page_title: National Convention (South Africa)
section_title: Delegates
hierarchical_section_title: National Convention (South Africa) / Delegates
caption_attribution_description: Afrikaans: Afgevaardigdes na die Nasionale Konvensie tydens hul eerste sitting in Oktober 1908, Durban. Hulle het tot Mei 1909 agter geslote deure vergader om die vier Suid-Afrikaanse kolonies onder 'n nuwe grondwet, die Suid-Afrika Wet (1909), te verenig. Die wet is in Junie 1909 deur die vier kolonies bekragtig en teen September 1909 deur die Britse Parlement gepromulgeer.[1] Die Unie van Suid-Afrika is op 31 Mei 1910 ingehuldig met Louis Botha as die Eerste Minister. Die afgevaardigdes het hierdie fotoweergawe onderteken. Agterste ry (v.l.n.r.) — G.T. Plowman, C.M.G. (sekretaris van Natalse afvaardiging); dr. W.E. Bok (private sekretaris van, en tolk vir genl. Botha); Gys R. Hofmeyr (sekretaris van Transvaalse afvaardiging); kol. W.E.M. Stanford, C.B., C.M.G.; C.P.J. Coghlan. Tweede ry — genl. J.H. de la Rey; W.B. Morcom, K.C. (tydens verrigtinge bedank en opgevolg deur T. Watt); A. Browne, I.S.O.; T. Hyslop; J.W. Jagger; C.G. Smythe; sir George H. Farrar, D.S.O.; genl. J.C. Smuts; A.M.N. de Villiers (sekretaris van Oranjerivier-kolonie se afvaardiging). Derde ry — E.H. Walton; kol. E.M. Greene, K.C.; H.C. van Heerden; dr. J.H.M. Beck; G.H. Maasdorp; H.L. Lindsay; F.S. Malan; genl. S.W. Burger; dr. T.W. Smartt; genl. C. R. de Wet; dr. L.S. Jameson; H.C. Hull; genl. J.B.M. Hertzog; E.F. Kilpin (hoofsekretaris). Voorste ry — J.W. Sauer; J.X. Merriman; M.T. Steyn (vise-president); A. Fischer; sir J.H. de Villiers (president); genl. Louis Botha; F.H. Moor; sir W.H. Milton; sir J.P. Fitzpatrick. Afwesig — sir Lewis Michell. English: Delegates to the National Convention, photographed at their first sitting in October 1908, Durban. It convened behind closed doors until May 1909 to unify the four South African colonies under a new constitution, the South Africa Act (1909). The act was approved by the four colonial parliaments in June 1909 and passed into law by the British Parliament by September 1909.[2] The Union of South Africa was inaugurated on May 31, 1910, with Louis Botha as prime minister. This particular photo was signed by the attendees. Top Row (left to right) — Mr. G. T. Plowman, C.M.G. (Natal Secretary to Convention); Dr W. E. Bok (Private Secretary to Gen. Botha); Mr. G. R. Hofmeyr (Transvaal Secretary to Convention); Col. W. E. M. Stanford, C.B., C.M.G.; Hon. C. P. J. Coghlan. Second Row — Gen. J. H. de la Rey; Hon. W. B. Morcom, K.C.*; Hon. A. Browne, I.S.O.; Mr. T. Hyslop; Mr. J. W. Jagger; Hon. C. G. Smythe; Sir Geo. H. Farrar, D.S.O.; Hon. Gen. J. C. Smuts; Mr. A. M. N. de Villiers (O.R.C. Secretary to Convention). Third Row — Hon. E. H. Walton; Hon. Col. E. M. Greene, K.C.; Mr. H. C. van Heerden; Dr J. H. M. Beck; Mr. G. H. Maasdorp; Mr. H. L. Lindsay; Hon. F. S. Malan; Gen. S. W. Burger; Hon. Dr. T. W. Smartt; Hon. Gen. C. R. de Wet; Rt. Hon. Dr. L. S. Jameson; Hon. H. C. Hull; Hon. Gen. J. B. M. Hertzog; Mr. E. F. Kilpin (Chief Secretary to the Convention). Bottom Row — Hon. J. W. Sauer; Rt. Hon. J. X. Merriman; Hon. M. T. Steyn (Vice-President); Hon. A. Fischer; Rt. Hon. Sir J. H. de Villiers (President); Gen. the Rt. Hon. Louis Botha; Rt. Hon. F. H. Moor; His Honour Sir W. H. Milton; Sir J. P. Fitzpatrick. Mr. T. Watt took the place of Mr. Morcom (resigned). Hon. Sir Lewis Michell was absent when the photograph was taken.
context_page_description: The National Convention, also known as the Convention on the Closer Union of South Africa or the Closer Union Convention, was a constitutional convention held between 1908 and 1909 in Durban, Cape Town and Bloemfontein. The convention led to the adoption of the South Africa Act by the British Parliament and thus to the creation of the Union of South Africa. The four colonies of the area that would become South Africa - the Cape Colony, Natal Colony, the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal Colony - were represented at the convention, along with a delegation from Rhodesia. There were 33 delegates in total, with the Cape being represented by 12, the Transvaal eight, the Orange River five, Natal five, and Rhodesia three. The convention was held behind closed doors, in the fear that a public affair would lead delegates to refuse compromising on contentious areas of disagreement. All the delegates were white men, a third of them were farmers, ten were lawyers, and some were academics. Two-thirds had fought on either side of the Second Boer War.
context_section_description: The delegates to the National Convention were:
  Cape of Good Hope (12)
  John de Villiers - Chief Justice and President of the Legislative Council (President of the Convention)
  John Xavier Merriman - Prime Minister and Treasurer, and South African Party MP for Victoria West and Stellenbosch
  Jacobus Wilhelmus Sauer - Commissioner of Public Works and South African Party MP for Aliwal North and George
  Francois Stephanus Malan - Secretary for Agriculture and South African Party MP for Malmesbury
  Leander Starr Jameson - Leader of the Progressive Party and MP for Kimberley and Grahamstown
  Edgar Harris Walton - Progressive Party MP for Port Elizabeth and owner-editor of the Eastern Province Herald
  Thomas Smartt - Progressive Party MP for Fort Beaufort
  Col. Walter Ernest Mortimer Stanford - Independent MP for Tembuland
  John William Jagger [af] - Progressive Party MP for Cape Town
  Hercules Christiaan van Heerden - Chairman of the Afrikaner Bond and South African Party MP for Cradock
  Gysbert Henry Maasdorp - South African Party MP for Graaff Reinet
  Johannes Hendricus Meiring Beck - South African Party MP for Worcester
  Natal (5)
  Frederick Robert Moor - Prime Minister and Minister of Native Affairs, and MP for Weenen
  Col. Edward Mackenzie Greene - Minister of Railways and Harbours and MP for Lions River
  Thomas Hyslop - MP for Umgeni
  Charles John Smythe - MP for Lions River
  William Boase Morcom* - MP for Pietermartizburg
  Thomas Watt* - MP for Newcastle
  Transvaal (8)
  Gen. Louis Botha - Prime Minister and Het Volk MP for Standerton, Chairman of Het Volk
  Gen. Jan Christiaan Smuts - Colonial Secretary and Het Volk MP for Wonderboom
  Henry Charles Hull - Colonial Treasurer and National Association MP for Georgetown
  George Herbert Farrar - Leader of the Opposition and Progressive Association MP for Boksburg East
  James Percy Fitzpatrick - Progressive Association MP for Pretoria South Central
  Henry Lill Lindsay - Progressive Association MP for Troyeville
  Gen. Schalk Willem Burger - Het Volk MP for Lydenburg South
  Gen. Jacobus Herculaas de la Rey - Het Volk MP for Ventersdorp
  Orange River (5)
  Abraham Fischer - Prime Minister and Colonial Secretary, and Orangia Unie [af] MP for Bethlehem
  Martinus Theunis Steyn - former State President (Vice-President of the Convention)
  Gen. James Barry Munnik Hertzog - Attorney-General and Minister of Education, Orangia Unie MP for Smithfield
  Gen. Christiaan Rudolf de Wet - Minister of Agriculture and Orangia Unie MP for Vredefort
  Albert Browne - Constitutionalist Party Member of the Legislative Council
  Rhodesia (3)
  William Henry Milton - Administrator and President of the Executive and Legislative Councils
  Charles Patrick John Coghlan - Member of the Legislative Council
  Lewis Lloyd Michell - former Minister without Portfolio, Cape Colony
  * Thomas Watt replaced William Boase Morcom at the National Convention on 11 January 1909.
caption: The delegates in Durban, 1908
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