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Correspondence

A draft letter by Wilhelm Bleek (on behalf of "lovers of science") addressed to HM's Government, urging action to preserve the original public records of the Cape Colony. Bleek notes over 300 folio volumes, once cared for by the late Justice Watermeyer, are now neglected in a judge's chambers. He stresses their historical value and recounts how Donald Moodie, over 30 years prior, published "Specimens of the Authentic Records of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope" (1841), extracting physical leaves from the original manuscripts for hundreds of printed volumes. Sir George Grey acquired about 30 of the most valuable copies for preservation, but many copies of Moodie's "Records" were in circulation around 1858. Bleek explains that their search found no duplicates of the removed documents and fears they are lost. He concludes with an appeal for HM Government to secure and safeguard the remaining records and any others that may be recovered.

1870 or later

Wilhelm Bleek (draft letter to HM Government 1870 or later) (plea to HM Government for protection of Cape records) (negative comments about Donald Moodie) (decries Donald Moodie's "abstraction" of Cape Records in "the most public and unblushing manner") (describes treatment of records by Donald Moodie) (describes state of Cape records) (describes value of Cape records for colonists) (writes letter from "lovers of science") (fears loss of Cape records forever), Government (HM) (Wilhelm Bleek's draft letter to, 1870 or later) (Wilhelm Bleek's plea to for protection of Cape records), George Grey (Sir) (purchased 30 of Donald Moodie's volumes to save Cape records) (in Wilhelm Bleek's copy of draft letter to Cape Government 1870 or later) (and Wilhelm Bleek's attempts to track copies of Cape records) (and Wilhelm Bleek's attempt to track copies of Donald Moodie's volumes containing "abstracted" records), Donald Moodie ("the compiler") (in Wilhelm Bleek's draft letter to HM Government 1870 or later) ("Specimens of the Authentic Records of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope Relative to the Aboriginal Tribes") (removed original Cape documents to include in his publication 30+ years ago) (Sir George Grey bought copies of his publication to save original records) ("abstraction" of Cape Records in "the most public and unblushing manner") (Wilhelm Bleek's negative comments about) (hundreds of copies of his volume published), Cape Colony (its historical records from formation to modern times) (re the location and conservation of its records) (Wilhelm Bleek's attempt to preserve its records) (Donald Moodie's removal of its original documents for his publication) (in draft letter to HM Government from Wilhelm Bleek 1870 or later), letter (Wilhelm Bleek's draft 1870 or later) (transcript of Wilhelm Bleek's draft letter to HM Government) (to HM Government from Wilhelm Bleek and "lovers of science") (expressing Wilhelm Bleek's plea for preservation of Cape records), Specimens of the Authentic Records of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope Relative to the Aboriginal Tribes (by Donald Moodie) (Donald Moodie excised original colony records for volumes of) (in draft letter to HM Government from Wilhelm Bleek 1870 or later) (hundreds of copies published containing original record leaves), EB Watermeyer (Justice) (previous custodian and conservator of Cape records) (care for Cape records) (interested in Cape history and records) (treatment of records "as lumber" after his death) (in draft letter to HM Government from Wilhelm Bleek 1870 or later), records (more than 300 folio volumes) (original public of the Cape Colony) (historical) (Donald Moodie removed leaves from original for his published volume) (Wilhelm Bleek describes current state of Cape -) (originals lost forever) (Wilhelm Bleek describes treatment of Cape - by Donald Moodie) (Wilhelm Bleek's plea for their preservation to HM Government) (in draft letter to HM Government from Wilhelm Bleek 1870 or later), lovers of science (Wilhelm Bleek's plea for preservation of Cape records on behalf of) (Wilhelm Bleek's draft letter to HM Government from 1870 or later)

1. Includes a typewritten transcription and a typewritten archivist's label/note describing Wilhelm Bleek's draft letter, as well as the format of corrections made.