Window on Rhodesia – the Jewel of Africa
View of Rhodesia from a window of the Leopard Rock Hotel, Vumba, near Umtali.
“No territory annexed to the British Empire in the last hundred years has come with a more honourable record than Rhodesia”
– His Excellency Lieut-Col. Sir John Chancellor G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., D.S.O. first Governor of Southern Rhodesia, 1st October 1923.
Purpose of the site
This is a Rhodesian history archive about Rhodesia from Cecil Rhodes to Ian Smith (formerly Southern Rhodesia, and for 10 years a part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and now called Zimbabwe) for the purpose of placing on record the way of life and amazing achievements, possibly without equal in the world, of a small community living its own life and developing a country from scratch whilst also taking on the burden and succeeding in uplifting a much more numerous backward population. The site is intended not just for those lucky few of us who lived there but also for those who did not. Rhodesia existed for 90 years and much was achieved during this time – and not just in the last few years. To future generations the 1960s and 70s will be just as much history as the 1890s or 1930s. For this reason various aspects from the whole of Rhodesia’s life are presented. Here might be a good place to start: Rhodesia in Brief.
History
Rhodesia in the Context of History
Turning Points in Rhodesian History
Pioneer Travel in early Rhodesia
A Coach Ride through Rhodesia 1899
For King and Empire. Britain’s most loyal ally!
Sights
Gallery 1 – 114 slides by Colin Weyer
Face of Rhodesia – 20 minute film
Sounds
RBC Radio Recordings by Colin Weyer
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Last update November 2024
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Maps
A large maps archive including the whole country at 1:250 000 scale.
Find the village, farm, mine or mission where you or your family lived!
Gazetteer of Rhodesian place names
Nearly 1 000 map references listed
Historic Rhodesian maps 1890 – c 1945
Rhodesian maps of some neighbouring countries
Mapping of Rhodesia – a joint effort by the Surveyor-General and the Air Force
African Welfare
Rhodesia’s African Welfare programme was markedly superior to that of any African “majority ruled” country – or indeed any run by the British Colonial Office itself!
Advancement in African Housing 1960
How Bulawayo Cares for its African Population
African Life in 1972 by Lawrence Chaza
Challenge & Achievement in the tribal areas
Economy
Golden Dawn – 1 million acres under irrigation
Tilcor – developing the African districts
Quirks & Quiddities
(after the RBC radio programme on items of TOPICAL interest.)
Western Guilt & Third World Poverty
Harare in top 10 worst cities to live!
Environment
Weather Forecasts by Satellite in 1967