Henriette Grové

Henriette Grové (1922–2009) is an award-winning South African (Afrikaans) writer and dramatist.

Her name also found written Henriëtte Grové on occasion. She also publised under the nom de plume of Linda Joubert.

Biography

Born Hester Henriette Venter in the district of Potchefstroom in the Transvaal on 26 September 1922. She completed her primary and secondary schooling in Potchefstroom, before undertaking her tertiary education at the Potchefstroom University College (later known as the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education).

Career

After graduating from university she had a brief career as a school teacher before getting married in 1945 to A.P. Grové, who later became a well-known literary critic and historian and Professor of Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of Pretoria. The couple had four children, two sons (Niek en Alewyn) and two daughters (Elsa en Mariet).

Her career as an author kicked off in 1947 when, writing under her nom de plume Linda Joubert, she started publishing short stories in popular Afrikaans magazines like Die Huisgenoot, Die Taalgenoot, Die Brandwag and Sarie Marais, romantic novels and children's books. She is best known, however, for the dramas and more serious prose published under her married name Henriette Grové. Her popular novels include Meulenhof se Mense and Die Laat Lente. She also wrote a number of radio dramas and stage plays.

She passed away in Pretoria on 15 December 2009.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

She wrote some stage plays (e.g. Na Honderd Jaar, Die Bokamer (1960) and a large number of radio dramas of which some were also adapted for the stage, including Soos Gras is Sy Dae (1951), Die Goeie Jaar (1958), Die Glasdeur (1959), and Halte 49. Her novel Meulenhof se Mense was adapted for television and broadcast in 1980.