From Governor to Goblet: the misfortune of Sir Charles MacCarthy

A head above the rest: poor Sir Charles

The governor in happier times

In 1822 the British government was looking for a solution to the gold coast problem. They dispatched Governor Sir Charles MacCarthy to subdue the warlike Ashanti who wanted to maintain their own imperial control in present-day Ghana. MacCarthy travelled with a plume in his hat and a carriage drawn by six Africans and met the Ashanti in 1824 where he underestimated their dedication to the conflict. Having divided his force Sir Charles found himself outnumbered by the thousands and after a series of terrible blunders (including ammunition boxes filled with macaroni pasta instead of bullets), the warriors overran the British position. Sir Charles himself fought bravely with sword but after a series of injuries was debilitated and fearing capture shot himself. The enemy warriors ate his heart His heart, beheaded his corpse and took his head to Kumasi whereafter it was the main attraction of the annual festival of yams. Victorian bogeyman kofi karikari or king kofi to the British is said to have used the skull as a drinking cup.

Ashanti antics: the Festival of Yams