UCT Libraries

BC 1101 THE  DULCIE  HOWES  PAPERS  

Manuscripts & Archives

University of Cape Town Libraries

 

donated to

The University of Cape Town Libraries

by

Victoria Cawood

A List

compiled by

Karen Combrinck

1997

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Biographical Note

The Collection

A.

PERSONAL

B..

CORRESPONDENCE

C.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

D.

INVOLVEMENTS

E.

SPEECHES

F.

PHOTOGRAPHS

G.

NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

H.

PROGRAMMES

I.

ARTICLES

J.

MISCELLANEOUS

K.

PAPERS RELATING TO GUY CRONWRIGHT

INTRODUCTION

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Dulcie Howes was born in 1908 at Little Brak River near Mossel Bay, where the family spent their summer holidays.

Her father, Justice Reed Howes, came to South Africa at the end of the Anglo Boer War. While he was the headmaster of Oudtshoorn Boys High School he married Muriel Alice Lind. After their marriage they settled in Cape Town, where Justice Howes practised as an advocate

Dulcie Howes was one of the first pupils at Herschel School in Rondebosch when it opened in 1922. She maintained her interest in the school for many years as a ballet teacher there, and also as a member of the school council. Both her daughters, Amelia and Victoria attended Herschel.

As a child she took dancing lessons with Helen Webb. These classes concentrated more on deportment and what was known then as “fancy dancing”. She later took ballet instruction from Helen White, who had studied with Cecchetti.

In 1925 Dulcie Howes saw her first professional ballet performance when Anna Pavlova’s Company toured South Africa. Possibly as a result of this she decided to travel abroad to England in 1926 to study ballet, as ballet in South Africa was then in its infancy. She spent three and a half years in England studying different aspects of dance such as pas-des deux, ballroom, mime, Spanish, Greek, tap and modern dance as well as anatomy and art. At the end of her studies in England she managed to secure a small part with Anna Pavlova’s company when they toured Europe.

When Dulcie Howes returned to South Africa in 1930, inspired with ideas, methods and techniques, she opened a ballet school in Rondebosch, where she taught ballet, ballroom and Spanish dancing. Her school had grown from 3 pupils to 60 when Prof. W Bell , Head of the College of Music at UCT, suggested that Dulcie Howes move her school to the College of Music. This led to the founding of the UCT Ballet School in 1932.

This was a major development in ballet in South Africa and was also a realization of her vision of having ballet and related subjects taught “under one roof”, and the organisation of ballet on a professional and educational level.

Between 1932 and 1952 Dulcie Howes choreographed 30 original ballets such as La Famille, Vlei Legend, Bach Suite and The Enchanted Well.

In 1935 Dulcie Howes was appointed Director of the Little Theatre (the first woman to hold this position). The UCT Ballet Company was established in the same year. It was separate from but complementary to, the UCT Ballet School, as its dancers were drawn from the ballet school. The ballet company quickly grew and from 1941 did several tours throughout Southern Africa.

In 1950 the Dulcie Howes Ballet Trust Fund was established. Its aims were to promote ballet in South Africa, to help dancers go abroad and to sponsor guest artists to come to South Africa. The Fund was the brain child of Guy Cronwright.

In 1963 the UCT Ballet Company became fully professional, and in 1965 it became a part of CAPAB (Cape Performing Arts Board) with Dulcie Howes as its Artistic Director. She retired as Artistic Director in 1969.

Although employed by CAPAB her ideal was the establishment of a National Ballet Company in order to develop an “indigenous and characteristic ballet”. This was one of her goals which was never realised.

After 1972 when Dulcie Howes retired as principal of the Ballet School, she remained active in ballet and its development. Together with Mignon Furman and David Poole she drew up the syllabus for the Education Dept. in 1974 when ballet was first recognised as a subject in schools. She was also the first inspector of ballet in the Dept. of Coloured Affairs and a moderator for Stds. 8 & 10.

During her career she received many awards and honours such as the Cape Tercentenary Foundation Award in 1953, Cecchetti Gold Medal in 1969, the SA Academy for Arts and Sciences gold medal in 1970 and an Honorary Doctorate in Music by UCT in 1976.

She married Guy Cronwright in London in 1937 and had two daughters, Amelia and Victoria.

THE COLLECTION

The collection was donated to the University by Victoria Cawood.

It consists of items such as newspaper cuttings, photographs and programmes relating to her professional career in ballet.

Also in the collection are some of her personal papers, correspondence and many of the speeches she made.Evident in the speeches is a sharp wit and wonderful sense of humour.

Included in the collection are some papers of her husband Guy Cronwright, mainly relating to his career as Managing Director of the Cape Times.

A.

PERSONAL

A1

Abridged Birth Certificate, issued 1922

A1.1

Letter to Registrar General requesting an unabridged birth certificate, 1983

A2

Herschel School

 

Photocopies of pages from Admission Register and other documents, 1920

A3

Letter enclosing a biographical data form sent to Marquis-Who’s Who, Inc., USA 1920’s

A4

Letters of appointment as Temporary Subject Inspectress from the Dept. of Coloured, Rehoboth and Nama Relations, together with Conditions of Service, 1975

A5

Curriculum Vitae

A6

Tributes and Biographical Information

A7

Letter of resignation to the Council for Culture and Recreation,  1981

A8

Travel Letters and Diaries

A8.1

List of Dulcie Howes’ travels  1945-1980

A8.2

Europe,  1954

 

and photograph album of this trip

A8.3

Europe and London,  1956

A8.4

Kenya,  1958

A9

Bound tribute to Dulcie Howes from the UCT Ballet School on the occasion of her retirement,  1972

A10

Two unidentified notes by Dulcie Howes

A11

Obituaries

B.

CORRESPONDENCE

B1

Family Correspondence

B1.1

Letters from Dulcie Howes to Guy Cronwright,  1949?-1956

B1.2

letters from Guy Cronwright to Dulcie Howes,  1946-1970

B1.3

Letters from Dulcie Howes to her family,  1956

B1.4

Letter from Mr. R Howes (father) to Dulcie Howes,  1944

B1.5

Card from Victoria (daughter) to Dulcie Howes,   nd.

B1.6

Telegram re: marriage from L C Howes,  1937

B2

Two letters from friends on the occasion of her marriage,  1937

B3

Correspondence re: resignation from CAPAB as Artistic Director, 1969

B3.1

Administrator’s Office of Province of the Cape of Good Hope and Dulcie Howes reply,  1969

B3.2

Mr D J Liebenberg  1969

B3.3

Dr. W. J. B. Slater and Dulcie Howes reply,  1969

B3.4

Diaries, 1969

B3.5

Letter to J B Theron,  1969

B4

Correspondence, UCT

B4.1

P R Koch of the Registrar’s Office, UCT and Dulcie Howes reply, 1970

B4.2

R P Schell of the Registrar’s Office, UCT  1974

B4.3

Professor L Kritzinger, President of UCT’s Staff Association and reply from Dulcie Howes,  1972

B4.4

Letter to David Poole,  1972

B4.5

Elizabeth Triegaardt, Director of UCT Ballet School,  1993

B5

General Correspondence in Alphabetical Order

B5.1

AA Life,   1990

B5.2

Abbeyfield Society of South Africa,   1990 and 1993

B5.3

Anna House,   1985 and 1988

B5.4

Aliwal Road Primary School,   1982

B5.5

Avril,   1984-1993

B5.6

Elizabeth C Balie,   1985

B5.7

Rosemary J Bate,   1984

B5.8

Baxter Theatre,   1990 and 1993

B5.9

Die Burger,   1982

B5.10

Camps Bay High School,   1983

B5.11

CAPAB,   1993

B5.12

Chancery of Orders,   1990-1991

B5.13

Constantia Publishers,   1969-1970

B5.14

Cultural Affairs, Dept of    1970

B5.15

Feature Film Sound,   1970

B5.16

Ingrid Gaertner,   1989-1992.

B5.17

Mrs R Gaertner,   nd.

B5.18

M. Grut,   1989

B5.19

Hand spring Puppet Co. Ltd,   1985

B5.20

Haven Night Shelter,   1991

B5.21

Val Heard,   nd

B5.22

Herschel,   1988

B5.23

Human Sciences Research Council,   nd

B5.24

Letter from Dulcie Howes to HSRC,   1972

B5.25

Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing - Cecchetti Method,   1972-1985

B5.26

Margaret Inglis,   1992

B5.27

Mrs F. Mason,   1970

B5.28

Mayor’s Office,   1990-1993

B5.29

Medical Aid for Russia,   1942

B5.30

Ministry of the Interior,   1977  and Dulcie Howes reply,   1978

B5.31

Peggy Morice,   1991

B5.32

Natal Performing Arts Council, 1988-1989

B5.33

The National Ballet,   1987

B5.34

National Education, Dept of,   1985

B5.35

Letter from Dulcie Howes to PACT with biographical attachments, 1970

B5.36

Noel Pelly, 13 May ?

B5.37

Sue Perry,   1982

B5.38

Mrs Patricia Philander,   nd

B5.39

Gunter Pulvermacher,   1984

B5.40

Radio South Africa, SABC,   nd

B5.41

Rhodes High School,   1986

B5.42

Royal Opera House,   1946

B5.43

SA College High School,   1987

B5.44

Sea Point High School,   1989

B5.45

South African Gifts and Comforts Committee,   1942

B5.46

Suid Afrikaanse Akademie van Wetenskap en Kuns,   1970

B5.47

Syfrets Trust Co. Ltd.,   1972

B5.48

Mimi Williams,   1951

B5.49

Pat Williams,   1987

B5.50

Veronica Williams,   1993

B5.51

Rex Wilson,   1970

B5.52

Ann Wixley,   1989 and 1992

B5.53

YMCA, Andy Richards Centre,   1990 and 1991

B5.55

Various Correspondence  (8 items)

B6

Cards  (10 items)

C.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER

C1

Little Theatre,    1931 -

 

Newsclippings, photograph of W. Bell & letters

C2

UCT Ballet School,    1932

 

Brochure, cuttings from brochure, photograph & biographical notes

C3

Merry Wives of Windsor Production by FFrangcon-Davies- Vonne Co.,    1945

 

Includes agreement and programme

C4

South African National Ballet,    1947-1948

 

Minutes of Annual General Meeting and Secretary’s Report,    1949/1950

C5

Union Festival,    1960

 

Photograph and letter re: Union Festival Commemorative Coin presented to Dulcie Howes

C6

Dulcie Howes Ballet Trust,    1965

 

Two agreements, 1965 & 1969

C7

Cecchetti Medal,    1969

 

includes photographs, letters and newsclippings re: Award of the Cecchetti Medal

C8

Retirement from Capab,    1969

 

includes newsclippings and programmes of Sleeping Beauty

C9

S. A. Akademie Award,    1970

 

includes correspondence, newsclippings and photographs re:Award of Gold Medal by S.A. Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns to Dulcie Howes.

C10

Retirement from UCT Ballet School,    1972

 

includes an invitation to the farewell presentation, photographs, newsclippings, program of the Nutcracker, and correspondence.

C11

Civic Honours,    1974

 

includes an invitation to a dinner in honour of Dulcie Howes and Prof. Inskip, and newsclippings.

C12

Cecchetti Society International and Commonwealth Conference,    1976.

 

paper delivered by Dulcie Howes

C13

Doctorate in Music, UCT    1976

 

includes correspondence, invitation to the graduation ceremony, citation, programme, photographs, a tribute to Dulcie Howes by Yvonne Williams-Short, newsclippings and an article in “UCT NEWS”

C14

Woman of the Year,    1976

 

includes an autographed copy of the list of luncheon guests and newsclippings.

C15

Opening of the Baxter Theatre,    1977

 

includes correspondence, newsclippings and a brochure of the Baxter Theatre

C16

SABC Documentary Series “Six Women”,    1978

 

includes correspondence, biographical notes, script and a filming schedule

C17

Nederburg Awards,    1979

 

includes invitation to Nederburg Award presentation and newsclippings.

C18

Adelaide Ristori Award,    1982

 

includes a programme and newsclippings

C19

75th Birthday,    1983

 

Newsclippings

C20

Naomi Press Award,    1984

 

Newsclippings

C21

SACPAC Award,   1987

 

Newsclippings, photographs, correspondence and two programmes.

C22

80th Birthday,    1988

 

Biographical note on Dulcie Howes by Florence Short, birthday cards, photographs, two invitations, newsclippings, correspondence and a “Thank You” notepad with a list of names.

C23

UCT Ballet School production of “Water Babies” as a tribute to Dulcie Howes on her 80th birthday.(includes a page from an article signed by Elizabeth Triegaardt.)

C24

State President’s Award,    1989

 

includes an invitation from the State President, a list of seating arrangements, correspondence, warrant by the State President, programme, newsclipping and photograph

C25

Cape Town City Honours,    1989

 

Two typed copies of the wording(with corrections) for the Civic Honours Book, newsclippings and photographs

C26

Maynardville Plaque,    1990

 

Newsclippings and correspondence

C27

Biographical note on Dulcie Howes for the SABC’s “Famous Women”,    1992

D.

INVOLVEMENTS

D.1

Dulcie Howes Community Centre Brochures and a copy of the Constitution

D.2

Pages of an article in the Annual Report of the Silvertree Youth Club,  1974

D.3

Minutes of the Baxter Governing Board Meeting

D.4

Baxter 200 membership card and  brochures.

D.5

Herschel School brochures,  1972-1993?

E.

SPEECHES

 

Arranged in Chronological Order

E1

1950-1984

E2

1985-1991

E3

Undated Speeches

E4

Newsclippings of speeches made by Dulcie Howes

E5

Newsclippings and articles re: speechmaking.

F.

PHOTOGRAPHS

F1

Personal

 

(includes Dulcie Howes as a child, portraits of Dulcie Howes, and members of the family.)

F2

Ballet

 

(includes Lausanne,  1972)

F3

The launch of the Arabesque Magazine,  1980

F4

Social

F5

Houses and Interiors of Houses

F6

Miscellaneous

G.

NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS

G1

General and Ballet

G2

Social Events

H.

PROGRAMMES

H1

African Consolidated Theatres

H2

CAPAB    (1965-1993)

H3

EOAN Group,    1956

H4

UCT Ballet,    (1947-1984)

I.

ARTICLES about Dulcie Howes and ballet

J.

MISCELLANEOUS

J1

SAIRR Presidential Address “Do We Care?”,    1982

J2

Article from the journal “Physiotherapy”, Volume 39 Numbers 3 & 4, Dec’ 1983

J3

Article published by the Centre for Intergroup Studies,    1985

J4

Music Scores

J5

Poem

J6

Various extracts from articles on ballet

J7

Poster of the Dulcie Howes exhibition at the Irma Stern Museum,  1994       (O/S)

K.

PAPERS RELATING TO GUY CRONWRIGHT

K1

Letter from Guy Cronwright to his mother,    1918

K.2

A speech? titled “The Master” by Guy Cronwright,    nd

K3

Correspondence & papers relating to the Cape Times and South African Associated Newspapers

K4

Newsclippings re: Louis Luyt’s bid for South African Associated Newspapers.

K5

Diary re: Bid for South African Associated Newspapers

K6

Obituaries

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