Sir Patrick Duncan papers

Sir Patrick Duncan's correspondence with his son, Patrick Duncan (1918-1967), December 1928 - June 1943 (1 reel).
Administrative and political papers, including his correspondence with Lady Selborne, with whom he corresponded throughout his career (13 reels).

Sir Patrick Duncan was born in Banffshire, Scotland, on 21 December 1870. In 1900 he became first colonial treasurer of the Transvaal, South Africa, and in 1903 he was made colonial secretary.
With the regaining of Afrikaner political ascendancy, Duncan lost his job and went back to Britain to qualify for the bar, returning to Johannesburg to practice. In 1910 he stood successfully as a Unionist candidate in Fordsburg. As opposition leader of the Transvaal Unionists he led a social reform pressure group and worked on a Miners' Silicosis Bill and a Minimum Wages Bill for women workers.
In 1921, Jan Smuts, the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, was forced to seek Unionist support, and Duncan joined his cabinet, as Minister of the Interior. He was at the centre of the controversy in 1924 over the use of the Immigration Act to prevent Jewish refugees from entering the country. By 1929 Duncan was the leading member after Smuts of the South Africa Party, then in opposition.
In 1933, during the political crisis that developed over Hertzog's decision to keep South Africa on the Gold Standard, Duncan played a crucial role in arguing in favour of the coalition proposals, which led to the creation of the United Party. He was made Minister of Mines, a post he held until his appointment as Governor-General in 1936. His last major political decision was to refuse Hertzog's request for a dissolution and election over the issue of whether South Africa should declare war on Germany.
Sir Patrick died of on 17 July 1943, during his second term of office

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The microfilms were made between 1974 and 1977 and obtained from the University of Cape Town in 1977/8.

Sir Patrick Duncan was born in Banffshire, Scotland, on 21 December 1870. In 1900 he became first colonial treasurer of the Transvaal, South Africa, and in 1903 he was made colonial secretary.
With the regaining of Afrikaner political ascendancy, Duncan lost his job and went back to Britain to qualify for the bar, returning to Johannesburg to practice. In 1910 he stood successfully as a Unionist candidate in Fordsburg. As opposition leader of the Transvaal Unionists he led a social reform pressure group and worked on a Miners' Silicosis Bill and a Minimum Wages Bill for women workers.
In 1921, Jan Smuts, the Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa, was forced to seek Unionist support, and Duncan joined his cabinet, as Minister of the Interior. He was at the centre of the controversy in 1924 over the use of the Immigration Act to prevent Jewish refugees from entering the country. By 1929 Duncan was the leading member after Smuts of the South Africa Party, then in opposition.
In 1933, during the political crisis that developed over Hertzog's decision to keep South Africa on the Gold Standard, Duncan played a crucial role in arguing in favour of the coalition proposals, which led to the creation of the United Party. He was made Minister of Mines, a post he held until his appointment as Governor-General in 1936. His last major political decision was to refuse Hertzog's request for a dissolution and election over the issue of whether South Africa should declare war on Germany.
Sir Patrick died of on 17 July 1943, during his second term of office

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Patrick Duncan Archive, Borthwick Institute for Archives (GB 193 DU)

* The originals of the administrative and political papers are held at the Jagger Library, University of Cape Town.
* The originals of the correspondence with Patrick Duncan are held at the University of York (DU/2.1.1.-DU/2.1.202.)

Published

GB 193