EAP1284/1

This collection contains the papers of Abdallah Bey Hamza, a merchant and creditor from the northern Sudanese town of Matamma. It deals with his commercial transactions, including lands bought, sold, and rented; commercial receipts; partnership contracts; marriage and divorce contracts; legal cases; and personal letters (including from the renowned trader al-Zubayr Pasha). His transactions relate to his time in Sudan and Upper Egypt, specifically in Aswan and Ramadi. They span several important periods in the history of Sudan, namely the Ottoman-Egyptian period (1821-1884), the Mahdist period (1884-1898) during which time Abdallah Bey Hamza fled to Egypt, and the British Condominium period (1898-1956). The collection also contains miscellaneous documents such a poems, genealogies, and parts of historical manuscripts, such as the Ṭabaq̣at Wad Ḍayf Allah. Finally, it contains some of the documents relating to his father and his brothers.

Extent: This collection contains 18 folders containing documents organised broadly thematically.

Condition of original material: Fragile. 70% have been repaired.

Custodial history: The documents have been kept by the family of Abdallah Bey Hamza, in the house of his descendant Sana Noah. Her late father and brother were involved in organising the collection into different files.

Arrangement: Thee organisation of the folders has largely been maintained according to the system with which family (the descendants of Abdallah Bey Hamza) organised them. The exception was where there were unorganised or miscellaenous materials, have been organised into new folders.

Alternative calendar and date: Islamic, 1270s-1370s

Author(s)/Creator(s): Abdallah Bey Hamza and his associates in his commercial and financial transactions. These include his brother Hasan Hamza. Other major figures who have written to the Abdallah Bey Hamza include al-Zubayr Pasha.