growing nationalism among the enfranchised whites and coloureds of South Africa, the Unionist Party's base dwindled. The party was forced into first an alliance and then fusion with the South African Party, in a futile attempt to stop the National Party from coming to power; which it did in the 1924 South African general election. The merger between the Unionists and the South African Party took place in November 1920. The enlarged party retained the name of the SAP. Party leaders The first Unionist Party of South Africa leader, from May 1910, was Leander Starr Jameson. He was created a Baronet after the Union of South Africa came into existence and was thereafter known as Sir Leander Starr Jameson. Dr Jameson was famous as the leader of the ill-fated Jameson Raid before the Second Boer War. He had also been Prime Minister of Cape Colony from 1904 to 1908. Jameson retired from the leadership in April 1912, when the Irish born Sir Thomas Smartt was unanimously elected as the new leader. Smartt had been a senior colleague of Jameson's, both in the Cape Colony Parliament and government and the Union House of Assembly. Smartt remained the Unionist leader until the fusion with the South African Party in November 1920. References South Africa 1982 Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa, published by Chris van Rensburg Publications Political parties established in 1910 Defunct political parties in South Africa 1910 establishments in South Africa Liberal parties in South Africa Monarchist parties