Magazines - Window on Rhodesia

Rhodesian Annuals

“In its illustrations, short stories and articles, The Rhodesian Annual portrays very faithfully the scenery, conditions and the life of Rhodesia, and has successfully caught and expresses what one might call the atmosphere and spirit of the country.” – written in 1929 by The Hon. H.U. (Howard) Moffat C.M.G. – Premier of Southern Rhodesia 1927-1933.

The Rhodesian Annual was published from 1926 to 1963 generally a few weeks before Christmas each year. The first, 1926, edition was titled The Rhodesia Annual before it was realised that this name was already in use and incorporated in the British South Africa Annual. The original Rhodesia Annual was first published in 1911 but in 1915 the title was changed to “British South Africa Annual with which is incorporated the Rhodesia Annual” – although in some years this adjunct was omitted. Thereafter, the majority of its content related to the Union of South Africa with small sections covering the other British territories in Southern Africa as well as Moçambique – the final edition being for 1939-40.

Both these magazines were of large format and typically ran to 160-170 pages per edition some of which are now quite rare. The Rhodesian Annual generally measured 26cm x 37cm, except for a few smaller ones in the early 1950s and 1960s, whilst the BSAA was even larger at 28cm x 39,5cm. (cf. today’s A4 size: c 21 x 30cm). This, and the fact that they cannot be opened completely flat, can make scanning rather difficult. Selected contents from each annual will be added as time permits – click on an edition below where the title is shown with a blue link (stars * = no. of items).

Rhodesia Annual 1926 front page — Rhodesia Annual 1926 ***

Rhodesian Annual 1927 front page — Rhodesian Annual 1927 **********

Rhodesian Annual 1928 front page — **Rhodesian Annual 1928**

Rhodesian Annual 1929 front page — Rhodesian Annual 1929 *

Rhodesian Annual 1930 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1930**

Rhodesian Annual 1931 front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1931**

Rhodesian Annual 1932 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1932**

Rhodesian Annual 1933 front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1933**

Rhodesian Annual 1934 front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1934**

Rhodesian Annual 1935 front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1935**

Rhodesian Annual 1936 front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1936**

Rhodesian Annual 1937 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1937**

Rhodesian Annual 1938 - front cover — Rhodesian Annual 1938 ****

Rhodesian Annual 1939 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1939**

Rhodesian Annual 1940 - front cover — Rhodesian Annual 1940 *********

Rhodesian Annual 1941 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1941**

Rhodesian Annual 1942 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1942**

Rhodesian Annual 1943 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1943**

Rhodesian Annual 1944 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1944**

Rhodesian Annual 1945 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1945**

Rhodesian Annual 1946 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1946**

Rhodesian Annual 1947 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1947**

Rhodesian Annual 1948 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1948**

Rhodesian Annual 1949 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1949**

Rhodesian Annual 1950 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1950**

Rhodesian Annual 1951 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1951**

Rhodesian Annual 1952-53 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1952-53**

Rhodesian Annual 1953-54 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1953-54**

Rhodesian Annual 1954 - front cover — Rhodesian Annual 1954 *

Rhodesian Annual 1955 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1955**

Rhodesian Annual 1956 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1956**

Rhodesian Annual 1957 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1957**

Rhodesian Annual 1958 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1958**

Rhodesian Annual 1959 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1959**

Rhodesian Annual 1960 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1960**

Rhodesian Annual 1961 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1961**

Rhodesian Annual 1962 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1962**

Rhodesian Annual 1963 - front cover — **Rhodesian Annual 1963**

The following is a selection from the Rhodesia Annual, which was renamed the British South Africa Annual in 1915, after which its content became focussed mostly on the Union of South Africa although still with some interesting Rhodesian articles in most years.

Rhodesia Annual 1912-13 - front cover — Rhodesia Annual 1912-13 *

Rhodesia Annual 1914-15 - front cover — **Rhodesia Annual 1914-15**

British South Africa Annual 1915-16 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1915-16 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1920-21 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — British South Africa Annual 1920-21 *

British South Africa Annual 1924-25 - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1924-25**

British South Africa Annual 1929-30 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1929-30 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1930-31 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1930-31 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1931.32 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1931-32 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1932-33 front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1932-33 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1933-34 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1933-34 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1934-35 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — British South Africa Annual 1934-35 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) *

British South Africa Annual 1935-36 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — British South Africa Annual 1935-36 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) **

British South Africa Annual 1936-37 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — British South Africa Annual 1936-37 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) *

British South Africa Annual 1937-38 front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1937-38 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1938-39 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — **British South Africa Annual 1938-39 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual)**

British South Africa Annual 1939-40 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) - front cover — British South Africa Annual 1939-40 (incorporating the Rhodesia Annual) *

The oldest Rhodesian illustrated annuals are almost certainly the Bulawayo Chronicle Christmas Numbers. These are now very rare and I am aware of only three editions of which I am fortunate to have two as below. They have c 90 well illustrated pages measuring no less than 31cm x 49cm!