Addresses for research in South Africa
Information guide No.23
This page is approximately a 2 minute read
This guide provides a curated list of key museums, libraries, archives and recommended reading for anyone researching maritime history connected to South Africa.
Museums and libraries
The Castle PO Box 1 Cape Town 8000 South Africa | While Museum is not equipped to carry out research, it may be able to advise. |
PO Box 235 Bredasdorp 7280 | +27 28 414 1240 | Specialises in South African shipwrecks. |
5 Queen Victoria Street Cape Town 8001 South Africa | +27 21 424 6320 |
P.O. Box 645 V&A Waterfront Cape Town South Africa | +27 21 419 2505/6 |
Old Mutual Centre 167 Andries Street Pretoria | Good collection of newspapers, listing port arrivals and departures. Photographs and photocopies on sale to the public. Holds the Marischal Murray Collection on Ships and Shipping. The Cape Town branch has a collection of early editions of the Lloyd’s Register of Ships from 1764 to 1833. The Pretoria branch has a collection from 1909 to 1944. |
Ruskin Avenue Kew Surrey TW9 9WU | Website | Information on emigration to South Africa. |
Iziko Maritime Centre PO Box 61 Cape Town 8000 | +27 21 4052884 | Reference library of shipping books going back to the 1800’s. The collection also features original negatives of photographs for 9,200 ships that called at Cape Town in the last century. A catalogue of the photographs is maintained on the Centre’s website. |
Useful reading
- C. Struik, Great Shipwrecks of the Coast of South Africa
- G. M. Theal, History of South Africa
- P. R. Humphries et al., n South African Waters
- Duncan Haws, Merchant Fleets No. 18: Union, Castle and Union‑Castle Lines
- O. P. F. Horwood, Port of Durban
- B. Ingpen, Safmarine
- Marischal Murray, Ships and South Africa
- J. Duffy, Shipwreck & Empire
- B. D. Ingpen, South African Merchant Ships
- L. Sawyer & W. H. Mitchell, The Cape Run
- Marischal Murray, Union Castle
- Alan S. Mallet, Union‑Castle Line
- Peter Newall, Union‑Castle Line
- Ann Hayes, Union‑Castle Purserette
Disclaimer
Researchers should check availability, accessibility and opening times with the repositories listed before making a personal visit.
Lloyd’s Register Foundation, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as ‘Lloyd’s Register’. Lloyd’s Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Lloyd’s Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.