The Brenthurst Library

The Brenthurst Library is one of the finest privately owned Africana libraries. It grew out of the personal collections of its founders, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer and his son Harry Oppenheimer, with the choice of material reflecting their interests and preferences. Not necessarily systematic and sometimes serendipitous, the strengths have been built on and expanded under the present Library Director, Marcelle Graham.

The focus is on the southern African region with South Africa at the centre, with some material on East Africa, the islands and on the continent as a whole. Material ranges across the subjects of history, including political and military, social, ethnographic and missionary history, biography and other associated topics, and also natural history, all in various languages. It spans the period from the early explorers in the 16th century to the mid-20th century. The Library also oversees The Brenthurst Press.