Few South Africans will remember The 1860 Settler. This magazine, which catered for a South African Indian audience, was the result of the joint efforts of a Durban couple: Ronnie Pather, who served as editor and his wife Leila who was the advertising manager. Together they published ‘The Settler’ from the 1960’s until around 1978 (these dates are an estimate).
Billed as a bi-monthly family magazine, it featured articles on family life, fashion, beauty, cooking, cinema, as well as short fictional stories. These magazines give a fascinating glimpse into the interests of the Indian community during that era. Especially interesting are the many advertisements that feature local Indians – some of whom were community heroes or celebrities. These adverts provide an idea of the lifestyle goals which many middle class Indians must have aspired to reach.
As part of an ongoing project, future posts will offer an opportunity to look inside more editions of The Settler magazine.
NOVEMBER 1968
The November 1968 edition of The Settler, was a bumper issue celebrating the upcoming Diwali festival and the magazine’s achievement of the Audit Bureau of Circulations seal – an indication of the high standards maintained by the magazine.
Many articles addressed relationship and family issues.
This edition also featured three short fictional stories.
This magazine carried several articles on the newest car models including the Ford Fairlane 500, the Opel Rekord Coupe and the Datsun 1300 Pick-up.
Resources
The 1860 Settler magazine -Nov. 1968.
[The 1860 Settler Magazine was printed by Premier Press, Queen Street, Durban]
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