Arnold Eric Temple-Perkins (1890 – 20 June 1972) was a New Zealand-born government official, big game hunter and game ranger in Uganda.[1][2]
Eric Arnold Temple-Perkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1890 |
| Died | 20 June 1972 (aged 81–82) Kichwamba, Uganda |
| Other name | Purple Tomkins |
| Occupations | Administrator, big game hunter |
| Years active | 1918–1972 |
| Notable work | Kingdom of the Elephants |
| Title | President of The Uganda Society |
| Term | 1942–1943 |
| Predecessor | S.W Kulubya |
| Successor | R.A Snoxall |
He also served as the 11th president of the Uganda Society between 1942 and 1943.[3]
Background
editTemple-Perkins was born in New Zealand to Arnold Temple and Emily Kate Perkins.[4]
Career
editHaving served in World War I with the Royal Field Artillery, Temple-Perkins joined the colonial service in the then British East.[2] He was first posted as Assistant District.
Temple-Perkins served as Commissioner in Teso between 1918 and 1922.[5] He was later appointed District Commissioner of Karamoja but only served for three months after which he was named Labour Commissioner in the Labour Department.[2]
In the following year, Temple-Perkins variously served as "District Commissioner of Ankole (1924–ca.1929), District Commissioner of Masaka (ca.1929–1932) and Provincial Commissioner of Buganda (1932–1934) of Toro (1935–1936) and of the Eastern Province of Uganda (1937–1938)".[6][7]
During World War II, Temple-Perkins was made Director of Security and Intelligence in Uganda.[6] His last official appointment was Resident of Buganda in 1944 after which he retired in 1945.[6] He chose to remain in Uganda where he lived near Queen Elizabeth National Park[4] and was referred to as "Purple Tomkins" by his colleagues.[2]
He was later made an Honorary Warden of Uganda's National Parks in 1952.[8] In 1955, he published a book about on his big game hunting experiences – Kingdom of the Elephant.[4]
Publications
editReferences
edit- ↑ "MARELLA TOURISTS". The Telegraph. 21 February 1933. Retrieved 10 December 2024 – via Trove.
- 1 2 3 4 "TEMPLE-PERKINS, Eric Arnold", Europeans In East Africa, retrieved 29 August 2025
- ↑ "The Uganda journal". original-ufdc.uflib.ufl.edu. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- 1 2 3 "Temple-Perkins, Eric Arnold, 1890-1972". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
- ↑ Duffield, Blake Allen (2016), The Grey Men of Empire: Framing Britain's Official Mind, 1854-1934, retrieved 29 August 2025 – via ScholarWorks@UARK
- 1 2 3 "Collection: Papers of Eric Arnold Temple-Perkins", Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts, archived from the original on 4 August 2025, retrieved 29 August 2025
- ↑ "Photo", The Evening Post, p. 7, 17 January 1936, retrieved 29 August 2025 – via PapersPast
- ↑ "African Game Warden Books". Shakari Connection. Retrieved 9 December 2024.