Item sets
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St. Michaels and St. Matthews Collection
The St. Michaels and St. Matthews Collection is a digitized archival set of photographs and visual materials documenting life at the St. Michaels and St. Matthews missions in Keiskammahoek, Eastern Cape, South Africa. The images depict scenes of daily life, social activities, school events (such as sports days and parades), and the people associated with these mission institutions — including students, local Xhosa women in traditional attire, hospital patients, and community gatherings. This collection offers valuable visual insight into the cultural, educational, and social history of mission life during the period these photographs were taken. It is part of the Cory Library for Humanities Research digital collections, which preserve historical sources relating to the Eastern Cape and broader South African history. -
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The Frontier Collections
The Frontier Collections are a curated collection of archival materials that document the turbulent and formative era of the Eastern Cape frontier. Spanning the late 18th to the early 20th century, these collections provide a multi-perspective view of the Frontier Wars (Xhosa Wars), the establishment of colonial administration, and the subsequent growth of settler infrastructure. The collection is particularly noted for its focus on the "Frontier Country"—the region surrounding Makhanda (Grahamstown)—detailing the interplay between British settlers, Boer trekkers, and the Xhosa kingdoms. -
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Valda Niehaus Collection
The Valda Niehaus Collection is a visual archive of 73 digitised photographs and related materials, documenting scenes of social life, landscapes, and community activities associated with Grahamstown Teachers’ Training College (GTTC) and its local environs in the Eastern Cape. The collection includes personal portraits, class and group photographs, picnic and outing scenes at places such as Shelly Bay, images of Lincoln House (class of 1939), and views of residences and river landscapes, including Bushman’s River. Most items are captioned with identifiable locations and names, reflecting educational community networks and social events across several decades of the mid-20th century. The Valda Niehaus Collection sheds light on the lived experiences, informal gatherings, educational communities and leisure activities of people connected to Grahamstown Teachers’ Training College. It offers valuable visual documentation for studies of social history, education, regional community life, and photographic practices in South African local history. -
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W.F.H. Pocock's Victorian Children Collection (ca. 1887)
A collection of photographs probably taken by William Frederick Henry Pocock, photographer, mainly of Victorian children and babies in the 1880s. -
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Workman Family Collection
The Workman Family Collection is an extensive set of materials, primarily photographic, documenting the personal and social life of the Samuel and Frances Workman (née Evans) family and their connections in both Southern Africa and the UK. Key Thematic Areas Family History and Genealogy: The collection provides deep insight into the Workman and Evans lineages, including parents, children, aunts, uncles, and cousins (e.g., Apperly family connections). Key individuals documented are Samuel Workman, Frances Workman (née Evans), and her father, Walter Evans. Life Events and Celebrations: Significant family milestones are documented, most prominently the Golden Wedding Anniversary (1952) of Samuel and Frances, but also weddings and birthdays (e.g., Samuel Workman's 80th birthday). Geographic Span (Southern Africa and UK): The material reflects transnational life, covering residences and travels in: Southern Africa: Port Elizabeth, Oudtshoorn, Hanover (Northern Cape), Adelaide, Johannesburg (The Chalet, Parktown), and Grahamstown (Wesleyan High School for Girls). United Kingdom/Ireland: Kent (Bebelauds Bidborgh), Rodborough Court, Brimscombe Court, Belfast (Queens University), and Ballymoney, Ireland. Social and Leisure Activities: The collection captures daily life, including tennis parties, picnics (e.g., at Beachy Head), holidays, family gatherings at Christmas (e.g., at Handsworth), and scenic views. Church and Education Ties (Implied): While focused on personal life, the family's connection to Methodism is evident through mentions of church buildings, such as Glen Thorn Church and Oudtshoorn Church (and its dedication), as well as educational institutions like Wesleyan High School for Girls in Grahamstown and Grahamstown Training College. -
