Abstracts of letters, bills, petitions, legal and shipping documents. The letters are addressed mainly to John Fairbairn and relate to Cape politics, so called “Kaffir” Wars, 1820 settlers and anti-convict agitation. Names of other correspondents include A.G. Bain, J. Bell, J.C. Chase, W. Ellis, J. Holland, J. Montagu, J. Philip, J. Read, Sir R. Southey, W.S. van Ryneveld and Sir J. Wylde.

Copies of 6 letters, 1825-1829, on the freedom of the press between J. Fairbairn, G. Greig, W. Greig, R.W. Hay, J. Hume, R. Plasket, T. Pringle and Lord C.H. Somerset.

Research notes, copies of correspondence and maps.

The first file relates to attempts by 19th century pioneers to link Transvaal with Delagoa Bay by means of roads and refers to J. Albasini, J.P. Fitzpatrick, G.P. Moodie, A.H. Nellmapius, A.H. Potgieter and C. Trichardt. The second file relates to Colonel Villebois-Mareuil, a French volunteer with the Boer forces during the South African War, and includes press clippings and his correspondence with General Joubert and F.W. Reitz. The third is South African War material, including a translation of the day-book of David E. Malan, written at Colenso 12 Nov. 1899 - 16 Feb. 1900. The fourth contains notes from Sir C.J. Brand's papers on the part he
played in 1854-1855 in helping to draft a constitution for the Boer republic and also notes from G.S. Preller's papers on the Afrikaans language movement.

Explorer and naturalist, listing flora.

The collection contains the research working papers of Elaine Katz, which mainly relate to gold mining on the Witwatersrand, Silicosis in miners, Labour and South African politics, particularly in the Transvaal at the turn of the 20th century.

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.

The photographs are historical images of gold mining in South Africa, taken around the late 1800s to beginning 1900s. Many of the images provide a rare insight into the underground world of deep level mining on the Rand, showing miners at work, as well as mining structures and operations.

John Hanning Speke (1827-1864), Explorer

Rejoices that Brun agrees with him that the Nyanza Lake is the true source of the White Nile and announces his intention to embark on a third expedition to Africa to settle the source of the Nile.

The two scrapbooks contain press clippings, pamphlets and other printed material from Reverend Henry Adams, are of 4 men who came to South Africa in 1878 with the first Bishop of Pretoria, HB Bousfield. In addition, there are transcripts that outline the content of the scrapbooks including a letter titled Bound for Pretoria.

The Humphreys collection includes historical photographs concerning mining, the Anglo Boer War, early Johannesburg, amongst others. Most of the photographs formed part of Humphreys Collection of Africana. The photographs were given to Historical Papers by the Gubbins Africana Library in 1999, and have been added to the existing Humphreys collection of papers. There are loose photographs, albums, images on glass, filmstrips, postcards, and negatives on film and on glass.

The photographs have been sorted and most are stored with the photographic collections, unless indicated otherwise. Some duplicates and some photographs of limited interest have been grouped in their categories and stored with the original collection of papers.

The photographs taken by the Barnett brothers are Copyright 'The Star' newspaper.

Extracts from diaries kept by Australian immigrants during their visits to Cape Town en route to Australia.

Extract from Mrs. King's journal of her 2nd voyage to New South Wales, which commenced the 20th of November 1799; descriptions of Cape Town from diaries of Arthur Hardy, 1838, Henry Watson, 1839, Dr. Charles Davies, 1839 and William Hamilton 1854.