The collection of James Humphreys contains company reports, notices to shareholders, articles in mining journals, press clippings, correspondence and photographs relating to the mining of gold, coal, metals, minerals and precious jewels in South Africa, Bechuanaland, Nyasaland, Rhodesia and East Africa.

Subject matter includes metallurgy, geology, mineralogy, mining law and legislation, labour and the recruiting of Black labour, mining history, personalities and Rand Pioneers and mining groups, covering the years 1926-1967.

'Dagelijckse aantekening van mij Joannes van Steelant vertreckende van Batavia uijt India ...'

Journal in Dutch kept by J. van Steelant on the voyage from Batavia via the Cape of Good Hope to the Netherlands on the ship 'Sandenburg'. Van Steelant was returning with his family after a stay in Batavia of over 30 years during which he served as Governor and Director and Member of the Extraordinary Council of the Dutch East Indies.

The photographs originate from an album compiled by Dorothea Bleek entitled "The Bleek and Wilman expedition up the Molopo River". On this field trip she was joined by Maria Wilman, at the time Director of the McGregor Museum in Kimberley.

Includes 'Gleanings in Africa'.

Africana collector

Checklist and note-books of the Gubbins Collection of Africana; Bible Truth Depot tracts; copy of the Rehoboth Commission Report, 1927, to which is attached a letter 10 May 1929, from J. de Villiers, Commissioner, re., the Livingstone ruins; biographical notes on J.G. Gubbins by M. Farmer.

Certified copies of letters and documents supporting the claim of the Struben Brothers to be the first discoverers of gold; articles of association and minutes of shareholders meeting of the Sterkfontein Junction Mining Syndicate 4 Mar. 1884; mining maps including A new geological map of the Transvaal by F. Struben, London, 1889 and 'A geological section of the Witwatersrand' drawn by Fred Struben in 1885, reprinted from the Transactions of the Geological Society of South Africa, vol. 50, 1947. 9 photographs (by H.F. Gros) of the Strubens' Confidence Reef 1886 and of Johannesburg 1887 and 1889, used as Christmas greetings cards; 2 postcards from water-colours in the Africana Museum, Johannesburg, one of the Struben Brothers Camp at Wilgespruit as sketched by Edith Struben in 1885 and the other of the Old Farmhouse before the discovery of gold by J.W. George.

Including diary kept by Edith Struben (daughter of H.W. Struben), 1885 and 2 diaries by Mary L. Struben (wife of H.W. Struben), 1884-1887; letters between members of the Struben and Lys families, including correspondence of Godfrey Lys (nephew of the Strubens), Fred, Harry, Edith and Mary Struben.

Missionary at the London Missionary Society in Rhodesia

Describes his missionary work at Shiloh in Matabeleland and contains many references to Chief Lobengula. Includes copies of letter from Lobengula to the British Resident, Pretoria, 30 Mar. 1882 and to Commandant-General, Transvaal Republic, 21 Apr. 1882, together with a copy of the treaty between Lobengula and Hugh Dobbie, Daniel and William Francis and Samuel Dodds, ceding right to explore for gold, 2 Sep. 1881. Also copies of reviews of his Eleven years in Central South Africa, London, 1872.

Digest of report of the Commission of Enquiry into the Moroka Disturbances on the 30th of August 1947.

Memorandum by the District Commandant, South African Police, No.39 (Johannesburg) district.