Orange River Colony

The Orange River Colony was a British colony. It was created after Britain took control of the Orange Free State during the Second Boer War. Britain first occupied the area in 1900 and then fully annexed it in 1902. The colony ended in 1910 when it became part of the Union of South Africa as the Orange Free State Province.

Constitutional history

During the Second Boer War, British forces entered the Orange Free State. They took control of the capital, Bloemfontein, by 13 March 1900. Five months later, on 6 October 1900, the British government said they were taking over the Orange Free State, even though they had not yet fully controlled the area or defeated the Free State’s army.

The Free State government moved to Kroonstad during the war, and its armies kept fighting until the war ended. For the Orange Free State, independence was not officially lost until they signed the Treaty of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902.

On the Boer side, the government was led by President Martinus Theunis Steyn until 30 May 1902. He then went on sick leave, and General Christiaan de Wet took over as acting president. On the British side, Sir Alfred Milner was made Administrator of the Orange River Colony on 4 January 1901, with Hamilton John Goold-Adams as lieutenant-governor.

After the war ended, Lord Milner visited Bloemfontein on 23 June 1902. He announced the new constitution in front of military officials, civil leaders, and representatives of the former Boer government, including General De Wet. On the same day, Milner became Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Orange River Colony.

From 1902 to 1910, the colony was governed by three governors:

• Alfred Milner, Viscount Milner (23 June 1902 – 1 April 1905);
• William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne (2 April 1905 – 7 June 1907);
• Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams (7 June 1907 – 31 May 1910).