Huguenot Society of South Africa: Aims and Activities

Aims of the Huguenot Society of South Africa

The Huguenot Society of South Africa was established on March 12th, 1953, to preserve and promote the Huguenot heritage by:

maintaining the Huguenot Monument and Museum in Franschhoek (meaning "French Corner"), some 70 km from Cape Town, South Africa;
keeping the realisation of the meaning of the Huguenot settlement in South Africa alive;
undertaking research of our Huguenot heritage, especially with regard to its history, and by supporting genealogical research;
encouraging the safekeeping, promotion and financing of Huguenot relics and artefacts in the Huguenot Memorial Museum in Franschhoek;
organising Huguenot commemoration gatherings; and

seeking contact with other Huguenot societies across the world.

Stamps commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Huguenot landing in South Africa, issued on July 17th, 1939

Stamps commemorating the 300th Anniversary of the Huguenot landing in South Africa, issued on April 13th, 1988

Regular Activities

Since 1953 the Huguenot Society of South Africa publishes an annual Huguenot Bulletin during September, in which research articles, and especially genealogical articles, appear. The editor is Ms Bibi van der Merwe.

The 1999 issue of the Huguenot Bulletin focuses on the Cronjé (originally Cronier) family in South Africa. The following articles are available here:

Cronier Family Focus: Introduction
Where's your licence sir?
Cronjés in the Free State War Effort
My father: Frans Johannes Cornelius Cronjé
Ancestry of Hansie Cronjé, South African cricketer
Polemic over Paardeberg (in Afrikaans)
Genl. Piet Cronjé and the Boer Circus of 1904 (in Afrikaans)

News Flash:The 1999 issue of the Huguenot Association News Letter has recently been published. For an electronic version of this issue, click here.

During the Reformation Festival (during the last week of October each year) the annual general meeting of members takes place in Franschhoek, as well as a music concert (where the Huguenot music prize is awarded), and a special church service is held.

Membership of the Society is open to everyone who supports the aims of the society. Membership fees are as follow:

Ordinary member (domestic, SA): R25 p.a.
Life member (domestic, SA): R200 single payment
Couple (domestic, SA): R300 single payment
Foreign member (outside SA): USA $25 p.a.

Futher information regarding membership is available from the Huguenot Society of South Africa.

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