Olive Schreiner (24 March 1855 – 11 December 1920) was a world renown South African writer and is best remembered for her novel The Story of an African Farm which has been highly acclaimed ever since its first publication in 1883. She was born in Wittebergen and grew up Healdtown from the age of six. Between 1868 and 1870 she lived in Cradock with her brother who was the headmaster of the local school and two other siblings. Although Schreiner only lived in Cradock for three years, she was reburied (she was originally buried in Kimberley) outside the town on Buffelskop mountain.
The house she lived in with her siblings has been converted into Schreiner House, a museum mainly dedicated to Olive Schreiner. The museum houses her personal library, exhibitions depicting her life and copies of all her books. It also houses a small bookstore selling a wide variety of books. Unfortunately I swung through town on a Sunday afternoon which meant the museum wasn’t open, but I’ll make a plan next time I’m in town.
The Schreiner Karoo Writers Festival takes place in Cradock from 25 to 27 July this year (2014)