Cory Library for Historical Research Rhodes University

History and Founding

The Cory Library for Historical Research (now formally the Cory Library for Humanities Research) is a research library at Rhodes University in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), Eastern Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1933 when Sir George Cory — a chemist, historian, and author of the six-volume work The Rise of South Africa — donated his Africana collection to Rhodes University. Since that foundational deposit, the library has focused particularly on the history of the Eastern Cape and the city of Grahamstown itself. The library is situated on the ground floor of the Eden Grove Building on Lucas Avenue.

Collections and Holdings

The Cory Library is the official custodian of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa archives, which include materials on Methodism in southern Africa dating to the early nineteenth century. Other major collections include the Lovedale Collection (first deposited in 1961 by the Free Church of Scotland Mission Council), offering comprehensive coverage of the Lovedale Missionary Institution and Lovedale Press; the Gold Fields Collection, assembled from 1944 onward by Gold Fields of South Africa Ltd; the Rhodes University Archives; and the Association of Round Tables of Southern Africa (ARTSA) collection. Holdings include manuscripts, rare and modern books, periodicals and newspapers, maps, government publications, pictorial materials, sound and video recordings, and microforms.

Journalism and Media Relevance

The library holds significant collections of Eastern Cape periodicals and newspapers, institutional records of political organizations, and press clippings from social movements such as the Black Sash (approximately 1956–1995). These materials are invaluable for researchers in media history and journalism studies related to southern Africa.

Access and Usage

All visitors require a user registration. Rhodes staff and students register annually; external visitors submit an application form for permission to use the library. Hours are 08:30–16:00, Monday to Friday, closed weekends and public holidays. A fee may apply for certain services. Contact: cory@ru.ac.za or +27 (0)46 603 8373.