British
Rule
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| British Occupation |
British forces
landed on the Cape Peninsula in June 1795, and occupied Cape Town. Their
purpose was to secure the settlement before it fell into the hands of
Napoleon.
After the Battle of Waterloo (1814) the Cape formally became
part of the British Empire. British administration brought economic benefits to
the Cape, but Governors were content to allow the life of the colony to
continue much as before. More...
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| The Reform Movement |
| A British
middle class developed in the city built on the profits of trade. They embraced
the ideals of the liberal reform movement - the end of slavery, free trade,
education, public health, sport, charity and political debate.
With the support of ambitious new government officials, the
reform movement set in progress significant developments in the city,
developing business, modernising the city, encouraging the press and societies,
sport and infrastructure.
Missionaries led a revival in church going, welfare and
education.
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The European
population of Cape Town did not take easily to the new mood of liberalism and
change, particularly emancipation.
A conservative counter-movement began in response to
liberalism, with its own newspapers and societies. The Dutch Reformed Church
became a centre of this culture which took on a distinct identity as
'Afrikaners'.
A more dramatic reaction to British liberalism was the Great
Trek, a 'walk out' on British rule as thousands of Afrikaners set out to
establish independent lands beyond the Vaal river. More...
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| A
City Develops |
| With the end of
slavery, the British developed the terms 'coloured' and Malaya for
non-Europeans.
A new society evolved, with poor immigrants from the UK
seeking work in the city. Former slave owners built areas that became slums for
the poor. These areas were multi-racial.
Thus dramatic contrasts developed between the middle class
with their regency townhouses and carriages and the artisans living in
slums.
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| After years of
campaigning the middle class finally won the right to self-government,
culminating in fully 'Responsible Government' in 1872, by which Cape Town
became the capital of the Cape Colony.
The parliament buildings were completed in 1885, and are
still in use today.
Only property-owners could vote and a more conservative era
began that favoured commercial interests over the interests of the poor. The
liberal era began to wane.
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| Towards the end
of the century, the liberal influence began to diminish.
Political power had shifted to the local population, which
was mostly conservative and Afrikaans and the Empire was also losing its
liberal instincts.
Newspapers voiced a more hostile attitude towards the poor
and the government emphasised policies of 'control' rather than poverty
alleviation.
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| The development
of infrastructure at the Cape and into the interior, particularly the harbour
and railways, came just in time to benefit from a series of economic booms.
First the discovery of diamonds, then gold and finally the South African
war.
With these came unprecedented immigration and urban growth.
The growth of slums and the fear of disease led the authorities to develop the
first township for non-Europeans.
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| The first years
of the twentieth century saw the building of some of the city's grandest
buildings.
But the air of confidence and leisure covered increasing use
of race discrimination that was creating frustration among coloured
people.
In the aftermath of the South African War, Britain agreed to
a peace put forward by a national convention that created the modern South
Africa and brought peace, but excluded the black majority.
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| When the
British arrived in 1795, Cape Town was a small 'Company Town'. By 1910 it was
an imperial capital of 200,000 people.
Business had grown dramatically and a liberal tradition had
been established that created a flourishing and broad society.
But by the end of the century prejudice was on the rise and
discriminatory policies were put in place to control the rapidly growing
population.
More...
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