A History of Natal by Edgar H. Brookes & Colin de B. Webb

A History of Natal (Second Impression of the Standard Natal History)

The Standard Academic History of Natal, from the Rise of the Zulu Monarchy to Union and Beyond

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: A History of Natal
• Authors: Edgar H. Brookes & Colin de B. Webb
• Publisher: University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg
• Publication Date: 1965
• ISBN: None Issued (Pre-ISBN Era)
• Edition Details: First published 1965; Second Impression, 1967.
• Binding: Publisher's green cloth boards with gilt lettering to the spine.
• Physical Format: Octavo-sized hardcover. 371 pages, with illustrations and maps.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Good (G)
• Exterior / Boards: Overall fading of spine section.Green cloth boards with gilt lettering to the spine. A small brown stain or mark sits on the lower spine, with faint marks to the front board. Light rubbing at the head and tail of the spine and at the corners.
• Interior: The title page and copyright page are clean, with a few tiny specks. The paper is lightly toned and the binding appears tight.
• Provenance: Handwritten name in blue ink on a flyleaf, reading approximately "Sheila du Plooy.", with a faint stamped number, possibly "R3.30", beside it.
• The Dust Jacket: Not Present

Synopsis & Historical Value

First published by the University of Natal Press in Pietermaritzburg in 1965, A History of Natal by Edgar H. Brookes and Colin de B. Webb traces the region from its earliest days and the rise of the Zulu monarchy to 1910, with supplementary chapters covering the years 1910 to 1961.

The authors set out to write an impartial history of the African, European and Asian immigrant groups who together built Natal. Most of the text was written by Brookes, while a large part of the research, in both South Africa and Britain, was undertaken by Webb.

This is the 1967 Second Impression. It remains a useful reference for anyone studying Natal, the Zulu kingdom, colonial settlement and the province's place within the Union of South Africa.

Author Profile: Edgar H. Brookes & Colin de B. Webb

Edgar H. Brookes was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire, and came to Natal with his parents in 1901. He taught political science at the University of Pretoria from 1920 to 1933 and was principal of Adams College, a missionary secondary school for Africans in Natal, from 1934 to 1945. Elected to the Senate in 1937 by Africans in Natal, he became professor of history and political science at the University of Natal in 1952. His other works include History of Native Policy in South Africa (1924), The Colour Problems of South Africa (1933) and A History of the University of Natal (1967). He died in 1979.

Colin de B. Webb was born in Pretoria in 1930. He began his university career in 1957 as a temporary lecturer in history and political science at the University of Natal, Durban, and in 1976 moved to the University of Cape Town as King George V Professor of History. He died in 1992.

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