180 21 1962 Some Initiation Songs of the Southern Kenya Coast Swahili 35 1 49 67 1965 Diwani ya Lambert Imehaririwa na Mathias E Mnyampala Nairobi 1971 Sources EditObituaries 1967 East African Standard 30 v 8 Swahili Vol 37 2 125 Abel Richard L 1969 A Bibliography of the Customary Laws of Kenya with Special Reference to the Laws of Wrongs Faculty Scholarship Series Paper 4014 Frankl P J L 1999 H E Lambert 1893 1967 Swahili Scholar of Eminence being a short biography together with a bibliography of his published work In Journal of African Cultural Studies 12 1 47 53 Murray Jocelyn 1976 The Church Missionary Society and the Female Circumcision Issue in Kenya 1929 1932 Journal of Religion in Africa Vol 8 92 104 References Edit Thomas Lynn M 2003 Politics of the Womb Women Reproduction and the State in Kenya University of California Press pp 41 42 ISBN 9780520235403 Presentation to Tom Firr 1899 The Quorn Village On line Museum www quornmuseum com Returning from fieldwork in Kenya Prins named his 4th son after Lambert who thus became a classificatory grandfather to the newborn who became an anthropologist as well Philip Gulliver laps dept apps01 yorku ca Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harold E Lambert amp oldid 1107978451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
