The First Dominican Friars in Boksburg, Brakpan and Springs, South Africa (1917-1927)

by Joseph Falkiner

Book cover: The First Dominican Friars in Boksburg, Brakpan and Springs, South Africa (1917-1927)

Extent: 106 pages

Publisher: ATF Press

Subjects: Religious Studies

Series: Southern African Dominican Series

Language: English

Paperback (Published)

(October 2024)

ISBN: 9781923206724

6.02 x 9.02 inches

Price: $17.95

In stock

Hardback (Published)

(October 2024)

ISBN: 9781923206731

6.02 x 9.02 inches

Price: $27.50

In stock

PDF (Published)

(August 2024)

ISBN: 9781923206755

Price: $25.00

This book was originally published in 2017 to commemorate the centenary of the Dominican friars presence in South Africa. Coming from a different milieu in England, they found it difficult to fit in. It was due to the persistence of two men, Bede Jarrett and Lawrence Shapcote, that the mission survived.


This book was originally published in 2017 to commemorate the centenary of the Dominican friars presence in South Africa. They arrived in the mining towns of Boksburg, Brakpan and Springs. Coming from a different milieu in England, they found it difficult to fit in. They chose not to get involved with the racial and social animosities, the labour unrest and even the socio-economic factors that led eventually to an apartheid government. Instead they focused on the task of building up parishes.

The social situation they encountered led to frustration. Personal relationships between them deteriorated and most of the first group returned overseas unhappy or ill. It was only after 1925 with the arrival of more friars, that the work of building not just churches, but of living communities of priest and people, could begin. It was due to the persistence of two men, Bede Jarrett and Lawrence Shapcote, that the mission survived at all.

This is a reprint of the 2017 book and is the first in a newly established Southern African Dominican Series published in the ATF Africa imprint of ATF Press Publishing Group.

The book includes a Foreword by the Vice-Provincial of the Dominican Friars of Southern Africa in 2017, Stanslaus Muyebe OP

  • By (author) Joseph Falkiner