Central Region Groot-Marico

Herman Charles Bosman

Herman Charles Bosman was born in 1905 at Kuilsrivier, near Cape Town. Shortly afterwards his family moved to Johannesburg where he was educated.

He was deeply absorbed in literature, excelled in languages, was repelled by Science and Mathematics and in his matriculation examination he answered the paper on Algebra with a beautifully phrased essay, explaining that he felt he might dispense with the knowledge of this subject since his ability in English was exceptional.

Apart from contributing to the school magazine, he was, at the age of 16, writing a series of amusing short stories for the "Sunday Times". He preferred the school library to the playing fields. At the University of the Witwatersrand, on winning the third prize for his entry in a student's poetry competition, he revealed that the piece had actually been written by Shelley.

On receiving his degree, Bosman was appointed to a teaching post in the Groot Marico district. A most fruitful year, for the place and the people enthralled him - they provided him with the background for his best-known works, the Oom Schalk Lourens and Voorkamer sketches.

On his return to Johannesburg for the June holidays, his visit ended in catastrophy in the house of his mother and stepfather when he fired a hunting rifle at his stepbrother and killed him. Bosman was sentenced to death, but later a reprieve was granted and at the age of 21 he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour. He was, however, released after four and a half years.

He relates his prison experience in "Cold Stone Jug" and it was while he was in prison that he wrote his first Oom Schalk Lourens stories. On his release he started his own printing press and associated with a colourful group of journalists and authors in Johannesburg.

Then came nine years in Europe - London, Paris, Brussels and it was in London that he wrote a number of stories, later collected as "Mafeking Road".

On the outbreak of the war he returned to South Africa where he worked as a journalist and literary editor for several newspapers and at this time translated the Rubayat of Omar Khayam into Afrikaans.

In 1947, after "Mafeking Road" was published, the stories were broadcast on the B.B.C.'s Third Programme under the auspices of the South African poet, Roy Campbell, who considered them to be the best stories ever to come out of South Africa.

Herman Charles Bosman was a great party-giver and his parties were famous for the brilliant and witty conversation which went on far into the night. Two days after a housewarming party he was taken ill with severe chest pains. His wife took him to Edenvale Hospital. On arrival he was asked, "Place of birth?" Herman replied, "Born Kuilsrivier - Died Edenvale Hospital."

A few minutes after he entered the examination room, the doctor could be heard roaring with laughter. Herman came out of the room and told his wife he had indigestion. A few hours later he collapsed at home. He died as he was being wheeled back into Edenvale Hospital. The date was the 14th of October, 1951.

Taken From: The Groot Marico web site at www.marico.co.za

To buy Bosman's books contact info@marico.co.za

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