South Africa Photographs, c1900

Mounted photograph of Louis Botha 'reading aloud to the Commandants and Veld Kornets his appointment as Commandant-General, near Colenso (Anglo-Boer War)', c1900; two photographs of Welgelegen on the Groote Schuur estate, Cape Colony, c1900.

Louis Botha (1862-1919) was born in Greytown, Natal and elected to the Transvaal Volksraad in 1897. During the South African War, 1899-1902, he proved to be one of the Afrikaners' most effective military leaders, his victory at Spion Kop leading to his promotion as Commander-in-Chief. After 1902 he worked for reconciliation with Great Britain. In 1907 he was elected Prime Minister of the Transvaal, and three years later became the first President of South Africa. During World War One, his offer to invade German South-West Africa led to Afrikaner opposition, and a greatly reduced majority for his National Party in the 1915 elections. From July 1915 he passed direct military command to General Jan Christian Smuts. He attended the Paris Peace Conference, arguing against the harsh treatment of the Central Powers, and was a signatory of the Treaty of Versailles.

Welgelegen was a farm in the valley of the Liesbeek River, Mowbray, South Africa, the property of the influential van Reenen family by the end of the 18th century, passing from Gysbert van Reenen to his son, Sybrand Mosbert on his death. Welgelegen is the site of Mosbert Mill, South Africa's oldest surviving windmill, and was a part of the Groote Schuur estate, purchased by Cecil Rhodes in 1891.

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Collection level description created by Paul Davidson, Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House.

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