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Royal Niger Company Constabulary Band

Image Portraits
A photograph depicting a military band of Black men playing instruments on the deck of a ship.
Royal Niger Company Constabulary Band on a vessel. Photographed by William Henry Crosse, circa 1886-1895.

A monochromatic photograph showing a musical ensemble from the Royal Niger Company Constabulary on a maritime vessel. The group consists of approximately eleven Black men in military-style tunics and garrison side caps, playing woodwind and brass instruments and a snare drum. On the lower deck, a mixed group of individuals, including two light-skinned males in wide-brimmed hats and other men, are observing. The vessel features a protective canopy and a suspended bell. This image belongs to a series documented by Dr. William Henry Crosse, Principal Medical Officer of the Royal Niger Company, between 1886 and 1895, and is associated with documents mentioning 'soldiery'.

Community Notes

Onyeka Nwokike

Sep 03, 2026

The Royal Niger Company's Constabulary functioned as a policing and quasi-military force for the company, which was a conglomerate of British firms trading along the Niger River. The force's establishment was formalized through regulations in 1886, coinciding with the company receiving a royal charter on July 10 of that year to control river trade, as detailed by NigerianWiki and the Archives Hub.

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