The Friend

Bibliographic Citation:
MF-14716 CAMP
Friend (Bloemfontein, South Africa)
Bloemfontein [South Africa] : Friend Newspapers Ltd
Jan 2, 1937-June 30, 1950
OCLC # = 76813169
85 reels

Published in Bloemfontein, this newspaper was one of the most widely read titles in the Orange Free State.

The Friend began publishing in Bloemfontein as The Friend of the Sovereignty on June 10, 1850, edited by Thomas White and Robert Godlonton (proprietor and owner of Graham’s Town Journal). With the independence of the Free State in 1854, the weekly paper became known as The Friend of the Free State & Bloemfontein Gazette. Originally published in both English and Dutch, in 1894 it began publishing in English only, while affirming its commitment to "fighting for the interests of everyone without regard to race or color." On March 16, 1896, the first daily edition of the paper appeared under the title “The Friend.”

During the Boer War, the publication was commandeered by Lord Roberts in order to produce a paper for British troops following the British capture of the town in March 1900. War correspondents editing the title during its brief run under British control included Perceval Landon and F.W. Buxton, with contributions from such noted authors as Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling. Following the departure of British troops, the paper resumed publication under its original proprietor, whose sentiments reflected a pro-Boer attitude.

The Friend maintained a liberal stance throughout its publication, and news stories were frequently sympathetic to blacks and "coloureds" in Africa. The paper became aligned with the United Party, the ruling party from 1934-1948. The Friend came under the control of the Argus group of newspapers and continued publication until July 1985.

CAMP’s acquisition was filmed by the National Library of South Africa. The set contains 85 reels of microfilm, and complements earlier film holdings (Oct 1902 - Dec 1936) at Southern Connecticut State University.

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