Missions and emancipation in the South Western Cape : a case study of Groenekloof (Mamre), 1838-1852

While the past decade has seen a proliferation of studies of Cape slavery, there has been very little research directed at the immediate post-emancipation period. This study seeks to examine the consequences of emancipation for the former slaves who settled at the Moravian mission at Groenekloof. This was situated in the wheat-producing Malmesbury district of the Cape Colony. The dissertation takes the form of a case study of nearly 700 people and focusses on the period from December 1838 to December 1852. Mission records are used as a way of identifying the origins of newcomers to the mission as well as of the social groups in which they arrived. The structure and ethos of the mission is explored as a context of the new lives constructed by the former slaves, and aspirations of ex-slaves concerning marriage and family life are examined.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Historical Studies

Year dc:date.issued

1992

Author dc:creator

• Ludlow, Helen

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Worden, Nigel

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21706

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/21706