An overview of postmarks on ½d, 1d and 1½d Rhodesia Admirals 1913-25: commodities price wobbles, conflict and internal mail

There can be few comparable stamp issues than the Admirals in use (1913 -25) during the tumultuous era of boom, followed by world conflict, the Spanish 'flu epidemic, and finally the 1920s economic slump. In this regard, it is my view that the use of ½d, 1d and 1½d Admirals for internal postage compares with our modern-day emails or WhatsApp messages and offers fascinating insight regarding the types of exchange. In this survey, based on lots of Admiral stamps collected over the years, I've tried to estimate what proportion of internal correspondence originated from mining communities, or outlying postal agencies destined for or Salisbury. An important consideration in this tentative survey had to be the introduction of the ½d war tax in 1915 and resulting shortage of stamps for internal mail, partly alleviated by overprints until the delivery of one and halfpence bistre- brown in 1917. Last but not least, the proportion of mail originating from Salisbury and Bulawayo can be difficult to assess, as postmarks from these two cities tend to be partial (SA-URY or BU-YO) and dates well-nigh illegible.

Commodities prices 1911 – 1920 (Tobacco)

THE YEARS 1911 -1920

Rhodesian Cooperative Society 2019_AP01_Garwe.pdf 2500000 Market flooded. No - Society formed after the buyers. No auction! auction system has failed. 2000000 2000000 • to warehouse & pack 1500000 1500000 Handbook of Tobacco Culture • find markets for the crop 1000000 925711 • to promote the welfare of 706111 620000 500000 the industry 500000 407000

120000 132210 • Encourage – quality in

0 production 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Tobacco Produced (lb)

AP2019 Document- not peer-reviewed byCORESTA (Source: Dahlia Garwe, Tobacco Research Board 2019)

After the catastrophic collapse of prices and tobacco sales in 1914, many went bankrupt, left for the army – in Charter District one farmer exchanged his farm title deeds for a bicycle! After the First World War, tobacco farmers were encouraged to grow quality varieties: at the Empire exhibition in 1924, Rhodesian tobacco was praised by buyers.

Above: miscellaneous use of ½d, 1d and 1½d Admirals 1914 – 24 skeletons and postmarks from outlying districts.

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Stagnation and decline of gold production 1910-30

Despite a premium on gold during this period, the costs of production for small and medium-sized Rhodesian mines inhibited profitability. Aside from labour shortages mining spares and machinery such as boilers and engines rose during this period, it was reported that they have ‘had a hard time to make both ends meet. Many have retired from the contest altogether.' (op cit. 'Mining in ,' I.R. Phimister, 1976) Further aggravating factors included the difficulties accessing coal supplies and several mineworkers strikes in the 1920s

Shamva Mine was first pegged in 1893, on 'ancient workings.' By 1909 the whole hill was covered in claims, proper exploration took place; the issue of Shamva Mines Ltd shares was deemed a success and output and returns on investment constant for more than a decade. Tests using five stamp mills were undertaken in 1911: the new plant consisted of a power station consisting of steam turbines by Bellis and Morcom - trial runs began in January 1914 and the plant was commissioned by May. Soon the Shamva Mine employed 135 Europeans and 1,700 Africans and was classed as the largest open-cast mine in the world. In 1927, Shamva Mine became the focus of black industrial militancy, largely because of the disparity between the wages of white and black mineworkers.

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Introduction of the War Tax 1915

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4 Postmarks on internal mail ½d, 1d and 1½d Admirals 1913-25 ½ 1913 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1½ d 1d 2d/3d/4d d Kawambwa 1 1913 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Khami Junction 1 Abercorn 2 2 Lalapanzi 1 Antelope Mine * 1 1 Livingstone 1 1 1 1 1 Beatrice Mine * 1 1 Lonely Mine * 2 1 1 Bembesi 1 1 Lundazi 1 Bindura * 2 1 1 2 Lusakas Broken Hill * 3 1 Macheke 1 Bromley 1 1 Makowries 1 Bulawayo 10 1 1 1 2 1 1 4 Makwiro 1 Bulawyo Diamond A 1 Magoye 1 Bulawyo Regd 1 1 Mangwendi 1 Bulawayo Station 1 Marandellas 1 1 2 Bush Tick * 1 1 Marula Tank 1 1 Bwanamakubwa 1 1 Mazabuka 1 Chatsworth 1 1 Mazoe 1 1 Chibuzana 1 Melsetter 1 Chilanga 1 1 Mkushi Chin Mine * 1 1 Mongu-Lealui 1 2 Chipinga 2 2 Monze 1 Chinsali 1 1 Mount Darwin 1 1 Chiwambwa 1 1 Mt Hampden 1 Choma 1 1 Mt Selinda 2 Daisyfield 1 1 Namwala 1 Dett 1 1 Ndola * 1 Duchess Mine * 1 1 Norton 1 1 Eiffel Flats * 1 1 Nyamandlovu 1 1 Eldorado * 2 1 1 Odzi 1 1 Enkeldoorn 1 1 Old Umtali 1 1 Essexvale 1 Paulington 1 Felixburg * 1 1 Penhalonga * 2 1 1 1 Fife 1 1 Penkridge 1 1 Figtree 1 1 Petauke 1 * 1 Queen's Mine * 1 Fort Jameson 5 4 Que Que 1 1 Fort Rixon 1 1 Rusape Fort Roseberry 1 1 Salisbury 2 2 2 1 1 Fort Victoria 1 1 Selukwe 1 1 2 1 Gadzema 1 1 Shabani * 1 1 1 Gatooma * 1 1 Shamva * 1 1 Golden Kopje Mine 1 1 Shagari * 1 1 Golden Valley * 1 1 Shangani * 1 1 1 1 Gothic Mine * 1 1 Shashane 1 1 Great 1 1 Sesheke 1 1 11 3 1 2 1 5 2 1 Sinoia 1 1 Gwelo * 1 1 Solwezi 1 Hartley * 3 1 3 South Helvetia 1 Headlands 1 1 1 Susannah Mine * 1 Heany Junction 1 Tafuma 1 Hunter's Road 1 1 2 Tarn Estate 1 Inoro 1 1 Tuli 1 Iron Hill Mine * 1 TPO 2 Station 9 2 1 2 4 2 5 Umtali 1 Inyanga 1 1 1 1 Umsururu 1 Inyati 3 2 1 1 Umvuma 2 1 1 2 Inyazura 1 1 Umsweswe * 1 Kafue 1 1 1 Victoria 1 1 Kalene Hill 1 Victoria Falls 1 1 Kalomo 2 2 Wankies * 2 1 2 Karoi 1 1 * 1 1 Kasempa 1 Zimbabwe 2 1 2 Kashitu 1 1 * Mining towns

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Defining 'scarce' and 'rare' postmarks

Almost every collector of postmarks will have their own opinion. Throughout this period there are hundreds of illegible, messy or incomplete cancels from Bulawayo and Salisbury. Outlying districts seem to have taken more care and often these are clearer. Some communities and postal agencies, however, only existed for a short while, so discovering these can be exciting. It gets even better if the postmark also has a clear date and the stamp is in good condition. Here are a few examples that I feel are rather special –

South Helvetia post office which opened in 1910 and closed in 1922. South Helvetia farm is south of Mutare towards the Mozambique border and was operated by a Swiss, Mr Schlachter and served by runner to Melsetter weekly.

Origin and frequency of internal mail on postmarks Admirals 1913 - 16

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Bulawayo Salisbury Mining towns Outlying towns

Origin and frequency of internal mail on postmarks Admirals 1917 - 25

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Bulawayo Salisbury Mining towns Outlying towns

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Some mining history -

Bwana Mukubwa, the oldest copper mine of , opened in 1902. According to local lore, the mine was named after Francis Enilius Fletcher Jones, Native Commissioner, who was known to the locals as the Bwana M'kubwa, meaning big chief or great master. Archaeological remains show that mining in this area started during the 14th and 15th century. The mine was established in 1902 by the Rhodesia Copper Company. In 1910 the Bwana Mkubwa Copper Mining Company, registered in London, was formed. After World War I, in 1918, the mine developed a flotation process for extracting copper from low-grade ores. This processing technique became known as Perkins Process. This process was very important for the later development of copper mining - after it was introduced in 1922 the company suffered massive losses and finally the mine was closed in 1931.

Broken Hill Mine 1902-1913 was the earliest large mine to open in , contributed significantly to the regional history mining in the 1920s. Lead and zinc were discovered at Broken Hill by T.G. Davey, an Australian geologist at the start of 1902 looking for ‘certain old workings’ he had been told about by other prospectors. Exports increased from 1906 when coal was brought from Wankie Colliery with the extension of the Rhodesian railway system. During WW1 the development of the mine was hampered by shortages of labour; the mine closed because of the influenza epidemic.

Golden Kopje Mine is one of the oldest discovered in 1891 three years before Eldorado and situated about 28km west of Sinoia. It employed a large number of white mineworkers.

Eldorado Mine, Lomagundi district. Agency provided runners from 1909 to Banket Junction, operated under the name Eldorado in the 1920s. Office destroyed by fire in December 1930 Photo: construction of railway from Livingstone Penhalonga the village lies 17 kilometres north of Mutare in the valley where the Sambi and Imbeza Rivers join the to Broken Hill 1906 Mutare River. Alluvial gold was being worked in the area in 1575 when Vasco Homem visited; the first gold claim was named Penhalonga, after Count Penhalonga, chairman of the Mozambique Company. The Penhalonga Mine operated from 1895, in 1903 a mill was in operation driven by water power, eventually producing over 185,000 oz. (5.3 tonnes) of gold. Recent operations ceased in 2013, due to an outcry from the local community regarding the environmental catastrophe along the Mutare River.

Chin Mine began producing in 1906 and was one of the earliest gold mines in the Mount Darwin District. After sitting idle for a number of years, between 1919-1920 the mine was re-opened. A new road built and water pipes from a spring in Mount Darwin to provide drinking water. Postal Services: Telegraph office 1909, runner to Bindura, PO agency opened April 1912, closed May 1917

Gothic Mine is named after Gothic Farm about half a mile from the west bank of Gwelo river. The mine was first pegged in 1898 . A period of development followed and by 1902 it was decided to amalgamate with the adjoining Pagamesa Claims. Milling ceased at Gothic Mine in 1910. Between 1978-79 the mine was reopened by a South African industrial development corporation. Postal Services: by runner to Gwelo via Shamrock Mine. PO agency opened August 1912, closed May 1931.

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8 Northern Rhodesia’s postmarks

With the development of road and rail links in the 1920s, Northern Rhodesia’s postal network reached out to far-flung communities that previously had only irregular access to mail. However, when in 1924, the Rhodesia Admiral issue was withdrawn from use in Southern Rhodesia, in Northern Rhodesia Admirals continued to be in circulation until late 1925.

Fort Jameson: a late cancel, March 1925

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Conclusion: in our survey of more than 300 postmarks on Admirals 1913-25, a number of trends emerge. The optimism of the pre-WW 1 period was followed from 1915 by shortages, not least the ½d stamps required for war tax. Despite numerous mine closures, Spanish ‘flu and a worldwide slump in commodities prices, a constellation of outlying new postal agencies was established, often serving far-flung communities, north of the Zambezi and along the border of Mozambique. Rhodesian postal services made a massive contribution towards the consolidation of the vibrant new economic infrastructure.

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