Ethiopian Panel gets display time in Addis Abbaba

Dear All

'I have recently returned from a visit to Ethiopia where I met with Dr GebreAb, whom I have known for 14 years. He is a former minister in the Ethiopian Parliament, and former Head of the Tigray Regional Health Bureau.

'He is delighted with the James Bruce tapestry and the sampler and sends to all those who were instrumental in creating it his gratitude and his greetings from the people of Ethiopia.

'He will be meeting with the staff from the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture to decide on the most appropriate way to display the sampler along with images of the tapestry panel and the literature associated with James Bruce. I will be sending him copies of the 1964 edition of the 'Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile' and copies of the James Bruce biography. Dr GebreAb is an historian as well as a medical doctor and his sister, Jerusalem, lives in Edinburgh. He, therefore, feels an affinity for Scotland and will be a great advocate for the work you have put into this project.

'The only photo I have of Dr GebreAb from this visit was taken in the garden of the hotel when we were sampling the new Tigrinyan Beer which was launched this year. He is the man wearing the cap and the others in the photo are my friend, Jane, and Yemane, a hospital administrator.



'When I am in Edinburgh Elspeth and I would like to take the 3 'James Bruce stitchers' out for lunch to thank you for all their hard work.

'With best wishes .. Anne.'
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James Bruce (1730–1794) was born in Kinnaird House, Larbert. While serving as British Consul in Algiers he became interested in exploring the River Nile. In 1765 he began an extended journey through North Africa and Arabia. Bruce then spent five years exploring the Upper Nile region and the Arabian peninsula, before making his way to Gondar, capital of Abyssinia (now Ethiopia). From there he travelled the length of Lake Tana to Gish Abay, source of the Blue Nile, on 14 November 1770. The journey home was gruelling: he was twice detained and lost all his camels in the Nubian desert. He returned to Britain in 1774.