This Autobiography was written 100 years ago, and has not until now been disclosed to the present generation. It is indeed a very personal document and was originally intended "for Private Circulation only".

Sir John Stokes was a remarkable man, and this can be gauged from reading his manuscript. We quote an extract from the Minutes of the Institute of Civil Engineers Proceedings for 1902-1903, which describes the prominent features of the character of Sir John Stokes in the following terms - "an unflinching loyalty to his friends, great kindness of heart, exceptional capacity for work, and inflexible uprightness. He was possessed of consummate tact, a quality which enabled him so often to obtain what he considered to be for the good of his country in his frequent intercourse with distinguished diplomatists and with his colleagues at home and abroad. " It was most truly said of him in a long eulogy by Prince d'Arenburg, President of the Suez Canal Company on the 2nd December 1902, "que resistance de celui qui vient de nous quitter est certainement une des plus honorables et des mieux remplies qui se puissent trouver", translated

The life of the one who has just left us is certainly the most honourable and best fulfilled that one could find.

It is interesting to read extracts from the London newspaper report of his death and funeral, which are quoted separately, which includes the names of some of the important people with whom he was associated - Cabinet Ministers, Members of the House of Lords, Foreign Office, Board of Trade, Treasury etc., all indicating the esteem in which he was held by Her Majesty's Government. All of this clearly tells us that Sir John Stokes was really somebody out of the ordinary.

He had travelled widely, especially in Europe and Egypt, and as many of his journeys were in connection with duties under the Foreign Office, his visits to the various countries were made in circumstances which led to his introduction to the Ministers and important officials of various Governments. His travels, therefore, were full of interest, and he was able to see the Capitals and other important towns under very pleasant conditions. However, his travelling was all done laboriously by boat, train, and horse drawn vehicles, while his earlier journeys in Southern Africa were on foot or horseback, when he experienced exciting incidents.

As he himself explains, the manuscript was typed by him on a somewhat faulty type writing machine. Those obvious errors have been corrected but the sense has not been affected in any way.

Apart from these slight changes and the inclusion of maps and photographs, nothing else has been interfered with.

Perhaps I should shoulder the blame for any criticism.
K. M. Stokes 1994

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