1903 – 1914
1903: Alan Stewart Paton, born 11 January, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
1915 – 1924
1915 – 1918: Attends Maritzburg College, a secondary school
1919 – 1924: Attends Natal University College (BSc and Diploma in Education).
1922: Graduates (BSc) with distinction in Physics.
1920: Publishes his first poem `To a Picture? in Natal University College Magazine.
1924: Represents students of Natal University College at the first Imperial Conference of students in London.
1925 – 1935
1925-28: Ixopo High School (teaching mathematics and chemistry).
1926: Founds, with Cyril Armitage and Reg Pearse, the Student Christian Association’s annual camp for boys in Natal
1927: Friendship with J.H. Hofmeyr begins
1928: Marries Doris Olive Francis at Ixopo.
1928-35: Moves to Pietermaritzburg, to teach at Maritzburg College.
1930: David Paton is born. Alan Paton joins the South African Institute of Race Relations.
1934: Spends three months recuperating at Park Rynie from enteric (typhoid) fever.
1935: Appointed Principal of Diepkloof Reformatory (for African boys) in Johannesburg.
1936 – 1944
1936: Jonathan Paton born.
1938: Paton joins the centenary celebrations of the Great Trek
1939: Volunteers for military duty in World War II, but is not eligible because of `essential occupation?. Becomes chairman of YMCA and Toc H War Services.
1942: Nominated to the Anglican Diocesan Commission to inquire into church and race relations in South Africa.
1943-44: Writes series of articles on crime, punishment, and penal reform for Forum.
1944: Paton addresses the National Social Welfare Conference, and publishes the talk as The non-European offender in 1945.
1945 – 1955
1946: Studies penal institutions in Europe, the United States and Canada, and writes Cry, the beloved country while traveling in Norway.
1948: Cry, the beloved country is published in February. In May the National Party comes to power, and introduces policy of Apartheid. Resigns from Diepkloof Reformatory, to live and write at Anerley on the Natal South Coast.
1949: Visits the United States for the opening of Lost in the Stars, a musical based on Cry, the beloved country. Spends two months at Lane?s Flat Cabins near Piercy, California.
1950: Spends two months in London, working on the film script of Cry, the beloved country.
1953: Moves to Botha?s Hill to work on a Tuberculosis (TB) settlement. Publishes Too Late the Phalarope.
1953-68: Joins the Liberal Party of South Africa as vice-president, becoming chairman in 1956, and later National President, until the party, being non-racial, was forced to disband under the Prohibition of Interference Act.
1954: Tours the United States to write on race relations for Colliers? . Leaves TB settlement.
1955: Writes The Land and People of South Africa for high school students in the United States and Britain. Spends two months teaching at Kent School, Connecticut.
1956: Becomes Trustee of the Treason Trial Defence Fund (later called the Defence and Aid Fund) on behalf of Chief Albert Lutuli, Nelson Mandela and others.
1956 – 1965
1957: Completes script for Mkhumbane (Village in the Gully) based on life in the township of Cato Manor, Durban.
1958: Publishes Hope for South Africa and The People Wept. Begins his series `The Long View? in Contact, newspaper of the Liberal Party of South Africa. Diepkloof Reformatory closes down. Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd becomes prime minister of South Africa.
1959: Delivers Stafford Cripps Memorial Service in St Paul?s Cathedral, London, which is published as The Christian Approach to Racial Problems in the Modern World. Writes The Last Journey, a play about David Livingstone, missionary.
1960: Opening of Mkhumbane, with music by Todd Matshikiza, performed in Durban 29 March, and directed by Malcolm Woolfson. State of Emergency declared by the South African government 30 March. Passport confiscated on return from America. 1961: Publishes Tales from a Troubled Land, and Debbie Go Home.
1962: Writes Sponono (with Krishna Shah), produced in Durban and Johannesburg.
1964: Publishes the biography, Hofmeyr. Broadway production of Sponono. Gives evidence for mitigation of sentence at treason trial of Nelson Mandela and others.
1965: Publishes South African tragedy: the life and times of Jan Hofmeyr (USA edition of Hofmeyr). Publishes Sponono.
1966 – 1975
1966: Defence and Aid Fund banned. Prime minister Hendrik Verwoerd assassinated. B.J. Vorster succeeds him.
1967: Death of Doris Olive Paton in October.
1968: Publishes The Long View, edited by Edward Callan. Publishes Instrument of Thy Peace.
1969: Publishes Kontakion for you departed, a tribute to his deceased wife. Founding editor of Reality: a journal of liberal opinion. Marries Anne Margaret Hopkins, and moves from Kloof to Botha?s Hill.
1970: Passport returned.
1973: Publishes Apartheid and the Archbishop: the life and times of Geoffrey Clayton, Archbishop of Cape Town.
1975: Publishes Knocking on the Door: shorter writings of Alan Paton, edited by Colin Gardner.
1976 – 1988
1979: Gives Alfred Hoernlé Memorial Lecture, published as Towards Racial Justice: will there be a change of heart?
1980: Publishes Towards the Mountain – first volume of his autobiography.
1981: Publishes third novel Ah, but your Land is Beautiful.
1983: Celebrates his 80th birthday. Tours western United States including Yellowstone National Park. University of Cape Town presents the lecture series `Alan Paton at eighty – a celebration!
1985: Gives Alfred Hoernlé Memorial Lecture published as Federation or desolation.
1988: 12 April, dies at home at Lintrose, Botha?s Hill, Natal. Journey Continued – second volume of his autobiography – published in November.
From Callan E (1982) Alan Paton, Boston: Twayne Publishers