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Minnie De Villiers (nee Drummond)

Minnie Edith De Villiers nee Drummond was the wife of South African judge Opie or Oefie De Villiers. She was born in Cape Town but met her husband while they were both students at the University of Cambridge, where she obtained a Master’s degree in Gothic. They married in 1903. She later went on to obtain her LL.B. at the South African College (later University of Cape Town) and was the first South African woman to become legally qualified as a barrister. She was an active member of the Cape Women’s Enfranchisement League and admired by Schreiner. It is likely that some letters were exchanged between Schreiner and De Villiers, although none have been traced.

For further information see:
V.G. Hiemstra (1977) ‘De Villiers, Sir Jean Etienne Reenen (Oefie)’ in (eds) D.W. Kruger & C.J. Beyers Dictionary of South African Biography  Vol III Pretoria: National Council for Social Research, pp. 220 - 221
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