When first acquired it was assumed - based solely on this man's uniform and headdress, that J. Thompson Hague, who is so named on the reverse of this cabinet photograph, was an officer in the Egyptian Army. A bit of research has proved otherwise.

This man's full name was James Thompson Hague and was born in Dean Mills, Lancashire, England on 27 December 1856 to Samuel and Annie Hague.

Hague received part of his early education at Merchant Taylor's School in London and received his medical training in London and Edinburgh.

Sometime around 1879, he was appointed Medical Officer to the Sultan of Zanzibar. While holding this post at the Zanzibar Military Hospital he wrote several widely published medical papers including one dealing with his use of the calabar bean in the treatment of tetanus which appeared in medical journals in Britain and the United States.

While it might be expected that Hague may have served as a surgeon in the British military prior to receiving his appointment in Zanzibar, I can find no record of him having ever served in the British Army or Navy. He seems to have been one of those British civilians  - like Alfred Berry Brewster mentioned elsewhere in this web site - who accepted commissions to serve foreign governments. Hague served the Sultan until sometime after 1880 before returning to England.

Hague established a medical practice in London. He apparently never married and died at the age of 45 in 1902.

Cabinet Photograph
G. Boucher - Photographer
26 The Parade, High Road, Lee, England
c. 1880