Elisaveta Kandyba-Foxcroft Papers (Mss Acc 54)

Abstract

Elisaveta Kandyba was born in Czarist Russia in 1912. She left Russia with her mother after the Revolution in 1920. They first lived in Bulgaria and then in France. In 1928 an acquaintance of her mother invited her to study in England. This Williams family later adopted her. Elisaveta went to Oxford in 1931 to study modern languages. She obtained an Honours degree in 1934 and a MA degree a few years later. Married in 1935 to Mr Foxcroft, a South African, Elisaveta settled in the country in 1947. In 1960 she joined the staff of the University of South Africa and helped to launch the Russian Department. In 1977 she retired. After suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for some time, she died on 2 February 1989.

The Papers reflect Elisaveta Kandyba-Foxcroft’s career, her interests and especially her passionate love of Russian literature, music, history and culture. About 10% of the archival materials are in Russian. The records include her personal correspondence, materials on the Russian Orthodox Church, programmes of Russia evenings held at the University of South Africa, historical articles and reports about her visits abroad, plays written by her as well as English translations of Russian plays. The Elisaveta Kandyba-Foxcroft Papers are of great research value to scholars interested in the relationship between South Africa and Russia during the Anglo-Boer War period (1899-1902) and the Cold War years (1960-1986). They also present the researcher with a wonderful introduction to Russian spirituality, language, literature and culture.