The British Settlement of Natal

The British Settlement of Natal is a seminal work by Alan F. Hattersley which examines the patterns, motivations and consequences of British migration to the Natal colony in the nineteenth century. Published by Cambridge University Press in 1950, and spanning some 351 pages, the study draws on archival sources, emigration records and colonial correspondence to trace how the settlement movement shaped that region of South Africa.

Hattersley maps the journey of settlers from Britain, the institutional frameworks of emigration and settlement, and the social and economic impacts on Natal’s emerging colonial society. He analyses how migration was influenced by imperial policy, demographic pressures and the promise of opportunity, and how those settlers adapted to local conditions, created civic structures and contributed to the colony’s development. The work presents both the macro-forces of empire and the micro-narratives of individual families and communities.

This edition of The British Settlement of Natal remains a foundational reference for historians of South Africa, migration scholars and students of colonial society. Its rigorous methodology, clear prose and detailed documentation give readers a reliable account of a key chapter in Natal’s history. For those exploring the effects of British imperial migration, the intersection of identity and place, or the construction of settler societies, this book offers a rich and enduring resource.