Correspondence – most of it relating to Dr Banda's generous gifts to the University of Edinburgh and the Infirmary, and his meeting with Professor and Mrs Shepperson at Gleneagles Hotel. [24 items + enclosures]

1. Letter from Dr H Kamazu Banda, President of Malawi, to the Rev Hamish Smith, University Chaplaincy Centre, Edinburgh. The number of needy students in Malawi makes it difficult to respond to calls from outside the country. He, however, enclosed a cheque for £100 and asks Mr Smith to reassure Professor Shepperson and others concerned that he is most interested in the Centre. State House, Zomba, 27 October 1975.

2. Official letter of thanks. 4 November 1975.

3. Professor Shepperson expresses his appreciation of Dr Banda's generous donation to the Edinburgh University South African Scholarship Appeal. He recalls Dr Banda's intention of writing his autobiography, so he encloses xerox copies of three of his letters written to A. B. Xuma of Johannesburg in the 1930s and hopes they will be of interest. [Edinburgh] 17 November 1975.
Enclosures:
3.1 Letter of introduction. Hastings Banda has watched Dr Xuma's activities with great interest and hopes that this letter will result in a permanent correspondence. Chicago, USA, 14 March 1932.
3.2 Hastings Banda likes things in Edinburgh 'fairly well'. He hopes to return home at the end of 1939 or early 1940. Edinburgh, 13 April 1938.
3.3 Hastings K. Banda has had his appendix removed. Sends news of friends, and of students resitting their Finals. Edinburgh, 7 July 1938.

4. Letter from Professor Shepperson to the Rev Hamish Smith, University Chaplain. He enclosed a cheque from Dr Banda. [Edinburgh], 18 October 1976.

5. The Rev Hamish Smith acknowledges cheque [about £100]. Edinburgh, 18 October 1976.

6. Letter from Professor Shepperson to "Your Excellency". Because of periods of absence, Professor and Mrs Shepperson had not seen as much of Miss Lucy Kadzamira as they would have liked, but they had enjoyed a number of "pleasant social occasions" and intended to take her to Blantyre in Lanarkshire. No 5 is enclosed. He adds his own expression of gratitude. Edinburgh, 20 October 1976.

7. Letter from H. Kamuzu Banda to the Rev Hamish Smith. Dr Banda is pleased to learn that the Appeal makes progress. He does not wish his contributions to be limited to African students, but used for any student in need. State House, Zomba, 18 March 1977.

8. Notification by the High Commissioner, Malawi, to Professor and Mrs Shepperson of a visit to Scotland by the President Ngwazi, Dr H. Kamuzu Banda from 17-22 June, following the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London. He would like to have an informal meeting with the Sheppersons at Gleneagles Hotel on Saturday, 18 June. The Rev Hamish Smith is to receive the same invitation. London, 33 Grosvenor Street.

9. Confirmation of meeting. London, 14 June 1977.

10. Photocopy of a cheque for £3,000 from H. Kamuzu Banda for the African Scholarship Fund. 15 June 1977.

11. Letter: Professor Shepperson to Professor Joseph E. Harris, Howard University, Washington DC. Dr Banda would like to have Mrs Watkins' address so that he could write to her. He was saddened by the news of her husband's death. [Edinburgh], 20 June 1977.

12. The Rev Hamish Smith to Professor Sir Hugh Robson. He gives an account of his meeting with Dr Banda and of his gift to the South African Scholarship Appeal Fund. He is distressed by the lack of support by the Students' Association and the SRC. Edinburgh, 21 June 1977.
12.1 Postcard: Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire. Signed by Dr Banda, 18.06.1977.

13-14. Dr Banda's generous gesture should be acknowledged in the Bulletin. 21 and 22 June 1977.

15. Professor J.E. Harris to Professor Shepperson. He sends news of Mrs Watkins and a note of her address. Envies the cheque! Washington DC, 28 June 1977.

16. B. S. Cleminson, African Lakes Corporation, to Professor Shepperson, Edinburgh. The letter concerns the possibility of the Corporation contributing towards the cost of the publication of the book on the Corporation by Dr Hugh Macmillan. Consideration has been given to commissioning such a work but, in the end, it was decided it was inadvisable. The earlier history of the Corporation is still an emotive subject and publication of a book might open old wounds. He regrets this decision, because he considers it a fascinating story. London, 1 July 1977.

17-18. Professor Shepperson has forwarded the above information to Dr Macmillan. He acknowledges Mr Cleminson's interesting letter. Edinburgh, 6 July 1977.

19. Professor Shepperson to His Excellency, Dr H Kamuzu Banda. He sends news of Mrs Watkins, Miss M. L. Maitland Moir, and Dr A. P. Motley, together with addresses. A copy of Nancy Cunard's anthology, Negro, devoted to a group of Chewa songs, is enclosed and Professor Shepperson wonders if the original recordings of 1932 still exist. If they do, they must be one of the earliest recordings of the recipient's voice.
19.1 Copy of the The Moirs of Nyasaland: an African's Tribute attached. Edinburgh, 7 July 1977.

20. B. S. Cleminson, Chairman and Managing Director of the African Lakes Corporation Ltd, to Professor Shepperson: The Malawi Daily Times of 20 June has commented upon Professor Shepperson's recent meeting with Dr Banda in Edinburgh. London, 13 July 1977.

21. Photograph: Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, 18 June 1977. Meeting: Dr Hastings Banda, Professor Shepperson and the Rev Hamish Smith.

22. Professor Shepperson to B. S. Gleminson, Esq, London. Acknowledges his letter. Calls his attention to the short piece written by Dr Banda in 1940, the year of John Moir's death. [The Magazine of Overseas Work of the Church of Scotland (Edinburgh), XIX, July 1940]. Ref: 19/l. Edinburgh, 21 July 1977.

23. Letter: Professor Shepperson to Mr Kandiero, Director of Programmes, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation. He recollects Mr Kandiero's interest in the history of Mbona and sends him some extracts from a book that must be one of the earliest accounts in English, written by a Scottish lady called Pringle, and published in Edinburgh in 1884 in 1884. Edinburgh, 20 July 1977.

24. Newspaper cutting: Report of Dr Hastings Banda's gift of nearly £64,000 to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. 18 August 1977.