Contents

No. 8, July 1980

Articles

• Cape Town in 1829. / Phillips, H
• Meerhoffkasteel - historiese heuwel in die Hardeveld. / Scholtz, PL
• Fort England as a military base. / Sampson, S
• Behuisingskemas vir gekleurdes in Pretoria 1900 - 1924. / Nöthling, F

Book reviews

• Child, D. 1979. A merchant family in early Natal. Diaries and letters of Joseph and Marianne Churchill, 1850 to 1880. [Book review] / Eloff, CC
• Gordon-Brown, A. 1979. The settlers' press: seventy years of printing in Grahamstown (1830 - 1900) covering the publication of books, pamphlets, directories, almanacs and newspapers with historical notes, anecdotes and contemporary illustrations. [Book review] / Tempelhoff, JWN
• Van Jaarsveld, F.A. 1980. Westerse historiografie en geskiedenisfilosofie. [Boek resensie] / Oberholster, AG

Editorial

It is the historian's task to study all aspects of human development over a period of time. He should therefore always keep contact with the social, cultural. and economic environment in which he practises. Thus it was only natural that the gradual socialisation of the world would have a pronounced effect' ort the study of history. In Europe especially, history has become a social science uninterested in the study of superficial historical events. and inclined to explore the more permanent structures of human existence. In this process political history has had to make way for socio-economic themes. This new approach to history has been beneficial to the study of regional history, since regional history lends itself perfectly to socio-economic matters. It has also provided the regional historian with an opportunity to fill in a serious gap in South African historiography. One neglected theme is that of the Blacks, Asians, and Coloureds as an integrated factor in creating the present structure of South African society. Up to now, the writing of history has been centred on the Whites, and has regarded all the other peoples of South Africa as external factors hampering the structure. Within the framework of regional historical research it is possible - and essential -to study the interaction of all peoples without prejudice. In this way a contribution can be made to a better understanding of our society.

Redaksioneel

Dit is die taak van die geskiedkundige om die ontwikkeling van die mens in al sy samelewingsverbande in tydsverloop te bestudeer. Hy kan hom dus nooit losmaak van die sosiale, kulturele en ekonomiese omgewing waarin hy sy wetenskap beoefen nie. Gevolglik het die geleidelike versosialisering van die maatskappy ook die geskiedskrywing in sy wese geraak. Veral in Europa het die geskiedenis ontwikkel tot 'n sosiale wetenskap wat nie meer oppervlakkige gebeurtenisgeskiedenis wou bedryf nie, maar hom tot die dieptegeskiedenis gewend het wat die permanenter strukture van die menslike bestaan bestudeer. In hierdie proses is die politieke geskiedenis links laat lê om aandag aan sosioekonomiese vraagstukke te gee. Die beoefening van streekgeskiedenis het gebaat by hierdie nuwe benadering omdat dit by uitstek geskik was vir die bestudering van sosio-ekonomiese temas. Dit bied ook aan die plaaslike streekhistorikus die geleentheid om 'n ernstige leemte in die Suid-Afrikaanse historiografie aan te vul. Een so 'n tema is die Swartman, Asiër en Kleurling as 'n geïntegreerde faktor in die totstandkoming van die huidige samelewingstruktuur in die RSA. Tot in hierdie stadium was die geskiedskrywing oorwegend Blanksentries, en die ander bevolkingsgroepe is as eksterne faktore beskou wat nadelig op die struktuur ingewerk het. Binne die raamwerk van streekhistoriese navorsing is dit moontlik - en noodsaaklik - om die wisselwerking tussen die verskillende bevolkingsgroepe onbevange te bestudeer. Langs hierdie weg kan 'n bydrae gemaak word tot 'n beter begrip van ons samelewing.