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Puppet on an imperial string? Owen Lanyon in South Africa, 1875-1881

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dc.contributor.advisor Lambert, John
dc.contributor.advisor Cuthbertson, Gregor
dc.contributor.author Theron, Bridget
dc.date.accessioned 2009-08-25T10:46:19Z
dc.date.available 2009-08-25T10:46:19Z
dc.date.issued 2002-05
dc.date.submitted 2009-08
dc.identifier.citation Theron-Bushell, Bridget Mary (2002) Puppet on an imperial string? Owen Lanyon in South Africa, 1875-1881, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/741> en
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10500/741
dc.description.abstract This thesis is a study of British colonial policy in southern Afiica in the 1 gill centwy. More specifically it looks at how British imperial policy, in the period 1875 to 1881, played itself out in two British colonies in southern Africa, Wlder the direction of a British imperial agent, William Owen Lanyon. It sets Lanyon in the context of the frontiers and attempts to link the histories of the people who lived there, the Africans, Boers and British settlers on the one han~ and the histories of colonial policy on the other. In doing so it also unravels the relationship between Lanyon and his superiors in London and those in southern Africa. In 1875 Owen Lanyon arrived in Griqualand West, where his brief was to help promote a confederation policy in southern Africa. Because of the discovery of diamonds some years earlier, Lanyon's administration had to take account of the rising mining industry and the aggressive new capitalist economy. He also had to deal with Griqua and Tlhaping resistance to colonialism. Lanyon was transferred to the Transvaal in 1879, where he was confronted by another community that was dissatisfied with British rule: the Transvaal Boers. Indeed, in Pretoria he was faced with an extremely difficult situation, which he handled very poorly. Boer resistance to imperial rule eventually came to a head when war broke out and Lanyon and his officials were among those besieged in Pretoria. In February 1881 imperial troops suffered defeat at the hands of Boer commandos at Majuba and Lanyon was recalled to Britain. In both colonies Lanyon was caught up in the struggle between the imperial power and the local people and, seen in a larger context, in the conflict for white control over the land and labour of Africans and that between the old pre-mineral South Africa and the new capitalist order. He made a crucial contribution to developments in the sub-continent and it is remarkable that his role in southern Africa has thus far been neglected. en
dc.format.extent 1 online resource (v, 340 leaves)
dc.language.iso en en
dc.subject British imperialism en
dc.subject British colonial policy en
dc.subject Imperial agent en
dc.subject Colonial Office control en
dc.subject Carnarvon's conferderation scheme en
dc.subject African resistance to colonialism en
dc.subject Diamond mining (early) en
dc.subject Land and labour policies (19th century) en
dc.subject Griqualand West en
dc.subject British administration of the Transvaal, 1877-1881 en
dc.subject Afiikaner nationalism en
dc.subject Anglo-Pedi relations en
dc.subject Pedi subjugation en
dc.subject First Anglo-Boer War en
dc.subject.ddc 968.2046
dc.subject.lcsh Lanyon, William Owen, Sir en
dc.subject.lcsh Constitutional history -- South Africa en
dc.subject.lcsh Decolonization -- History en
dc.subject.lcsh Nationalism -- South Africa -- History en
dc.subject.lcsh South African War, 1899-1902 en
dc.subject.lcsh Great Britain -- Colonies -- Administration -- History en
dc.subject.lcsh Griqualand West (South Africa) -- History en
dc.subject.lcsh South Africa -- Politics and government -- 20th century en
dc.title Puppet on an imperial string? Owen Lanyon in South Africa, 1875-1881 en
dc.type Thesis en
dc.description.department History
dc.description.degree D.Litt. et Phil. (History)


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