A day in the life at the University of Pretoria. 20 February 1909

On this "Day in the life of the University of Pretoria" the first lecturer in history, political science and psychology was appointed

Prof Leo Fouché was a renowned historian and diplomat. Some historians consider Prof Fouché to be the father of scientific historiography in South Africa. He also played a key role in the archaeological excavations of the Mapungubwe site at Greefswal from 1933 to 1935. His appointment as a professor of history at the Transvaal University College (TUC) developed into a controversial issue in 1908 – one group favouring the English-speaking historian, John Edgar, and the other preferring an Afrikaans-speaking person who would be able to lecture, it was felt, more authoritatively on national history. Eventually the post was offered to Fouché who, in 1909, became the first professor of history in the Transvaal at TUC. During the First World War (1914 – 1918), he was seconded to the Department of Defence, where he investigated the causes of the Rebellion (1914) on behalf of the government.

The University of Pretoria Archives (UPA) preserves the history of the University of Pretoria. The UPA has an extensive photo collection and histories of the university (as featured above). Please contact us on [email protected] to share your memories of Tukkies or access our collection .