"Brute force, women fighting, England/SA comparison" Read the full letter

Changes in South Africa 1914-1920

The collection of Schreiner letters on ‘Changes in South Africa’ covers the period from 1914 to 1920, including her involvement in South African political circles in wartime London. These letters include comments on the South African black delegation protesting the Natives Land Act and her friendships with Georgiana Solomon, John Hodgson, Mohandas Gandhi and Solomon Plaatje among others. They also include discussions of South Africa’s involvement in the Great War and in fighting in German South West Africa, the 1914 Rebellion, and South Africa in 1920 not being ‘the same’ kind of place that Schreiner had left in 1913.

After her return to South Africa in mid-1920, Schreiner's letters include criticisms of the hardening of legislation aimed at control of ‘native’ labour, increasing resistance to this from black South Africans and her support of this around strikes in Port Elizabeth and the trial of Masabala and the Bloemfontein women’s anti-pass law demonstrations.

 

To: John Hodgson, 1914: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/17
30 St Mary Abbotts Terrace, Kensington, Monday, Dear Mr Hodgson, I am not very fit – or would have written before. I sh...
[Things look as bad as they can be in the Cape]
To: John Hodgson, January 1914: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/35
Hotel Paoli , Florence, Address, Poste Restante, Florence, Italy, Dear Mr Hodgson, Thank you much for the long and most inter...
[Back veld Boer linked with Rand financier will kill out freedom]
To: Betty Molteno, 16 January 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/3
Le Grand Hotel et D’Alassio, Alassio, Riviera, Italie, Jan 16th 1914, Dear Betty, I wish so much you or Alice would wri...
[My affectionate greetings to Gandhi & Kallenbach]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 18 January 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/2
Hotel Paol, Florence, Jan 11th 1914, My dear Laddie, Oliver will no doubt write you a long letter telling of our adventures s...
[Terrible goings on in the mines, Botha reported as arming men]
To: Lucy Molteno nee Mitchell, 26 January 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/4
Le Grand Hotel et D’Alassio, Alassio, Riviera, Italie, Jan 26th 1914, Dear Lucy, I don’t know Miss Hobhouse’...
[Africa in time of trouble & unrest]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 30 January 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/5
Le Grand Hotel et D’Alassio, Alassio, Riviera, Italie, Jan 30 / 14, My dear Laddie, I wonder how things are going with ...
[Botha & Smuts position strengthened by their actions]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 6 February 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/7
Alassio, Italy, Feb 6th 1914, Dear Boy, I much wish to know what you feel about Cape matters. , The paper this morning said y...
[South African government overriding law & order, Smuts's unending ambition]
To: Edward Carpenter, 18 February 1914: Olive Schreiner: Edward Carpenter SMD 30/32/p
Le Grand Hotel et d'Alassio, Alassio, Dear Ed, I feel I want to write to you this evening. I wonder what you think of our Cap...
[Cape affairs drifting towards military dictatorship]
To: John Hodgson, 16 March 1914: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/81
Palace Hotel , & New-York , Lung’arno , Florence, March 16th 1914, Dear Mr Hodgson, Thanks for your letter. I wonde...
[Would say a great deal on South Africa but this letter may never reach you]
To: John Hodgson, 6 April 1914: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/68
Dear Mr Hodgson, Thanks for your letter & the enclosures which which I shall return. I shall arrive in England next Satur...
[Should like to talk to you about South African matters]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 29 August 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/52
Saturday , Dear Laddie, I’m not wrong this time. I do know the date! It will be but a sorrowful birthday to you, but I’...
[Not afraid of Germans taking South Africa; afraid of South Africa joining the war]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 1 September 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/55
Thanks for note dear I’m glad you are keeping fit. The Merriman’s invited me to dine with them yesterday, but at ...
[Dinner with Merrimans; Gandhi and Kallenbach came to see me]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 4 September 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/57
Friday, Dear Laddie, I am glad of your note. I don’t know how Merriman knows the parliament is to be called., If the re...
[England wants the Cape to attack Germany, OS hopes in the sanity of Smuts & Botha]
To: Havelock Ellis, 11 September 1914: Olive Schreiner: Havelock Ellis 2006.29/14
30 St Mary Abbott's Terrace, Kensington, Friday, Dear old Havelock, I went to Eastbourne yesterday. It was too sad., I came b...
[Going to begin attacking Germans in South Africa]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 15 September 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/62
Tuesday, Dear Laddie, Curry said on Friday – “Merriman sails for Africa tomorrow.” I said “Are you go...
[Germans in South West Africa]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 18 September 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/64
30 St Mary Abbotts Terrace, Friday, Dear, Let me know as soon as you know anything surely about your movements. The weather h...
[Tragic death of De la Rey]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 24 September 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/67
Dear Laddie, I send you the Citizen with the news about Dr Liebknecht which may not be true but I believe is., I spend all ye...
[Cape to attack German West Africa]
To: Frederick (‘Fred’) Pethick-Lawrence, October 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box8/Fold4/MMPr/AssortedCorres/FredPL/34
The Windsor Hotel, Lancaster Ggate, nd , Thanks for the cutting much. I was very ill at Hythe & had to come up. I am stay...
[Terrible things in South Africa, rebellion]
To: John Hodgson, October 1914: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/2
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel,, De Vere Gardens, W., Dea...
[Post-1914 Rebellion executions]
To: Sophie Colenso nee Frankland (m.1880), October 1914: Colenso Papers, MSS. Afr. s. 1293/8, 4-5
Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., Telephone: 3675 Kensington. Telegram: Apartment, London, Saturda...
[Harriet Colenso one of the greatest women South Africa possesses]
To: Robert Franklin ('Bob') Muirhead, October 1914: MacFarlane-Muirhead/26
Telephone 7266 Paddington, The Windsor,, 61 & 62 Lancaster Gate, W, Dear Bob, Thanks for your letter & thanks for ask...
[British Government urged South Africa to attack German East Africa]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 12 October 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/73
The Windsor, 61 & 62 Lancaster Gate, W, My darling Will, I have a strangely interesting letter from Cron which I will sho...
[Smuts & Botha will pay one day]
To: Minnie or Mimmie Murray nee Parkes, 12 October 1914: Olive Schreiner: Mimmie Murray 2001.24/72
The Windsor, 61 & 62 Lancaster Gate, W, London , Oct 12th 1914, My dear dear Friend, I am thinking of you all so often my...
[Closer & closer to Africa the longer I am separated, tell me all your news, ]
To: Edward Carpenter, 13 October 1914: Olive Schreiner: Edward Carpenter SMD 30/32/q
The Windsor, 61 & 62 Lancaster Gate, W., Durrants Hotel, Manchester Square, London W., Dear old Edward, I think so much o...
[Things in South Africa terrible, bathe the sands red in German West Africa]
To: Alice Greene, 23 November 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/80
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London. This is the cable adddress., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hote...
[saw Gandhi the other day]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 29 November 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/79
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., My d...
[Rumours of execution of 11 men in Cape Town, Maritz's commando]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/51
Dear Laddie, I was so sorry to hear from Ol that you’d had a cold & been unfit. Take care of the old self so dear t...
[Oliver Schreiner & Nel Van Heerden couldn;t see eye to eye [about the war]]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 6 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/83
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., My d...
[This rising in the Cape mainly against dictatorship of Smuts & Botha as his instrument]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 10 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/84
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W. , Thu...
[150 men to German West from de Aar, says Cronwright]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 11 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/86
Friday , My dear Laddie, If you’ve done with that book of Norman Angels "Patriotism under two flags" return it to me so...
[Ghandi's good bye gathering, OS spoke]
To: Betty Molteno, 18 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/87
Address c/o Standard Bank, Dec 18th 1914, Dear dear Friend, How much I wish you & Alice were here now. I hope you are fee...
[The Gandhis leaving but Kallenbach may not get permission, Will Schreiner's big dinner]
To: Frances (‘Fan’) Schreiner nee Reitz, 19 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/89
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., My d...
[Bill Schreiner going to German West, OS anxious]
To: Betty Molteno, 23 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/91
Address care Standard Bank, Kensington Palace Mansions,, De Vere Gardens, W, My dear dear Friend, How I long to see you., Its...
[Fourie's execution speech, love of Africa]
To: Alice Greene, 25 December 1914: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold3/1914/92
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., Xmas...
[Fourie's execution but little South African news]
To: William Philip (Will') Schreiner, 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/53
[page/s missing], 2, Kensington Place Mansions & Hotel,, De Vere Gardens, W., Oh, however since that accursed peace of Ve...
[Oh Africa my Africa]
To: Edward Carpenter, January 1915: Olive Schreiner: Edward Carpenter SMD 30/32/rii
Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., My dear old Edward, I think you think I am a horrid person, but ...
[South Africa again bathed in blood]
To: Edward Carpenter, 4 January 1915: Olive Schreiner: Edward Carpenter SMD 30/32/ri
Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., Dear Edward, Lady Low came to see me & I dined with her last...
[Labour men in Cape standing out well, Cronwright member of Labour Party]
To: Frances (‘Fan’) Schreiner nee Reitz, February 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold3/ToBe/3
Dear Fan,, Again I’ve just missed you. I’ve heard such terrible news today, from three different people, they say...
[Rumours about Smuts & military disasters]
To: John Hodgson, February 1915: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/39
Saturday, Dear Mr Hodgson, I enjoyed yesterday evening very much. Your friend is most charming. I didn’t refer to South...
[Didn't discuss South African matters as Dot (Lyndall Schreiner) there; Will Schreiner is a Botharite and believer in war]
To: John Hodgson, April 1915: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/30
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel,, De Vere Gardens, W., Dea...
[Investigations in Parliament into causes of Rising at Cape]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, June 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box5/Fold4/Jan-June1915/26
Telephone: 3675 Kensington., Telegrams: Apartment, London., Kensington Palace Mansions & Hotel, De Vere Gardens, W., Dear...
[Africa news is paralyzing]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 17 August 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold1/July-Dec1915/13
Trevaldwyn, Llandrindod Wells, Dear old man, I hope you two had a good week end at the Schusters. I’m glad Plum is with...
[The best young men comming to die here when South Africa needs them]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 29 August 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold1/Dated/37
Llandrindodd Wells, Tuesday, Dear Old Man, Tomorrow will be your birthday. I’m so glad you’ve at least one of you...
[Letter from John brown, drunk colonial soldiers in Cape Town street, an officer photo taken with arm round waist of coloured prostitute]
To: Caroline Murray nee Molteno, 16 September 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold1/July-Dec1915/24
Llandrindod Wells, Thursday , Dear Mrs Murray,, I have just said good bye to George, who has gone off to the station with May...
[Caroline Murray two sons in West Africa, another just joined up & going to France]
To: Frances (‘Fan’) Schreiner nee Reitz, 21 September 1915: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold1/July-Dec1915/25
Trevaldwyn, Llandrindod Wells., Dear Fan, It was good of you to write when I know you must have so many letters to send off e...
[De Villers brother sentenced to 4 years for part in the Rebellion]
To: John Hodgson, 19 October 1915: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/50
Oct 19th 1915, Tuesday, Dear Mr Hodgson, I shall be coming up to London on Tuesday (to-day week) Would Thurs-day evening at 6...
[Smuts a man of blood, OS hopes no civil war in South Africa]
To: John Hodgson, 19 November 1915: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/51
Maer Lake, Bude, North Cornwall, Friday, Dear Mr Hodgson, Dont trouble to return those papers. , I grow more and more sick of...
[The Nationalists taken up arms, the natives in for bad time now]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, January 1916: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold2/1916/1
30 St Mary Abbotts Terrace , Wednesday night, My dear old Man, I hear from the Cape that there is a report in the papers ther...
[A newspaper report that Will Schreiner is to resign as High Commissiner, the great shadow of the future]
To: Frances (‘Fan’) Schreiner nee Reitz, 19 January 1916: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold2/1916/3
Wednesday, Dear Fan, I shall come on Friday to fetch my box & portmanteau its been too bad to trouble you with them so lo...
[Smuts to make his great native war in time to come]
To: John Hodgson, April 1916: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/94
Dear John, I am so sorry Joan has been ill. Give her my dear love. She must take care of her splendid vitality. I fear she ha...
[OS's dearest friend from Africa wounded seriously ]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, September 1916: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/60
Llandrindodd Wells, Friday, Thanks for your letter, dear. I am always getting anxious about the boy when I don’t hear f...
[Gladys Carwood coming to Britain, wants to drive motor car in Flanders]
To: Frederick (Fred) Pethick-Lawrence, October 1916: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box8/Fold4/MMPr/AssortedCorres/FredPL/31
Kensington Palace , 1916 - 17. , I am so sorry that tomorrow I have to go out to lunch to meet Norman Angell, an old appointm...
[Botha has all the guns & money]
To: Georgiana Solomon, 5 October 1916: Olive Schreiner: Georgiana Solomon MSC 26/2.13.3
Dawson Place Mansions, Pembridge Sq, London W., Oct 5th 1916, Dear Mrs Solomon, I have not read Platjes book but will get it ...
[Plaatje's book, pacifism, Hodgson wants to meet Plaatje]
To: John Hodgson, 13 October 1916: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/59
Dawson Place Mansions, Pembridge Sq, Wednes-day, Dear Mr Hodgson, Thank you for those lovely, very lovely, flowers. I had bee...
[Meeting Plaatje]
To: John Hodgson, 19 October 1916: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/62
I have written to Mrs Solomon & given her your address & asked her to invite you to meet Solomon Platje. You might wr...
[Arranging to meet Plaatje]
To: Georgiana Solomon, 19 October 1916: Olive Schreiner: Georgiana Solomon MSC 26/2.13.4
Alexi,, The Park,, Hampstead., Dawson Place Mansions, Pembridge Sq, Wednesday, Dear Mrs Solomon, Mr Hodgson was delighted wit...
[Could OS & Hodgson meet Plaatje ]
To: Betty Molteno, 7 November 1916: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold2/1916/49
Tuesday, Darling Betty,, I feel as if you were resting and hope you will stay on a little. I feel so happy about you when you...
[Will be good to see Gandhi]
To: Georgiana Solomon nee Thompson, 30 November 1916: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold1/Dated/40
Saturday , Dear Mrs Solomon, I am so grieved to hear Daisy has been so unwell. I don’t envy many people anything, but I...
[Opposed to Africans and Indians taking part in war; I am you know a pacifist]
To: John Hodgson, 6 December 1916: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/98
Wednesday, Dear Mr Hodgson, On Sunday I am practically never in; I always to g my brothers. Mrs Solomon writes to me in great...
[Hope you are in sympathy with Plaatje's view]
To: John Hodgson, 1917: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/41
9 Porchester Place, Edgware Rd, Saturday, Dear Mr Hodgson, I hope your understood that I took your question on the phone as a...
[OS is bitterly opposed to Smuts's native policy]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, 8 January 1917: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box6/Fold3/1917/2
19 Adam Street , Portman Sq, W, Monday, Dear old man, I have moved into my little room which I like much so far. I heard a wo...
[No Cape mails, OS advised Hodgson to publish nothing on South Africa, he & Georgiana Solomon a distressing pair]
To: William Philip ('Will') Schreiner, March 1917: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/67
9 Porchester Place, Sunday night, Dear, I heard last Thursday that Jan Smuts was going to take over the command in Egypt. I d...
[Smuts taking over command in Egypt]
To: John Hodgson, 19 March 1917: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/77
19 Adam St, Portman Sq, Saturday, Dear Mr Hodgson, I found the meeting so very interesting. Tell me the result of your visit ...
[Tell me the result of your visit to Smuts]
To: John Hodgson, 5 April 1917: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/97
Porchester Place, Edgware Rd, W 1, Thursday, Dear Mr Hodgson, I was so disappointed not to be able to go on Sunday to the pla...
[Article in Fortnightly on Natives Land Act]
To: Frederick ('Fred') Pethick-Lawrence, April 1918: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box8/Fold4/MMPr/AssortedCorres/FredPL/37
1918. , same address also nd, I am so glad to see you are going to stand for Hastings: I do hope you will get in. Thank you s...
[George Murray [son of Carline Murray] killed soon after his wedding; South Africa is depleted of her young men]
To: Jan Smuts, 19 November 1918: Smuts A1/204/146
9 Porchester Place, Edgware Road, Nov 19th 1918 , Dear Jan , Don’t you begin to see this is the 20th Century!! That the...
[The 19th century will have to go, even in South Africa, the old world is cracking]
To: John Hodgson, 24 December 1918: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JohnHodgson/88
Xmas Night, Dear John, All best wishes the new year. May it be to you both an exceedingly happy one. Joan looked like a star ...
[Every mail brings terrible news from South Africa, influenza, Elbert & Norah Hemming have died]
To: Frederick ('Fred') Pethick-Lawrence, July 1919: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box8/Fold4/MMPr/AssortedCorres/FredPL/28
Thursday, Which afternoon this week or next would you be able to have the delegates to tea? Please give me a couple of aftern...
[1919 delegation, sent native paper, treatment of delegation]
To: Georgiana Solomon nee Thompson, 26 July 1919: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold1/Jan-July1919/22
Dear Mrs Solomon, Your gathering was most interesting. How well Platje & all the delegates spoke! But you looked very wor...
[Plaatjie & the South African delegates]
To: Betty Molteno, August 1919: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/3
Tuesday, My darling Betty, Thank you for your card. I enclose part of Isabellas letter about the meeting in her rooms of the ...
[The South Africandelegates]
To: Betty Molteno, August 1919: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/1
Tuesday, Darling Betty, I was so glad of that news, that Alice had been for a walk. I cannot but feel that doctors may mistak...
[Will Ettie Sayer have a meeting for the South African delegates?]
To: Joan Hodgson nee Wickham, 29 August 1919: HRC/OliveSchreinerLetters/OS-JOANHodgson/8
9 Porchester Place, Edgware Rd, Aug 29th 1919, Dear Joan, I hope you are not doing too much. Exercise is very good but you mu...
[Seen Botha's death in paper, old land mark disappearing]
To: Georgiana Solomon nee Thompson, 13 October 1919: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold2/Aug-Dec1919/22
Dear Friend, I do hope your son & Daisy have got off all right. Let me know of your movements Could you give me Solomon P...
[Plaatjie's newspaper, a friend might help]
To: Minnie or Mimmie Murray nee Parkes, 5 December 1919: Olive Schreiner: Mimmie Murray 2001.24/25
9 Porchester Place , Edgeware Rd, Dec 5th 1919, Dear, dear Friend, My niece Lyndall Schreiner has married a Colonel Gregg who...
[Tabora, near where our beloved Haldane Murray fell]
To: Betty Molteno, 1 January 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold3/Jan-Feb1920/1
New Years Day , Darling Betty, I have written to Margaret & sent her off Dillon’s book. I have ordered the other tw...
[My anxiety for our poor natives in Africa]
To: Betty Molteno, February 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/86
Wednesday, My darling Betty, I sometimes feel so anxious about you. I feel as if you may not be very well., It is so hot here...
[Labour party of South Africa]
To: Georgiana Solomon, 21 February 1920: Olive Schreiner: Georgiana Solomon MSC 26/2.13.7
Saturday, My dear Friend, Thank you for your beautiful beautiful gift. I will keep it to wear on board ship, in case I am abl...
[Mr Thema secretary of South African deputation]
To: Georgiana Solomon, 6 April 1920: Olive Schreiner: Georgiana Solomon MSC 26/2.13.8
Dear Mrs Solomon, I have again mislaid your Tunbridge Wells address I am so anxious to know if all is going well with you. D ...
[OS wants to ask Thema to tea]
To: Havelock Ellis, 4 August 1920: HRC/UNCAT/OS-153
Aug 4th 1920 , Dear Havelock , I hope you will have a happy holiday in Ireland. It will be so interesting. I am so sorry I sh...
[People in Africa are so cut off from books & papers in]
To: Betty Molteno, September 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/24
Address to Standard Bank, Strand Street, Cape Town, My darling Betty, Yesterday Mrs Victor Molteno & Mary called. Little ...
[Indian Congress, Ruth Alexander prevented from speaking, Gandhi said she must though he disagreed with her]
To: Betty Molteno, 5 September 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box11/Fold2/Undated/88
Sandown Rd, Monday, Darling Betty, I have been here five days. Tomorrow I am returning to Ursie’s & then going to s...
[South African life here curiously still, quite different from old Cape Town]
To: Lucy Molteno nee Mitchell, 9 September 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/22
Binzana, Plumstead, Thursday, Lucy dear, It was such a disappointment that I was out when you came this afternoon. I am spend...
[So little left of the old Africa]
To: Jessie Rose Innes nee Dods Pringle, October 1920: Olive Schreiner: Jessie Rose Innes MSC 26/2.6.10
Oak Hall, Tramway Terminus, Wynburg, Thursday, Dear Jessie, I'm so glad to think you've come back again. I hope you've had a ...
[Much distressed about native question, made mistake of my life coming back]
To: Betty Molteno, 2 October 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/25
Birzana, Plumstead, Oct 2nd 1920, Darling Betty, I wonder how the world is going with you & if you have gone to France wi...
[Smuts playing his last card, OS feels completely out of this life]
To: Jan Smuts, 19 October 1920: Smuts A1/207/185
Address , c/o Mrs. W P Schreiner, Lyndall , Garden Street , Plumstead, nr. Cape Town , Oct 19th 1920, Dear Jan, Thank you for...
[Not only South Africa's great questionbut the world's great question, the troubles in Port Elizabeth, why isn;t Smuts taking a broad sane view of the native problem, the serf in palace, where is Czar, meet incoming tide]
To: Wynnie Hemming, 19 October 1920: Schreiner-Hemming Family BC 1080 A1.7/178
Darling Wynne, I am still at Aunt Fan’s as I have not yet been able to find a room. As soon as I am settled you must co...
[OS made a big mistake coming out here, can't go back now]
To: Betty Molteno, 27 October 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/30
Oak Hall, Main Rd , Wynberg, but still address , to c/o Standard Bank, Strand St , Cape Town , Darling Betty, I’ve had ...
[Port Elizabeth strike, natives shot]
To: Julia Solly nee Musprat, 1 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/32
Oak Hall, Tramway Terminus, Wynberg, Monday, Dear Mrs Solly, Thanks so much for your letter. Things are indeed is a dark way ...
[Shooting down & imprisoning natives]
To: Betty Molteno, 5 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/33
Oct Nov 5th 1920, My darling darling Betty, Oh how I wish you were here: all this trouble with the poor natives makes me long...
[Narrow racialism of Nationalists]
To: Betty Molteno, 10 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/35
Oak Hall, Tramway Terminus, Wynberg, Sunday, My darling Betty, I got two letters from you from the Standard Bank this week, t...
[Right to strike only a white man's privilege in this country]
To: Betty Molteno, 12 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/36
My darling Betty, No line from you this week. But it is good of you to write as often as you do., You don’t know how pr...
[We are collecting money for Masabala's defence]
To: Betty Molteno, 23 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/37
Midwood, Palmyra Road, Newlands , Sunday, My darling Betty, I am spending a few days with Jessie Rose-Innes. I had a great tr...
[Betty Molteno & Alice Greene's cottage sad little place, soon falling to bits like my heart; Masabela's trial]
To: Julia Solly nee Musprat, 29 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/39
Oak Hall, Tramway Terminus, Wynberg, Dear Mrs Solly, What must you have thought of me for not answering your interesting lett...
[Smuts's latest move will strengthen the Nationalists]
To: Caroline Murray nee Molteno, 30 November 1920: Olive Schreiner BC16/Box7/Fold4/Mar-Dec1920/41
Oak Hall , Tram terminus, Wynberg, My dear Mrs Murray, I am so glad to think next week you will be here. As you will be at Mi...
[A man can marry his dead wife's sister but not his dead brother's wife, Parliament not till March so time to work]
To: S.C. ('Cron') Cronwright-Schreiner, 9 December 1920: Olive Schreiner: S.C. Cronwright-Schreiner SMD 30/33/k
Dec 9th 1920, My Pal,, I hope you have been able to get out of the London fog soon. They are choaking. I shall love to think ...
[The old South Africa Party & the Nationalists, it doesn't seem to me this is Africa]