'Arab Coal Coolie'. Photographer: Unknown

T.11308/4

1 items in this record

See all items in a listSee all items in a slider

Search within this record

The record is made up of 1 albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print. It was created in Mid 1870s. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

About this record

Content

Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length standing studio portrait of an Arab youth is intended to demonstrate an ethnic or class ‘type’, in this case that of a ‘coolie’ or manual labourer of Asian descent. Though no visual indication of the boy’s occupation is evident, he is described as a ‘coal coolie’. A description of 'coal and cargo coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. ' is provided on p. 35 of the volume. Enumerating at least nine-hundred men across the two categories, Frederick Mercer Hunter describes the occupation of 'coal coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. ' thus:

'The number of persons at a port like Aden required to unload fuel vessels and to coal steamers is of course great; but the supply seems equal to the demand. [...] The coaling of steamers is carried out by gangs of Arabs, and sometimes Somalis, who work under headmen in the employ of the Company to which the vessel may belong or may be consigned; these men work cheerfully day or night, and they can put on board fifty to sixty tons per hour. Forty men can coal a steamer at the rate of thirty tons an hour. [...] The wages earned by the above classes varies from eight annas to one rupee per diem. All the above Coolies A term used to describe labourers from a number of Asian countries, now considered derogatory. pay a yearly license-tax of 4 annas per head.'

In addition, a brief description in the volume of Aden’s contemporary ‘labouring class’ refers in particular to ‘single men’ of a very low income who come to work manually for a time in Aden (p. 40).

The boy is barefoot, wears an armlet on his right arm (perhaps one of those described by Mercer, p. 60: tafiat , hadud , farud , or zarud ), a form of turban-like twisted fabric about his hair, which may be a doosmal (p. 43) and a striped, tasselled cloth about his waist, which may be what Mercer describes as a maawiz held together by a maajiz (p. 44). He is leaning on a photographer’s prop.

Inscriptions:

In pencil, upper left corner adjacent to print: ‘4’

Extent and format

1 albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print

It is part of

'An Account of the British Settlement of Aden in Arabia', compiled by Captain F.M. Hunter

15 images

Ref: T.11308

Physical characteristics

Dimensions:

87 x 55 mm [portrait]

Format:

1 albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print pasted to backing paper and mounted between pp. 34-35

Materials:

Silver printing-out paper, albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print

Condition:

The print is unevenly hand-cut, with some light staining on the print; otherwise good condition.

Foliation:

‘4’

Process:

Albumen Method of printing photographs using an emulsion of salt and egg white (albumen). print

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Photograph

Archive information for this record

Original held at: British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.
Access conditions: Unrestricted
Archive reference: T.11308/4
Date(s): Mid 1870s (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects: Ethnographic heritage
Places: Aden
People & organisations: Frederick Mercer Hunter

Share this record

Cite this record in your research

'Arab Coal Coolie'. Photographer: Unknown, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, T.11308/4, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023400730.0x00000c> [accessed 25 June 2026]

Link to this record