Edgar Brookes
Encyclopedia
Professor Edgar Harry Brookes (4 February 1897–1979) was a South African Liberal senator and South Africa
n representative to the League of Nations
.
, England in 1879 but attended Maritzburg College
in Natal Province
where he matriculated in 1911. He attended the University of South Africa
and the London School of Economics
.
Some of his early works are noted for stressing the advantages of separate development of the races in South Africa, but it is noted that his views changed during his life. Brooks was involved with the South African Institute for Race Relations in the 1920s.
He became a senator in 1937 and retired as the senator for Zululand
in 1953. Between 1933 and 1945 he was the Principal of Adams College. He was a professor of History and Political Science at the University of Natal
.
When the Liberal Party was formed in 1953 he did not at first join it, but changed his mind when Peter Brown
and other Liberals were detained in the 1960 State of Emergency
, which was imposed after the Sharpeville massacre
.
After he retired from teaching at the University of Natal
he was ordained as an Anglican priest.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n representative to the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
.
Biography
Brookes was born in SmethwickSmethwick
Smethwick is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands of England. It is situated on the edge of the city of Birmingham, within the historic boundaries of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire....
, England in 1879 but attended Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College
Maritzburg College, known locally as College, is a public school for boys situated in the city of Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa....
in Natal Province
Natal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
where he matriculated in 1911. He attended the University of South Africa
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa is a distance education university, with headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa. With approximately 300 000 enrolled students, it qualifies as one of the world's mega universities.-History:...
and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Some of his early works are noted for stressing the advantages of separate development of the races in South Africa, but it is noted that his views changed during his life. Brooks was involved with the South African Institute for Race Relations in the 1920s.
He became a senator in 1937 and retired as the senator for Zululand
Natal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
in 1953. Between 1933 and 1945 he was the Principal of Adams College. He was a professor of History and Political Science at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
.
When the Liberal Party was formed in 1953 he did not at first join it, but changed his mind when Peter Brown
Peter Brown (South African politician)
Peter McKenzie Brown was a founding member of the Liberal Party of South Africa and succeeded Alan Paton as its national chairman in 1958....
and other Liberals were detained in the 1960 State of Emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
, which was imposed after the Sharpeville massacre
Sharpeville massacre
The Sharpeville Massacre occurred on 21 March 1960, at the police station in the South African township of Sharpeville in the Transvaal . After a day of demonstrations, at which a crowd of black protesters far outnumbered the police, the South African police opened fire on the crowd, killing 69...
.
After he retired from teaching at the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
he was ordained as an Anglican priest.
Works
- History of Native Policy in South Africa (1924)
- The Native Reserves of Natal (with N. Hurwitz)
- The City of God (1960)
- A History of the University of Natal (1967)