The Missionaries - Pre 1870 -
1870 and later.
*(S Rating) Scarcity Rating (includes
scarcity, relevance and content) - with 10 being the most desirable and 1
easiest to acquire. Those highlighted in the deeper shades of red are highly
sought after works.
Scenes and Services in South Africa
(1876)
by Dr Robert Moffat
This 254 page presentation book is in excellent
condition.
The book covers Moffat's more memorable moments including his conversion of Jager Africaner and his development of the remarkable Kuruman Mission. The Kuruman Mission, as it is today, can be seen at this link.
The chapters include:
As a first edition "presentation book" this is an extremely rare work.
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A rare item held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust.
Critical comment on this work:A valuable resource for research. |
The Lives of Robert and Mary Moffat - John Moffat was the son of Robert and Mary Moffat. His sister married that intrepid explorer Dr David Livingstone.
In this book he covers his parent's lives with the Griquas at Griqua Town - long before they moved to Nomansland. The book, which went to many editions, gives a fascinating insight into their lives. Despite its apparent best selling status it is rarely found for sale today.
It offers excellent research material.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds two copies of this book.
Critical comment on this work:A quite fascinating book looking into the lives of John's parents - the hurdles they faced, their triumphs and their disasters. Well worth acquiring. |
Popery, Ancient and Modern -
This is an extremely rare book by John Campbell, on the state of Roman Catholicism in the British Isles in the mid-to-late 1800's and the prospects for her advancement in those countries. It is anti-papal (and anti-catholic/anti-catholicism) and details many doctrines with which the Protestant church has historically taken objection. While this is a somewhat typical refutation of Roman Catholic doctrine, it is unique in that it gives, without exception, complete lists of Roman Catholic entities in every diocese in Scotland and England. The thesis of this book is that the expansion of Roman Catholicism in England and Scotland will be to the detriment of those countries - and these lists are used in support of that proposition. It is also a useful volume in that it deals with many of the issues that have historically put Protestants outside of the Roman Catholic purview. The issues are dealt with systematically and clearly. This is, overall, a unique volume that is very hard to find. There are none available for sale through the Internet.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds a copy of this exceptionally rare book in original binding in good condition.
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Critical comment on this work:A very interesting look into the mind of Campbell and his views on Christianity |
Roman Legion on Libyan Fields
This small A5 sized hard covered 264 page book looks at the establishment of the Mariannhill Mission in, what is today, Pinetown (suburbs of Durban Natal), in the 1800s. The book was printed by the mission using its own press with inferior paper which is, as a result brittle and browned with age.
The book has no images but some styalised graphics on the key and chapter pages - as displayed below.
The book has a cryptic message with the "harvest of souls" being compared to seed and flowers. As a result the chapters include: The seed is set; The germ makes vigorous shoots; The thriving arboret puts forth buds; Stamineforous flowers; Pistiliferous flowers; Hardy plants and April showers; etc..
The book was advertised for sale in the 1888 Mariannhill Missionary Newspaper a scan of the ad can be seen at this link.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds two copies of this exceptionally rare book in original binding in good condition.
A recent YouTube clip linked here discusses the history and value of the Mariannhill Mission Press
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Critical comment on this work:A priceless relic of a historic order tied up with Griqua history |
Mariannhill Mission Newspapers
1888
Mariannhill Mission
Contemporary cloth-backed mottled boards a bit rubbed, paper a bit browned, some creases where newspapers had been folded before binding 196 page book with the 26 complete set of original Mariannhill Newspapers for the year 1888.
The book, possibly unique, probably originates from the Mariannhill Mission archives.
In 1888 the newspaper, printed in Pinetown, Natal, moved upmarket and changed its header - images below.
The Mariannhill Mission, under Abbot Francis Pfanner and his trappist monks, bought land from Donald Strachan in Nomansland in the 1870s.
Many of the articles deal with the Catholic Church and the Pope, but there are some interesting articles on the Zulus, as well as Trappist missions in Natal and elsewhere.
In the advertisements in the image in the second row below reference can be seen to the book "Roman Legion on Libyan Fields" printed by the Mariannhill Mission in 1887. The Balson Holding Family Trust holds two copies of this valuable and rare book. The book can be seen at this link
More on the Mariannhill Mission Press at this link
An extremely rare and valuable find - Mariannhill Mission Press logo on right below.
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An extremely rare item held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust.
Critical comment on this work:Fascinating insight into the times through the eyes of the trappist monks. |
Labors and Scenes in South Africa - This 400 page plus hard covered book authored by Robert Moffat is the fourteenth edition of a very rare book that cannot be found for sale on the Internet today.
The book covers Robert Moffat's travels in South Africa
discussing Afrikaner, the Griquas, the battles and so many interesting tales of
Moffat's life.
Of particular interest is the complete lack of
reference to the Griquatown coins (let alone them circulating). Now
Moffat resided with the Griqua during this time and pages 100 - 150 provide a
great detail of information of life at Griqua Town between 1813 and
1830.
Why would Moffat NOT mention the Griquatown coins if, in fact, they
had circulated! More at this
link
It offers excellent research material.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds one copy of this book in excellent condition.
Critical comment on this work:A quite fascinating book looking into Robert Moffat's life. |
Although these artifacts are not books, the wooden collection box shown below, is an incredibly rare
London Missionary Society artifact in excellent condition.
The metal collection tin on the right was in the service of the "Church Missionary Society". It reads:
"Donations to be given frequently - Sick and Suffering in Heathen Lands - C.M.S. Medical Mission Auxiliary, Salisbury Square, London, EC"
The historic 500 year old St Bride's church it once resided in was bombed to the ground during the second world war but later rebuilt to its former glory. Full story at this link The tin has minor scratches and nicks, but no dents or dings. It was definitely used to collect donations.
The London Missionary Society's polished mahogany collection box shown below measures 5 1/2 inches across the front, 2 1/4 inches wide and 3 1/4 inches in length. It has a tip up slide at the bottom to release the collected money.
The panels have a London Missionary Society emblem; a picture of native people being addressed by a missionary with a sailing ship in the distance and a number of labels stuck on the base. These include a London Missionary society sticker with the address "Livingstone House, 42 Broadway, Westminster, SW1, London.
The picture of the native scene has the inscription Oswald Fitch, Litho, 57 Moore Lane EC (London). Oswald Fitch undertook printing work for the London Missionary Society between 1890 and 1895 giving us a timeline for this treasured artifact. (The London Missionary Society eventually disbanded in the late 1970s).
The Balson Holdings Family Trust owns both these extremely rare and historic artifacts.
Shown below are images of the collection box:
Among the Matabele - David Carnegie 1894
A fascinating A5 sized book written about the native tribes north of the Vaal river. Rev David Carnegie was the resident missionary at Hope Fountain near Bulawayo for ten years. It is part of a religious series called "Sunday at Home" , which produced books that were to be read on Sundays.
Matabeleland was later renamed Southern Rhodesia and is now known as Zimbabwe home of the despot Robert Mugabe.
The book, in as new condition despite its age, is 140 pages has about ten plates a map and was originally awarded to Frederick Edwards at Christ Church Alsager Sunday School in July 1894 by D Shaw.
This second edition copy has the extra chapter on "The Ma-Shuna"
It offers excellent research material.
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The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds a copy of this book in perfect condition.
Critical comment on this work:A quite fascinating book looking at a time of great unrest between the indigenous tribes of South Africa and the British. Well worth acquiring. |
The Story of the LMS (London Missionary Society) 1894This 435 page hard covered book is 5-1/4" by 7-1/2". This extremely rare first edition book is in good condition with minor to moderate wear. There is minor foxing and toning - excellent condition for its age. Modern copies of the book can be found on the Internet while this first edition is not for sale.
The book covers all the regions of the world visited by the London Missionary Society and covers in detail the work undertaken in South Africa - including Griquatown.
Not one reference to the Griquatown token coins is made in the book reflecting our view that they were a completely failed experiment and not one ever circulated.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds a copy of this extremely rare first edition book in good condition.
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Critical comment on this work:Looking at the work of the early missionaries and the London Missionary Society. Well worth acquiring. |
The Early Annals of Kokstad and East
Griqualand - Rev W Dower (b. 1837, d. 1919)
This remarkably
frank book by the resident priest at Kokstad, Rev William Dower, gives a
fascinating insight into the Griqua people, their leadership and the settlers
who resided in East Griqualand.
The book caused quite a stir after its publication with letters to the local papers decrying it as inaccurate in its depiction of some of the central Griqua characters. Perhaps its greatest claim to fame is the inclusion of an original 1868 Griqua Pond note which was never issued. Carel Birkby the author of "Zulu Journey" visited Kokstad in 1935. On page 201 he says this about Dower's book, Thirty years ago Dower published a slim volume on his experiences among the Griquas. It is out of print now, and few copies exist, because the Griquas were so incensed at his true but uncomplimentary judgment on their character, and at his puckish jibes at them, that they destroyed every copy they could they could lay hands upon; and today the Kokstad library keeps its single copy under lock and key because otherwise some Griqua would probably rip it to pieces.
Less than 20 copies of this book exist today - mostly in museums and libraries like Killie Campbell in Durban (single copy), the Kokstad Library (single copy), the South African National Library in Pretoria (single copy) and British Library in London (single copy). Even major institutions like "The Library of Congress" (USA), with over 29 million books, only have Dower's 1978 reprint. The copy seen right above is one of three original copies held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust (all with the extremely rare bank note) which is conservatively valued with the book at over US$10,000 per copy. The book shown is signed by Dower's son and is in excellent condition for a book with a paper cover.
It has taken over 25 years of active searching to acquire the two copies in the collection. This book, like the extremely rare book by Campbell about Afrikaner, is actively sought by the trust.
No copies have been offered for sale on the Internet for years.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust hold a soft and hard copy of this 1902 work in excellent condition. See this link for more on these books.
Critical comment on this work:An excellent book which provides a fascinating insight into the Griquas of East Griqualand. As you will see in the 1978 reprint by the Killie Campbell library, which includes copious notes, Dower's book caused quite a stir and reaction from the wider Griqua population. |
Robert Moffat: The story of a great missionary
- Hubert Williams (1917)
A chatty historical book detailing the lives of Robert and Mary Moffat and their time with the Griquas.
The book, which is quite readily available on the Internet, covers the entire life of Robert Moffat from the farewell service in 1816 at Surrey Chapel London (where his life as a missionary was dedicated) up to his death in 1879.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust hold a copy of this book in excellent condition.
Critical comment on this work:An interesting book which looks at the life and family of one of the key players who influenced the Griquas of Griqua Town in the early days. |
The Moffats - Ethel
Daniel Hubbard (1917)
"A summer evening in the north of England cast its phantom light upon the fields and the garden and the old stone house at the end of the lane...."
Thus starts this book by Hubbard which glorifies the work of Robert and Mary Moffat among the Griqua people.
This 300 page book is quite readily available through the Internet. The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds one in excellent condition.
Critical comment on this work:A feel good book by a devout Christian involved with the Missionary Education Movement of the United States and Canada. |
Jubelfees-gedenkboek
van die (NGK) Gemeente Griekwastad
This is the only copy found on the Internet
of this extraordinary rare work produced by the Nederlandse Gereformeerde
Kerk (NGK) in Griquatown to celebrate their 50th anniversary (1932).
[1882-1932]. This is the first and only edition - printed in Cape Town. Printer wraps. It carries the history of the church and mission work in Griqualand West, including brief mention of Moffat's two years spent there.
Afrikaans text. Pp. 41, photos, illustration, portraits, map. Covers & text marked.
The book is of particular interest to Scott Balson because when he visited Griquatown in 2006 he stayed with the current Dominee of the NGK and his wife Jim and Karien de Villers... more at this link.
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| The first known map of "Griqua territory" | NGK in 1895 - and today below |
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The Palace in 1890s - and now below |
The NGK's first Dominees |
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The "galgboom" (execution tree) can be |
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds a copy of this extremely rare book in good condition.
Critical comment on this work:The book carries several images taken from works by the early explorers and missionaries. |
The Matabele Journals of Robert Moffat Covers Moffat's five visits to Mzilikazi (chief of the Ndebele)... and consists mainly of letters written almost daily to his wife Mary, but also extracts from his letters to his brother Richard and to Sir George Grey, Governor of the Cape, and from his reports to his employers, the Directors of the London Missionary Society".
Letters taken from the Government archives of Southern Rhodesia.
Bibliography: Large octavo, two volumes, (vi), xvi, 382 and (iv), viii, 295 pages plus frontispieces and 2 folding maps. Cloth; extremities slightly bumped; an excellent set with the dustwrappers slightly rubbed and creased.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds a copy in excellent condition
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Critical comment on this work:A very important work for serious researchers of early South African history |
The Matabele MissionTranscript of twenty two letters from David Livingstone; letters from Emily Moffat and John Moffat among various other interesting documents.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds two copies of this book (cover of public version seen right).
Bibliography: Large octavo, one volume, (vi), xvi, 268 pages plus frontispieces and 1 folding map. Cloth; extremities slightly bumped; an excellent set with the dustwrappers slightly rubbed and creased.
The limited edition set was limited to just fifty copies - the Balson Holdings Family Trust holds number six of the fifty.
The limited edition book was published in dark blue covers (unlike the public version shown right.) This limited edition also has rough edged paper and several of the pages in the book have not been cut properly so remain bound.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds a copy of the public and limited edition sets in excellent condition
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| Front cover of limited edition |
Critical comment on this work:A very important work for serious researchers of early South African history |
Apprenticeship at Kuruman being the journals and letters
of Robert and Mary Moffat 308 pages including index. Folding map. Preface by V.W.Hiller, chief archivist of the Historical MSS. The copy shown right is the presentation copy of this book held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust (number 18 of just 35).
Collection of the Central African Archives, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, 31 August, 1950. Number 5 in the Oppenheimer Series.
The presentation copy is hard bound in deep blue boards with gilt lettering and the image shown below.
The other standard release copy is in red cloth with gilt decoration on front cover and gilt lettering on spine. Spine is faded and has some fraying to head. Foxing to prelims but otherwise only to page edges and not affecting text.
A very enlightening work which goes behind the froth and bubbles of the missionaries printed works. For example, in Moffat's Letter to Rev J Philip, Cape Town dated 19 September 1820 he says that the Rev John Campbell has a major drinking problem: But I have also to add that when Mr Campbell used such harsh assertions, he had made to freely with Mr Wine or Mijn Heer Brandy. He is very quarrelsome at such seasons, and alas! such seasons are not few.
The presentation copy pages
In fact it is clear that Moffat despised Campbell as a terrible and untrustworthy drunken hypocrite who he claimed was full of his own importance and "built castles in the air" on a regular basis. Some of his most unbecoming descriptions of Rev John Campbell can be found at this link.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust holds two copies in excellent condition - other book at this link.
Critical comment on this work:A very important work for serious researchers of early South African history and for revealing the truth behind the character of Campbell the man who had once been, incorrectly, attributed with introducing South Africa's first indigenous coinage. The book offers a remarkably frank and comprehensive collection of letters and notes written by Robert and Mary Moffat to various people between 1820 and 1828. |
A Man of Faith and Action:(Reimlingen: St Joseph Mission Press, [after 1964]).
It was Abbot Francis Pfanner who, on behalf of the Marrianhill Mission in Pinetown Natal, purchased one of Donald Strachan's most
prized properties in the Umzimkhulu area .. later renamed Lourdes.
The 125 page A5 sized book is extremely rare having been published by the St Joseph Mission Press in Germany.
Abbot Pfanner was a remarkable man and saw the rise of the Marrianhill Mission across South Africa.
The book contains about 30 old photographs and several rough maps. Some of these are displayed below.
An email from a Marriannhill Monk singing Pfanner's praises can be seen at this link.
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| Abbot Francis Pfanner & Monks | Abbot Francis Pfanner | Missions in East Griqualand area |
Critical comment on this work:A fascinating but very research-based work on the life of Abbot Pfanner |
These books are used by the Balson Holdings Family Trust for research purposes.
The first book reprinted in 1974 covers John
Campbell's first visit (1813) following the death of the Missionary Society
of London's lead man in South Africa. Campbell was sent out to inspect
the state of the missions and make recommendations for the future. Campbell
toured the country, meeting not only the natives, but the Boer settlers,
of whom he a had a very poor opinion. Near Graaff-Reinet, the party met the
celebrated traveller/explorer, Burchell and later on they journeyed through
the Snewburg and "Bushmen's Country"until they reached Klaar Water (home
of the Bastards/Griquas), from which place they pushed on for Lattakoo where
they made the acquaintance of the king, "Mateebe", and there is an interesting
account of the King and his people. Much information with regard to past
events involving the party of Dr. Cowan massacred years earlier and the countries
beyond Lattakoo was obtained from the King.
This second book (1822) reprinted in 1967 covers Campbell's extensive travels in the Cape Colony and Kaffaria. The second journey to the interior was started on 18 January 1820, and in the course of it visits were paid to Lattakoo (Kuruman), Mashow, and Griqua Town, the author penetrating to a city then named Kureechane, the site of which would appear to have been somewhere near the Waterberg mountains in the Transvaal. The inhabitants consisted of Bushmen, Corannas, and Bechuanas, and a map is provided, but it does not even faintly resemble a modern publication, and the river courses are not correctly traced.
Campbell's extensive diaries in the second journey are the cornerstone of the research which reveals the fact that the Griqua Town coins never reached the Griquas of Griqua Town. When one understands Campbell the man (see Walks of Usefulness) one soon learns that much of his earlier writing, by his own admission, encompasses a fantasy world in which the borders between truth and fantasy tend to become blurred.
Balson also argues that the Griqua Town coins that Campbell refers to in his 1815 book were eventually minted as Pattern pieces in the 1870s - like the 1890 Griqua Town Pattern "pennies" and for the same reason - promoting the ability of the mint's capability to the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek before the first Kruger coins appeared in 1892. Some of the logic is quite simple, not only were the Griquas unable to count (they could not even write) but they had had no store to trade them in Griqua Town. Campbell's lack of reference to them in his second book Travels in S Africa, a second journey (published 1822) when he re-visited the griquas reveals the failure of his earlier diary notes. Finally, consider the relative scarcity of all pieces "IIIII", 10, 1/4 and1/2 - pointing to a small trial mintage not a mintage of coins to be used by a community... after all it takes thirty to fifty 1/4 pieces to make up the change for a "IIIII" or 10.
These books can be found on the Internet from time to time.
A copy of each reprint in excellent condition is held in the Balson Holdings
Family Trust collection.
Critical comment on this work:Excellent works that offer mountains of research and background to the Griquas living in Griqualand West in the early 1800s. However, it is clear from his earlier works that Campbell did not have much backbone to pursue his goal to mint the Griqua town coins. The grand plan, without the backing of the London Missionary Society was doomed to failure even before a coin was struck. |
Kuruman - Moffat Mission (1983)
A fascinating and very rare 20 page booklet about the life and times of Robert Moffat - centered around his museum.
The book tells us that the word "Kuruman" has Bushman origins and was established by Moffat long before places like Johannesburg and Pretoria were even thought of. The region had became popular with natives throughout many centuries because of the Kuruman Eye (or Gasegonyana), a fountain which miraculously produces 18 million litres of water a day in an otherwise arid region.
Moffat is probably best known for his famous Kuruman Press from which he printed the first Tswana Bible which is fabulously rare. The book describes the extraordinary and unique manner in which Moffat compiled the book. Studying by candlelight, translating in the early hours of the morning while suffering terrible headaches.
The work includes many images of Kuruman including Moffat's printing press (see below)
The copy held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust is in excellent condition.
Critical comment on this work:A lovely and well researched book funded by the Kuruman Moffat Mission trust |
Beloved partner, Mary Moffat of Kuruman (1989)This 230 page soft covered book is based on a series of letters written by Mary Moffat while she was at Kuruman.
The book includes several pictures of the men and women in her and Robert Moffat's life.
Unlike the book "Apprentice at Kuruman" which reveals Robert Moffat's innermost thoughts this book expands on her letters and pieces together her life from what she has written.
The copy held by the Balson Holdings Family Trust is in excellent
condition.
Critical comment on this work:A lovely and well researched book funded by the Kuruman Moffat Mission trust |
Weapons of Peace (1995)Weapons of Peace is a dramatisation of the life of the Griquas first Missionary, William Anderson, and his wife Johanna.
The book follows the missionary's life and describes the early days and hardships they faced at the small settlement of Klaarwater (later Griquatown). In this totally independent research by a descendant of the missionary, using original letters that he had access to, Peter Anderson makes no reference to the Griquatown token coins. He does refer at length to the reasons behind the split between William Anderson and the Griqua people.
The foreword of the book is by the inspirational Michael Cassidy, International Team Leader of African Enterprise.
The Balson Holdings Family Trust hold two copies in excellent condition.
The book inscribed by the author, Peter Anderson:
Critical comment on this work:An interesting book but over glorifying the reality of the situation in many places. |
