Publisher's Synopsis
Alice Greene (1858-1920) overcame parental opposition to higher education, qualified as a teacher and in 1887 accepted a post at the Collegiate School for Girls in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Another teacher was Elizabeth Molteno, the eldest of 18 children of Sir John Charles Molteno, the first prime minister of Cape Colony. Their close relationship, which started in 1889, was to last until Alice's death in 1920, and their letters as this relationship developed make fascinating reading. Alice's letters described events at school, frequently with a humorous note, her travels to up-country farms and towns during school holidays, while letters from the family kept her abreast of their activities in England and elsewhere. After the Jameson Raid at the end of 1895, she became interested in South African politics, leading to her distrust of Cecil Rhodes and the actions of the British Government. Her eldest brother, W. Graham Greene, was a senior official in the Admiralty in London and their differing views led them to agree to disagree. Alice and Elizabeth left the school in June 1900 - their pro-Boer sympathies were certainly a factor - and moved to Cape Town, where they became active in the women's movement to help the Boer women and children in the camps. This led to friendship with Emily Hobhouse, who did so much to make the British public aware of conditions in the camps. Another close friend was the South African author Olive Schreiner, whose brother had been prime minister of Cape Colony. Alice was an aunt of Graham Greene, the author. This book will be of particular appeal to anyone interested in the history of South Africa and the events leading up to and during the Boer War.
