National Heritage Cultural Studies CentreArchival Collections
EXTENT: 4.6 linear metres
ACQUISITION: Copied from Cory Library in 1987. Originals are deposited on loan in the Cory Library at Rhodes University, Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province.
ACCESS: Open for research.
COPYRIGHT: Copyright is held by Lovedale Press.
PROCESSED BY: Punky Kwatsha and Tabitha Oglesby, June 1998.
The Lovedale Press was established as a small printing press in 1823 under Rev. John Ross of the Glasgow Missionary Society. He brought the printing press from Britain to Cape Town. It was transported to the mission station in Gwali and Chumie about eight miles up the Tyumie Valley from the present site of Lovedale. Along with Rev. Ross, Rev. John Browlee, Rev. W.R. Thomson and Rev John Bennie settled at the station. The Press was destroyed and rebuilt twice during two wars, the Frontier War of 1834-5 and the War of the Axe (1846-7). The Lovedale Press in its present form dates from 1861.
The historical significance of Lovedale Press cannot be overstated. It was introduced as a means of advancing missionary activities and as a step towards educating South African blacks. It provided a vehicle for South African black authors to publish their work and was a pioneer in printing vernacular literature. Also, it allowed blacks to receive training as apprentices in printing and book binding.
Lovedale Press concentrated on publishing evangelical and educational material. One of the earliest projects was the translation of the Xhosa Bible. Some of the press earliest works include producing hymn books, school reading books and other Christian literature.
In 1927 Robert Henry Wishart Shepherd was appointed as Director of Publications. The publication work at Lovedale consisted of three separate units, the printing and bookbinding department, the retail bookroom, and the monthly magazine, The South African Outlook. Within two years, these and an additional wholesale department were all united under the name of Lovedale Press, under the control of Lovedale Governing Council.
Lovedale Press was a business enterprise. Most of the profits came from printing. For instance, Bantu Studies was printed for the University of Witwatersrand. The Press made profits printing vernacular literature for missions in the Rhodesians and Nysasaland. School textbook proved profitable, especially primary school books. In the 1930's, the Press began printing Stewart Xhosa readers.
The Lovedale collection is divided into four series: Administrative Records, Correspondence, Manuscripts and Topical.
The Administrative Records relate to the internal activities of the Lovedale Press. It contains financial records, personnel records and minutes of the Lovedale Press Manuscript Committee. The financial records are grouped into four folders and cover the years 1924 to 1949. They include account records, invoices, sales receipts, and reports. The personnel records consists of staff lists of the printing and bookbinding departments.
The Correspondence series spans from 1928 to 1974. It is arranged into two subseries, Hymn Book Revision Committee and Steward Xhosa Readers. The Committee was a joint committee representing the Presbyterian Missions, the Congregational Church, and the Lovedale Institution, appointed to revise the hymn book edition that was already in use. It was also charged with the service of producing a music version. Correspondence about the Steward Xhosa Readers pertain to the writing and the editing of the readers between G.B. Sinxo and Rev. Shepherd. Many of the related materials came grouped together chronologically. These materials were kept together and filed according to the date of the first corresponding material. Correspondence that had accompanying manuscripts were filed or grouped with the manuscripts.
The Manuscripts series is arranged alphabetically by the author's last name. The series includes manuscripts of many well known black authors including A.C. Jordan, H.I.E. Dhlomo, D.D.T. Jabavu, J.J.R. Jolobe, S.E.K. Mqhayi, H.M. Ndawo, A.Z. Ngani, G.B. Sinxo, T.B. Soga and Victoria Swaartbooi. It consists of both typed and handwritten. It is important to note that some of the manuscripts are accompanied by correspondence relating to the manuscripts. The manuscripts range from school books, drama, poetry, and language books, and other Xhosa books. Manuscripts that did not have an author's name listed are filed under unknown authors.
Religious materials form a large part of the Topical series. These include an incomplete Old Testament Xhosa Bible annotated by Dr. R. H. W. Shepherd, Dr. Bryce Ross' Review of Xhosa Bible, and the Xhosa hymn book. Other files includes Lovedale Press and missionary publications, news cuttings, Xhosa language and literature, and miscellaneous papers.
Administrative Records
Box 2
Correspondence
Box 4
Box 5
Box 6
Box 7
Box 8
Box 9
Box 10
Box 11
Manuscripts
Box 13
Box 14
Box 15
Box 16
Box 17
Box 18
Box 19
Box 20
Box 21
Box 22
Box 23
Box 24
Box 25
Box 26
Box 27
Box 28
Box 29
Box 30-31
Topical
Box 33
Box 34
Box 35
Box 36
Box 37-39
Box 40-41
Box 42
Box 43
Box 44
Box 45
Box 46
National Heritage Cultural Studies Centre
Archival Collections
Last updated 18 September 1998