Career

Bok started his career as sales-agent in Zaandam, Netherlands. In 1876 he moved to Pretoria, where he gained the confidence of Paul Kruger and Piet Joubert, and acted as their secretary during negotiations about the position of the Transvaal in 1877–1878. At the declaration of independence he became the first State Secretary of the South African Republic, a position he would hold for almost a decade.^[1]: 71 Afterwards he was appointed Government Commissioner in Johannesburg.^[2]

In his capacity as State Secretary Bok registered the gold claims in the East Rand area of the Transvaal.^[3] The town of Boksburg outside Johannesburg was named after him.^[4] Bok Street in the Johannesburg CBD is named after him.^[1]: 71

Bok was decorated by the French Republic with a knighthood in the Legion of Honour and by the Portuguese government with a knighthood in the Order of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa.

Family

Bok married Pretoria 23 December 1878 with Martina Gerardina Johanna Eekhout (1856-1910), with whom he had five children. His eldest son and namesake Willem Eduard Bok, Jr. studied law and became a justice in the Supreme Court of the Union of South Africa.^[5]