Edward Steere
Edward Steere was an English Anglican colonial bishop in the 19th century.
He was educated at London University and ordained in 1850. After curacies in Devon and Lincolnshire, he joined William Tozer on a mission to Nyasaland in 1863. He was appointed Bishop in Central Africa in 1874 and died on 26 August 1882.
Edward Steere spent several years in Zanzibar, 1864–68, 1872–74, and 1877–82. In 1873 he placed the foundation stone at Christ Church, Zanzibar, in Stone Town, Zanzibar. The cathedral was based on a vision of Edward Steere's who actively contributed to the design; its unique concrete roof shaped in an unusual barrel vault was Steere's idea. Edward Steere also worked with David Livingstone to abolish slavery in Zanzibar. He is buried behind the altar in the church. David Livingstone's aides James Chuma and Abdullah Susi also were part of an expedition lead by Steere. Chuma was captain of the expedition and both men acted as interpreters.
Steere was a considerable linguist and published works on several East African languages and dialects, including Shambala, Yao, Nyamwezi, and Makonde. But he is especially known for his work on Swahili, publishing a Handbook of Swahili in 1870, and he also translated or revised the translation into Swahili of a large part of the Bible.
