Olive Temple

Olive Susan Miranda Temple (; 18 February 1880 – 16 May 1936) was a Scottish writer and traveller, known for her work in natural history and ethnography. In 1910–1911, she journeyed 6,000 km (3,700 mi) through parts of Africa little known to Europeans to visit her fiancé's grave, and later published a book based on her observations.

First journey Olive MacLeod was noted in her day as "one of the most intrepid of lady explorers". MacLeod, who was distraught, endeavoured to visit his distant grave. She journeyed roughly 6,000 km (3,700 mi) through Africa, including areas previously unknown to Europeans. Six months of the expedition was spent in country which had never been visited by white women. French colonial authorities later named certain waterfalls after her as a tribute to her courage. MacLeod travelled both on foot and on horseback, and was carried in litters on three days through swampy land.

MacLeod kept many souvenirs of her journey, some of which entered the collection of the Maidstone Museum. Her husband's position gave her privileged access to official documents which informed the writing of Notes on the Tribes, Provinces, Emirates and States of the Northern Provinces of Nigeria (1919).

The couple eventually settled in Granada, and there Charles died on 9 January 1929. Olive Temple then returned to Britain, and lived for some time in Kent. She died on 16 May 1936 at Carmen de los Fosos, Granada, and was interred next to her husband in the local cemetery.

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