Olive Schreiner, noted SA author, dies in Wynberg, Cape Town

Date: 11 Dec 1920
Updated: 10 Dec 2019

Olive Schreiner was a writer, social theorist and a feminist whose world views were very advanced for her time. Her books though written over a century ago, seem to have predicted the modern day South Africa. Her first book about the story of an African farm became a sensation. However, Schreiner could not take credit for it since it had been published under a pseudonym due to prejudice against female authors. She was only able to reveal her identity in the second edition of the book. Schreiner went on to write several novels and allegories. In 1894, she married ostrich farmer, Samuel Cronwright, who allowed her to keep her maiden name and encouraged her to keep writing. They had a daughter, who died only after a few hours after birth. Schreiner succumbed to years of chronic asthma and died in 1920 in London. She was buried in the Karoo next to her daughter.

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01Olive Schreiner letters online Welcome to the Olive Schreiner Letters Online! [Online] Available at: www.oliveschreiner.org [Accessed on 28 November 2013]
02B.V.Alistairs,Olive Emilie Albertina Schreiner, [online] Available at: africanhistory.about.com [Accessed on 16 November 2012]

Last updated · 10 Dec 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, December 9). Olive Schreiner, noted SA author, dies in Wynberg, Cape Town. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070845

South African History Online (2011) 'Olive Schreiner, noted SA author, dies in Wynberg, Cape Town', South African History Online, 9 December. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070845 (Accessed: 3 October 2026).

South African History Online, Olive Schreiner, noted SA author, dies in Wynberg, Cape Town [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070845, (accessed 3 October 2026).

"Olive Schreiner, noted SA author, dies in Wynberg, Cape Town." South African History Online, 9 Dec. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070845. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Olive Schreiner, noted SA author, dies in Wynberg, Cape Town." South African History Online. December 9, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0070845.