A Day in the Life of the University of Pretoria. 23 May 1932

On this "Day in the life of the University of Pretoria" Tuks students tarred and feathered a Humanities lecturer.

Some degrading remarks about Afrikaners caused quite a stir on campus during the early 1930s. In a book entitled War, Wine and Women, references such as “the backveld boer” fuelled Afrikaans and English tension on campus. Soon after the appearance of this publication, H.P. Lamont, a lecturer in French at the university, was revealed as its author. Growing emotions in the ranks of Tuks students eventually culminated in action. On 23 May 1932, a few students unexpectedly ambushed the lecturer at his home. After they had forcibly removed and eventually unceremoniously tarred and feathered him, they released him in full public view on Church Square. This incident caused a huge furore, with the ringleaders being fined and temporarily suspended, but Lamont’s employment was terminated nonetheless.

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