In one volume in a simple but sound twentieth century half leather binding with marbled paper sides probably rebound from an earlier or the first binding for the publisher. The first blank pages seems to be from this era with scribbles and some calculations in black ink - see photograph.
The contents comprises the English and Dutch copies for each week throughout the year are in very good condition with only two top corners repaired towards the end.
A curious manuscript note in the masthead of the Dutch issue of 13 April 1822, No. 848, reads:
"Die faulheit ist der Teufel seine kopfküsson Müssiggänger sich wofür hüten er scheiden von du nicht bald"
Which freely translates into English:
Laziness is the devil's pillow; beware of idleness, lest he never leave your side."
The Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser was the first newspaper to be published in South Africa on 16 August 1800. It was started by two slave dealers, Alexander Walker and John Robertson. In its early stages, the newspaper was simply used by the government as a mouth-piece. It was only in 1829, after the owners had been involved in a very a long struggle with the government, and the Colony granted freedom of the press, that the newspaper became free from government censorship. This led to a significant growth in the newspaper industry as more newspapers emerged. The newspaper was published in both English and Dutch, and changed its name to Dutch Kaapsche Courant in 1803. This could have been influenced by the change in the political scene in the colony at the time. The Dutch had just taken the Colony from the British in 1802. The British reoccupied the Colony in 1806. The Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser is regarded as the paper that paved the way for the newspapers that Africa boasts today. (https://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/cape-town-gazette-and-african-advertiser-bilingual-newspaper-and-first-publish-news-1)
A List of South African newspapers 1800 -1982 page 20 no 248: 'Cape of Good Hope Government Gazette August 1800 – 1910. Published weekly as Cape Town Gazette and African Advertiser from August 1800 – June 1826. As the Kaapsche Stads Courant and Afrikaansche Berighter from April 1803.'
- Size: Elephant folio (525 x 375 mm)
