Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban.

Date: 2 Oct 1901
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban.

Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell was born in Durban, Natal, and was considered one of South Africa’s most esteemed English poets. The son of Dr Samuel George Campbell, Campbell attended the Durban High School (now Durban Boys' High), where he counted literature and outdoor life among his first loves. Campbell founded the magazine, Voorslag, with William Plomer – a satirical publication, after first establishing his name as a poet some years earlier. Campbell was an accomplished horse rider and fisherman and also fluent in isiZulu. His international fame led to his undertaking a series of lecture tours in Spain, the USA and Canada and his translations of literary works from Spanish, Portuguese and French broadened the English literature. He was killed in a car accident in 1957 while on holiday in Portugal.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01Encyclopaedia of Literature: Burghers of Calais to Peter Carey Biography. Roy Campbell (Ignatius Royston Dunnachie Campbell) Biography. [ONLINE] Available at https://www.jrank.org/literature/pages/3534/Roy-Campbell-(Ignatius-Royston-Dunnachie-Campbell).html. [Accessed 25 February 2015]
02Pearce J. Roy Campbell: Bombast and Fire [online] Available at: www.catholicauthors.com [Accessed on 13 October 2013]
03Potgieter, D.J. et al. Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU. 1970. v. 3, pp. 8-10.
04Remembered.co.za. Obituary for Ignatius Royston Dunnachie "Roy Campbell" Campbell (1901 - 1957). [ONLINE] Available at Remembered.co.za. [Accessed 25 February 2015].

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, August 27). Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban.. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091895

South African History Online (2012) 'Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban.', South African History Online, 27 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091895 (Accessed: 18 August 2026).

South African History Online, Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban. [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091895, (accessed 18 August 2026).

"Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban.." South African History Online, 27 Aug. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091895. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Ignatius Royston Dunnachie (Roy) Campbell, SA satirical poet, is born in Durban.." South African History Online. August 27, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0091895.