Correspondence Relating to the Personal Library of General J.C. Smuts 1902-1950.

42 textbooks, written in the camp and reproduced for the use of prisoners by the Scuola Duc d'Aosta, including courses in technical subjects as well as elementary reading and writing. Also a pamphlet P.O.W. exhibition of arts and crafts, 1944 and Italian-English and English-Italian Practical Pocket Dictionary by S.G. Ellis-Clarke, H. Sonnabend and E. Ventura, Zonderwater, Apr. 1944.

Mainly letters from the Governor's secretary (successively W. Helot, L. Meyer and M. Kervel) to the Synod and Council of the Synod at the Cape, concerning the nomination of deacons and the election of elders; also LS 1668, Amsterdam, from Jan Blaauw and
Salomon Sweers, executors of the estate of Zacharius Wagenaar, to the Deacons at the Cape, accompanying money from the estate to be used for the 'free poor' at the Cape; LS 1717 from Stellenbosch churchmen, asking financial help from the Cape Synod; 2 LS 1742 and 1769 from clergy in Amsterdam to their brethren at the Cape, on the state of religion; ALS 23 Mar. 1768, Meerendal, from H. Russouw to J. van der Spuey, book-keeper of the Dutch East India Company, on a debt owed by him; LS 30 May 1829, Cape Town, from S. Oliver to the Organ Committee, on the impending arrival of a new organ (in English). Many of the letters are sealed.

Contains correspondence, circulars, telegrams, orders, duty and occurrence books, patrol reports, case dockets, charge sheets, lost and found lists, returns and statements.
Subjects are poll and dog tax, stock disease and theft, crime, registration of voters, agricultural census and the administration of the police at Van Reenen.

Official of the East India Company, passenger on board the 'Grosvenor', wrecked off the Pondoland coast 4 August 1782

ALS, 9 Apr. 1782, from W. Hosea to Sir R. Chambers (Judge of the Supreme Court of Bengal), written on board the 'Grosvenor', off the coast of Ceylon, and probably posted in Trincomalee, describing the harrowing experiences of Mr. and Mrs. Hosea in their efforts to reach the 'Grosvenor' at Madras, which was besieged by the French, and the subsequent perilous voyage. This letter is quoted in The true story of the Grosvenor East Indiaman by P.R. Kirby, published Cape Town, Oxford University Press, 1960. Also Ts transcript and negative of letter and Ds, 7 Apr. 1784, Calcutta, proving Mr. Hosea's will.

UNISA Documentation Centre for African Studies, May 1981.

The documents of the accession, totalling 118 pages, relate to the early work of the two missionaries in Valdezia between 1874 and 1899 and give an insight into the difficulties and hardships of early missionary life in Southern Africa of that period.

There is an extensive and almost complete set of correspondence (including copies and translations) and other documents in connection with the missionaries' requests to the authorities, namely of the Transvaal Republic, for permission to "preach the gospel to the heathen" of the Spelonken area. The request was refused in spite of the fact that the Church already owned a farm in Valdezia. Later after the two men had been taken to Marabastad and kept prisoner there for a considerable time for ignoring the orders from the State Secretary to cease their activities, permission was eventually granted to do missionary work - but only on their own farm! So the battle for recognition continued. Of special interest here is the 'Declaration' of the 'Commission des Missions' of October 1876 and a copy/translation of a letter from the President of the Swiss Confederation asking for the same rights to be given to Rev. Creux and Berthoud as to other missionaries of "friendly nations".

There is further considerable correspondence between Creux and the 'Commissaris naturellen' re various troubles concerning the local inhabitants in connection with work, taxes and warfare with chiefs Modjadji and Magato. Other letters deal with diseases and the need for vaccine, gifts of fruit, milk and meat. Documents concerning Albasini, 'Commissioner over the Natives of Spelonken' and 'Knopneus kaptein,' are kept separately.

All letters are, except where indicated, handwritten and in the original. They are in English, French and Dutch with a few in Tsonga.

The spelling of names of places and persons are given as they appear in the documents and therefore varies.

5 Photographs including the deputation of the South African Native National Congress (SANNC) to England in 1914; Sol Plaatje in England and Canada in 1921; and two unidentified and undated groups including Sol Plaatje.

Criminal claim and conclusion made and demanded by the fiscal versus Marthinus Prinsloo and his accomplices. 1800 August 29. Document signed by W.S. van Ryneveld.

Contains pronouncement of sentence on 3 September 1800 against Marthinus Prinsloo, Adriaan van Jaarsveld and 16 others for their part in the armed rebellion in the Graaff Reinet district and inventory of documents used. Prinsloo and van Jaarsveld were sentenced to death but the sentences were not carried out.

Merchant of Fenchurch Street, London, who travelled extensively to the Far East, calling at the Cape of Good Hope

Bound volume 1831-1839 (492p), loose pages 1840-1841 (78p) and loose pages 1852 (15p). Pages 103-131 (1833-1834) and 243-356 (1835-1836) in the bound volume describe visits to the Cape.

These papers contain the document entitled "Copy of the whole proceedings on the trial of John Mills, Will. Guttridge, John Newberry and William Laws for piracy, held at the Government house on the 26th, 28th & 29th days of June and on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th & 6th days of July 1798. His Excellency George, Earl of Macartney, President of the Court".

Certified a true copy by George Rex, Crown Advocate. Mill, Newberry and Laws were sentenced to death by the Court.