1. Van Riebeeck Society – First Series (Vols 1–50)

The Van Riebeeck Society, founded in 1918, stands as one of South Africa’s most important historical institutions. For over five decades it systematically published rare and previously unpublished primary sources on the history of the Cape Colony. Its First Series (1918–1969) comprises 50 carefully edited volumes containing journals, letters, official reports, and eyewitness accounts. These publications remain essential primary sources for scholars studying the Dutch East India Company period and the foundations of South African society.

Sources

1. Van Riebeeck Society Publications – Series I, Volumes 1–50 (1918–1969)
   Key volumes include:
   • Vol 1–3: Journal of Jan van Riebeeck (edited by B. Thom)
   • Vol 4: Letters of Commander and Council, 1651–1656
   • Vol 6: Diary of Adam Tas
   • Vol 8 & 9: Journal of the Expedition to the North of Cape Town, 1685–86 (Simon van der Stel)
   • Vol 13: Memorien en Instructien, 1657–1699
   • Vol 14: François Valentyn’s Description of the Cape
   • Vol 19–21: The Reports of Chavonnes, Tulbagh & Rijk Tulbagh
   • Vol 24: Travels in South Africa by François le Vaillant
   • Vol 42–43: Kaapse Plakkaatboek
   • Multiple volumes covering Huguenot settlement, the slave trade, frontier relations, and VOC administration

2. Dr. A.J. Boeseken

Dr. Anna Jacoba Boeseken (1904–1997) was a pioneering South African historian and archivist. She was the first woman to obtain a Doctorate in Literature (D.Litt) from Stellenbosch University. Boeseken spent decades working in the Cape Archives, where she became one of the foremost authorities on the Dutch East India Company (VOC) period. Her meticulous transcriptions, translations, and interpretations of original Dutch documents have preserved invaluable primary sources for future generations. Her landmark biography Jan van Riebeeck en sy Gesin remains a standard reference, while her numerous edited collections of VOC records continue to form the bedrock of serious scholarship on the early Cape.

Sources

1. Jan van Riebeeck en sy Gesin deur A.J. Boeseken (1964)
   Definitive biography covering the Company’s instructions, van Riebeeck’s arrival, the first fort, family life, political and economic challenges, and his legacy at the Cape
2. Memoriën en Instructiën (1657–1699) – Edited by A.J. Boeseken
   Important collection of official VOC directives and memoranda
3. Resolusies van die Politieke Raad (8 volumes) – Edited by A.J. Boeseken
   Complete records of the Council of Policy at the Cape
4. Kaapse Plakkaatboek (6 volumes) – Edited by A.J. Boeseken & others
   Official proclamations and edicts of the Cape Colony
5. Dagboek en Briewe van Zacharias Wagenaer – Edited by A.J. Boeseken
   Journal and letters of an early Cape commander
6. Slaves and Free Blacks at the Cape 1658–1700 – A.J. Boeseken
   Groundbreaking study on slavery and manumission in the early Cape
7. The Archives Year Book for South African History – Multiple contributions by A.J. Boeseken
   Extensive scholarly articles on VOC administration and Cape social history

3. George McCall Theal

George McCall Theal (1837–1919), born in Canada, became South Africa’s most prolific and influential historian of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After settling in the Cape, he dedicated his life to collecting historical documents from archives across Europe and South Africa. Appointed Colonial Historiographer, Theal produced a monumental multi-volume History of South Africa series, along with dozens of carefully edited collections of original records. His tireless efforts in locating, transcribing, and publishing primary sources laid a lasting foundation for South African historiography and remain indispensable to researchers today.

Sources

1. History of South Africa 1486–1691 Vol. 1 by George McCall Theal (1888)
   Early Portuguese exploration, Bartholomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama, and Portuguese settlements
2. History of South Africa 1486–1691 Vol. 2 by George McCall Theal (1888)
   Establishment of the Dutch East India Company at the Cape and the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck
3. History of South Africa 1486–1691 Vol. 3 by George McCall Theal (1888)
   Expansion of the settlement, conflicts with the Khoikhoi, and the growth of the Free Burghers
4. History of South Africa 1486–1691 Vol. 4 by George McCall Theal (1888)
   Huguenot immigration, Simon van der Stel, and the development of Stellenbosch
5. History of South Africa 1486–1691 Vol. 5 by George McCall Theal (1888)
   Wars with the San and Khoikhoi, and governance under Willem Adriaan van der Stel
6. History of South Africa 1486–1691 Vol. 6 by George McCall Theal (1888)
   The Trekboers, relations with the Xhosa, and the conclusion of the Dutch period
7. Records of the Cape Colony (36 volumes, 1897–1905) – Edited by George McCall Theal
   Monumental collection of official Dutch and British documents from 1793–1834
8. Belangrijke Historische Dokumenten (3 volumes) – George McCall Theal
   Important Dutch East India Company records and correspondence
9. Chronicles of the Cape Commanders – George McCall Theal
   Early Cape governors and commanders from 1652 onward
10. History of the Boers in South Africa – George McCall Theal
    Detailed account of the Great Trek and the founding of the Boer republics
11. The Yellow and Dark-Skinned People of Africa South of the Zambesi – George McCall Theal
    Ethnographic and historical study of indigenous peoples
12. South Africa (Story of the Nations series) – George McCall Theal
    Popular one-volume history widely read in Britain and South Africa

4. Sir George Edward Cory

Sir George Edward Cory (1862–1935) was a distinguished South African historian, chemist, and educator. Originally trained in chemistry, he later devoted himself entirely to historical research. His six-volume masterpiece The Rise of South Africa is based on exhaustive original research in archives across South Africa and Britain. Cory served as President of the Historical Society of South Africa and was knighted in 1920 in recognition of his outstanding services to South African historical scholarship. His work remains a major authority on the period 1795–1854 and is especially valued for its careful documentation and balanced treatment of the British occupation, the 1820 Settlers, the Great Trek, and frontier history.

Sources

1. The Rise of South Africa Vol. 1 by George Edward Cory
   British occupation of 1795, first British frontier policy, and the Dutch revolt
2. The Rise of South Africa Vol. 2 by George Edward Cory
   Second British occupation, Lord Caledon’s administration, and slavery at the Cape
3. The Rise of South Africa Vol. 3 by George Edward Cory
   The 1815 Slachter’s Nek Rebellion, Lord Charles Somerset, and the Xhosa frontier wars
4. The Rise of South Africa Vol. 4 by George Edward Cory
   The 1820 Settlers, economic development, and missionary activity
5. The Rise of South Africa Vol. 5 by George Edward Cory
   The beginning of the Great Trek, Dingane and the Zulus, and Piet Retief’s treaty
6. The Rise of South Africa Vol. 6 by George Edward Cory
   The Battle of Blood River, annexation of Natal, and conclusion of the period
7. Publications of the Historical Society of South Africa – Edited contributions by Sir George Edward Cory
   Various papers and documentary collections published under his presidency

5. Gustav Preller

Gustav Schoeman Preller (1875–1943) was a dedicated South African historian, journalist, and author who made an outstanding contribution to the preservation of Voortrekker history. He travelled widely across South Africa collecting oral testimonies and original documents from Voortrekker descendants before they could be lost to time. Through his painstaking editing and publishing work, Preller rescued and made accessible a vast body of primary sources that continue to serve as the foundation for the study of the Great Trek. His writings remain highly regarded for their dedication to historical preservation and the recording of Afrikaner cultural heritage.

Sources

1. Voortrekkermense I–VI – Gustav S. Preller (1908–1938)
   Monumental six-volume collection of Voortrekker letters, diaries, reminiscences, and official documents
2. Dagboek van Louis Trichardt – Edited by Gustav S. Preller
   The only surviving diary of a major Voortrekker leader, carefully transcribed and annotated
3. Voortrekker Wetgewing – Gustav S. Preller
   Collection of laws and governance documents created by the Voortrekker governments
4. Piet Retief – Gustav S. Preller
   Authoritative biography together with Retief’s letters and important historical documents
5. Voortrekkers van Suidwes – Gustav S. Preller
   Detailed history of the Voortrekkers who settled in South West Africa (Namibia)
6. Andries Pretorius – Gustav S. Preller
   Comprehensive biography of the hero of Blood River and founder of the South African Republic
7. Oorlogsverhaal van die Groot Trek – Gustav S. Preller
   Vivid military history of the Great Trek campaigns
8. Die Groot Trek – Gustav S. Preller
   One-volume narrative history drawn from primary sources
9. Scheepers se Dagboek – Edited by Gustav S. Preller
   Diary of Commandant Scheepers from the Anglo-Boer War period
10. Historiese Opstelle – Gustav S. Preller
    Collection of important historical essays and studies