Rhodesiana Volume 31
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iii RHODESIANA Publication No. 31 — September, 1974 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Rhodesia Edited by W. V. BRELSFORD Assisted by E. E. BURKE Copyright is reserved by the Society Authors are responsible for their own opinions and for the accuracy of statements they make. vi CONTENTS September 1974 Page THE EARLY EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT OF THE SOUTH WESTERN DISTRICTS OF RHODESIA, BY ALISON SHINN. PART 2 1 BUILDINGS OF HISTORIC INTEREST. NO. 6. "THE STABLES", SALISBURY, BY E. E. BURKE 22 ORIGINS OF POSTAL COMMUNICATIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. PART I. THE NORTHERN ROUTE, BY P. WHITE 26 INYANGA: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RHODES INYANGA ESTATE, BY R. W. PETHERAM 36 THE REV. HERBERT CARTER, C.B.E., BY A. S. HICKMAN 51 CHARLES LIVINGSTONE AT THE VICTORIA FALLS 69 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 1974, AND OTHER SOCIETY ACTIVITIES 74 SOME RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, COMPILED BY C. COGGIN 80 PERIODICALS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST. A SURVEY BY R. G. S. DOUGLAS 83 NOTES 85 CORRESPONDENCE 88 REVIEWS 93 The cover picture is from a painting by T. Baines, showing his expedition on the market-square in Pietermaritzburg, 1869, prior to his departure for the Interior. An expedition by E. Mohr was there at the same time; the two explorers are seen greeting each other. vii The Rhodesiana Society Founded 1953 The Society exists to promote Rhodesian historical studies and to encourage research. It also aims to unite all who wish to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of the history of Rhodesia. There is no entrance fee; the subscription is $4,00 Rhodesian currency ($6,90 U.S.A. or R4,80) a year, and this entitles paid- up members to those numbers of Rhodesiana issued during the year. There are two issues in each year, dated June and September. For further information and particulars concerning membership please write to: The Honorary National Secretary, Rhodesiana Society, P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Salisbury, Rhodesia. For information about Branch activities please write to: Matabeleland Branch, P.O. Box 1614, Bulawayo. Manicaland Branch, P.O. Box 136, Umtali. Mashonaland Branch. P.O. Box 3946. Salisbury. Manuscripts will be welcomed by the Editor. They should preferably be typed in double spacing and be complete with any illustrations. Copies of published works for review will also be welcomed. National Executive Committee Members G. H. Tanser. National Chairman R. W. S. Turner, National Deputy Chairman C. W. H. Loades. National Honorary Secretary W. V. Brelsford. Editor E. E. Burke R. D. Franks Colonel A. S. Hickman, M.B.E. viii T. J. Ken M. J. Kimberley B. W. Lloyd J. H. G. Robertson, Mashonaland Branch Representative L. W. Bolze, Matabeleland Branch Representative R. A. R. Bent, C.B.E., Manicaland Branch Representative Matabeleland Manicaland Mashonaland Branch Branch Branch Committee Committee Committee Members Members Members Chairman Chairman Chairman H. J. Vickery H. T. F. Went R. W. S. Turner Honorary Secretary and Treasurer Honorary Secretary Vice-Chairman B. Lovemore, O.L.M. Mrs. P. M. Brodie M. J. Kimberley L W. Bolze R. Y. Armstrong Honorary Secretary E. T. Hepburn R A. R. Bent, C.B.E. Mrs. Wendy Hedderick C. O. Liebold Miss A. Cripps W. Parry K M. Fleming Honorary Treasurer P. W Porter E. H Howman Mrs. R. M. T. Barker H. Simms P. M. Hutchinson Mrs. M. Waddy I. E. Mazorati R. D. Franks G. Zacharias W. D. Gale J. M. Leach J. H. G. Robertson, M.L.M. J. G. Storry ix X The Early European Settlement of the South Western Districts of Rhodesia by Alison Shinn PART 2 (It should have been explained at the beginning of Part 1 that this article is based on a dissertation completed by Miss Shinn in 1967 for the History Depart ment of the Teachers' College, Bulawayo. The omission is regretted. Part 1 appeared in our last issue, June 1974.—Editor.) West Nicholson The settlement of the West Nicholson area had started before 1911. which was the year the West Nicholson mine closed down. It had been a mining camp larger than it is today, and the mine milled ores shipped by train from the Geelong and Jessie mines. There were about a hundred Europeans there, a resident doctor, a native hospital, and a hotel. After this date. West Nicholson consisted of the three Rogers brothers. Bert (known as Machia), Sidney and Stan, who were farmers and storekeepers, Bailer, the cattle inspector. Corporal Baldwin and Trooper Bertram Rogers, who ran the Post Office and Police Station. The Rogers brothers were the for warding agents for the railways and ran the station, until 1930, when the first stationmaster was appointed. Never was a single item lost while the goods shed was in their care. There were a few farmers in the area. Mr. Bekkers. Mr. Edisbury. succeeded by his nephew. Mr. Walton Edwards, on Boulder Creek. Mr. Edisbury had previously planned to go to New Zealand, but he met an old school friend, Mr. Bert Rogers, who persuaded him to settle in Rhodesia. There was also Mr. H. S. Henderson. V.C.. on Doddieburn. 'Daddy' Lane and Dougie H. Lane. At this time there were no fences to mark the boundaries of these farms, and livestock wandered wherever it pleased. Christmas was the only time that the district met socially; in fact, it was about the only time people saw one another, and it became tradition for everyone to meet at the Rogers' home for Christmas dinner, given by the three brothers' families. At one time. Mr. Dan Francis (Francistown was named after his father), used to travel to West Nicholson by donkey cart from Tuli to stay 1 with Mr. and Mrs. Stan Rogers for the Christmas festivities. He was a great character, and his arrival marked the start of the Christmas spirit and fun. Christmas of 1932 however, was marred by tragedy. A party on the way to the Rogers' home was washed downstream while crossing the flooded Bembesi Drift. Mrs. Dunsmere and her two children were drowned. Mr. Stan Rogers was with the party but managed to escape. The African cook, James, rescued Mr. Dunsmere and the European nursemaid, and the others managed to scramble on to the opposite bank, and it was not until the morning that it was known who was safe. A sad Christmas day followed, while the search for the three bodies was in progress, but they were never found. At one time there was a hospital at Mazunga, the headquarters of Liebig's Ranch. It was run by a Sister McKenzie. If her patients needed more care than she could give them, they were sent to Gwanda, where they were looked after by a well-loved couple, Dr. and Mrs. King. On the Ranch was an intercommunication system, set up by the sawmills concern, to report such happenings as veld fires. This was kindly made available by the postal officials, who had left the old telephone poles when the new line was erected. The Native Commissioner for the area was at Entebbe, as there was no Beit Bridge as such, until 1929. Liebigs' Drift, as it was known then, was in thick bush, with a white population of three; two policemen and a cattle inspector. Early in 1928, a system of towing the mail across the Limpopo by buck- board was instituted, Several of the farm managers bribed the Africans bringing the mail, to smuggle bottles of liquor in the mail bags, but unfortunately a bottle was broken once, on a trip, and that put a stop to smuggling. For the greater time, there were no tarred roads or bridges, the low level bridge over the Umzingwane being constructed only in about 1928. Oxen and mule carts and bicycles were the only form of transport. Horses often could not withstand the climate and died. However, in 1920 Mr. 'Machia' Rogers bought his first car, a Model T Ford. A trip to Bulawayo in those days was quite an undertaking. Mrs. Rogers packed a lunch basket, and this, together with spare petrol, oil and a couple of gallons of water, saw them through their journey, which took the whole day, in comparison with the mere two hours it takes today. The road to Bulawayo then went through the Matopos, since the Balla Balla route had not then been constructed. A few years later, Mr. Rogers, accompanied by three ladies, his wife, Miss Stonehouse, Matron of the Bulawayo Hospital, and Mrs. Oxford, drove his car to Johannesburg. On the way back, he bought four gallons of petrol at Mazunga. Fourteen miles later, he discovered that the petrol was not petrol, but paraffin, so Mr. Rogers had to walk all the way back to get some proper fuel. He eventually returned to the ladies in the early hours of the morning, and found them quite safe, but worried by the roars of the lions! 2 Tod's Hotel was established in about 1932 by a Sergeant Major Tod, on Dunsmere Farm. It was a flourishing hotel, and well run. Mr. Lane took over from him, and a Mr. Elgert owned the hotel during the war years. Mrs. Marguerite Hogg was a famous personality in the district, and a beautiful woman. Before she married in October 1913, she came into a legacy, with which she bought Boffelstein's farm. Her husband however, lived at Geelong, where he managed to farm a little with native cattle and Ayrshires. He sold cream to the district. The Half Way Hotel which was mid-way between West Nicholson and Colleen Bawn, was once owned by Mrs.