Category: British South Africa Company

Members Workshop: Tom Lee

Tom Lee

Little is known of Tom Lee and the only potential photo of him is above. The photo shows a T. D. Lee standing in from of the Administrator’s Office in Kalomo, 1906.

25.11.1903

Ow ya baas, miningi sterrig mangi, inrona umfaans.

Just changing it to see if it is the correct address. I could not distinctly remember it & thought in case your letter was delayed in transit after redirection it would be as well to my old you have some token of remembrance. So here is the old old sincere wish Nance honest xx given this Xmas to you, served with a brandy cola on a hot plate of ice from your ever loving brother Tom.

29.04.1904

← Behind here where I hang out.

Dearest Sis. Did you remember I had another birthday. I’m all well etc. but miningi mange. Best love from Tom.

19.07.1904

You bet! I remember Bank Holiday 1901. “Are we nearly there… What price the haystacks. Tom.

 

29.07.1904

Dear Vi, Don’t think because I am sending you 5 p.p.c’s this mail that I’m getting reckless in my old age because I am but as our salary falls due tomorrow I can stand the strain the expenditure will ****. Don’t be astonished tho’ if you get no more for a week.

18.08.1904

akee bona inkoosikaas. Another for your collection. Tom.

26.08.1904

Dearest Sister, Just a note this week but its better than none. Got your card safe. I’m wee fit and lively as a cricket. You’ll get all the news from Tib (?) as I’ve sent her the usual. Best love from Tom.

PO Box 195 Salisbury belonged to the De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd.

20.10.1904

Dear Vida, Is this anything like Ashington. Its the Wankie Coalfields – the only coalfields in Rhodesia. Runs about £3 10/- per ton landed at Salisbury. Anything like Ashington!!!!!! Its very unhealthy in the wet season. Miningi fever. Yours Tom.

The railway from Bulawayo to Wankie Coalfields was completed September 21st, 1903. On April 25, 1904 it was extended to Victoria Falls.

22.11.1904

Have sent off letter by same mail. This is taken out at a small mine. The boys are all Shangaanis, miningi intombis, picannins fools.

03.04.1905

Just arrived here on way up. Having ripping ****. Leave tonight for Kalomo. Yrs Loales.

11.04.1905

Arrived here safely. This is the sort of transport I came thro’ from the falls with. Had ripping time. Will write next mail. Took six days to trek about 100 miles. Lively eh!! Don’t be afraid to let me have along “sooner than soonest” soon. Tom.

18.05.1905

Averages about the same as the alnwick-Cornhill branch.

Dear Vida, This is the way you will travel when you come across to spend that weeks holiday at the Falls etc. What do you think of the idea. Yrs Tom.

23.05.1905

To let you see what the Falls are like in full water at the end of the rainy season.

13.06.1905

Try and get that hepple address I asked you about early. “Keerimeke mange

kachema” Newtonards Derry or Mount Stewart!!!!!!!

Mount Stewart is a 19th-century house and gardens a few miles outside the town of Newtonards in Northern Ireland. The owner of the house was the Marquesses of Londonderry.

Dearest Sister, How are we. I’m keeping well and still keeping in touch with Tib and one or two others. Have you had this view for your collection before. The Cape-Cairo Railway is only three miles off now. Best of love and greetings. Yours afftnly, Tom.

The railway arrived in Northern Rhodesia in June 1905, when the 150 km long Livingstone–Kalomo line was built in advance of completion in September of that year of the Victoria Falls Bridge from the then Southern Rhodesia to Livingstone. The first wagons on the line were hauled by oxen, then a single locomotive was conveyed in pieces by cableway across the gorge where the bridge was being built to start up operations to Kalomo in advance of the main line connection.

18.09.1905

Back to Kalomo once more. Fil. Got your card safely. Yours Tom.

24.09.1905

Dear Johnnie, This will show you one of the crews who took part in a boat race on the Zambezi, one of the largest rivers in the world. Uncle Tom.

The first Zambezi Regatta was held on 13th June 1905 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary year of Livingstone’s first arrival at the Falls and the construction of the Bridge. The regatta was the highlight to three days of sporting events and celebrations aimed at promoting the accessibility of the Falls to the wider world.

03.10.1905

Dearest Nance,  Only got back to Kalomo so can’t get time to write you by this mail. All books etc. arrived safely and I’m nearly through already with them. The name I mean was “Howey” not “Oliver”. Regards to all. How is Johnnie. Best love. Tom.

31.10.1905

Zambezi Express. 40 miles in 20 Hours. Tom.

By June 1905 three passenger trains a week were running to and from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls. Also on the Rhodesia Railways timetable was the “Zambezi Express” – a through train from Kimberley to Victoria Falls which completed the 450 km trip in under 18 hours, fully equipped with bedding services and dining car.

05.12.1905

Wonder if the falls will be kind enough to let me be home with you all in 1907. What a (vital *****) time to look forward to though. I am going back.

02.01.1906

My dear Nance, Just a line to let you know that I keep fit and well and hope you do likewise. I had a very quiet time at New Year. I sent you off a letter last week in which I thanked you for Xmas present. Best of love. You aff. Brother Tom.

20.06.1906

This is about 4 miles above the falls.

DEAR DAN. Are you still alive?  Have never had an answer to my last letter. Tom.

22.06.1906

Si si signora. Buena naghcte. T

DateLocationAddressee
25.11.1903SalisburyNance Lee
29.04.1904SalisburyNance Lee (?)
19.07.1904SalisburyVida Rosser
27.07.1904SalisburyVida Rosser
29.07.1904SalisburyVida Rosser
18.08.1904SalisburyNance Lee
26.08.1904Salisbury Nance Lee
20.10.1904SalisburyVida Rosser
22.11.1904SalisburyVida Rosser
03.04.1905Victoria FallsVida Rosser
11.04.1905KalomoVida Rosser
18.05.1905KalomoVida Rosser
23.05.1905KalomoVida Rosser
13.06.1905KalomoNance Lee
18.09.1905KalomoNance Lee
24.09.1905*UnknownJohnnie Lee
03.10.1905KalomoNance Lee
31.10.1905LivingstoneVida Rosser
05.12.1905KalomoNance Lee
02.01.1906KalomoNance Lee
20.06.1906KalomoAndrew Lee
22.06.1906KalomoVida Rosser
10.12.1906KalomoVida Rosser

Pre-Production: 1910 – Union of South Africa

British South Africa Company

1910 – Union of South Africa

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Postcard: Real Photo Cards – Type XE

Real Photo Cards

Type XE

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British South Africa Company: Commercial Branch – Estates Department

British South Africa Company

Estates Department

In 1908, the Commercial Branch of the British South Africa Company (B.S.A.C.) was established to administer land and agricultural development. The Estates Department, within the Commercial Branch, was set-up to promote European settlement and process applications for land.

References

  • A History of Southern Africa – John D Omer-Cooper

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Chaplin High School

Chaplin High School

Gweru

Seven children reported for school in October 1902 when the school was first started. At that time, it was called the Trinity Church School as the building was in the Trinity Church of Gwelo. The first headmaster was Mr Watkinson while Miss Coates-Palgrave was the Assistant to the headmaster. The following January, 16 children moved to the current school grounds.

In 1909, Mr A McDonald was appointed as the headmaster of the school which had been renamed the Gwelo Public School. He continued as the headmaster of the school until 1927 when he retired.

In 1911, the government built a schoolhouse which was the first school hostel in the country. This schoolhouse was later renamed Duthie House after being opened by Mr George Duthie FRSE. By 1914, the first school magazine was printed.

In 1923, the first girls hostel Maitland House was opened by Sir Drummond Chaplin and the school was renamed Chaplin. In 1928, Coghlan House was opened with Lenfesty being opened in 1950. In 1937, the seniors and the juniors were separated, which was the start of Cecil John Rhodes Primary School.

On 7 July 1953, The Queens Gate was opened by The Queen Mother as part of the 1953 Royal Tour.

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London and Rhodesian Mining & Land Co Ltd

London and Rhodesian Mining & Land Co Ltd

Salisbury

The London and Rhodesian Mining & Land Co Ltd (Lonrho) was incorporated in 1909. The business began in Rhodesia as mainly a mining and agricultural business. By the 1960’s the company was struggling.

In 1961, Roland Rowlands took on a strategy to transform the company into a worldwide conglomerate. His introduction was introduced to Lonrho through the Honorable Angus Ogilvy, husband to Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Princess Alexandra, and the director of the company. Ogilvy recruited Rowland, convinced that the 44-year-old mining consultant could turn around the company’s struggles.

Once named a managing director, Rowland moved quickly to expand the company’s interests, using his own portfolio of African holdings as a map for Lonrho’s expansion and diversification. The company’s involvement in mining and ranching was deepened, and forays into automobile and oil distribution were made. Concurrently, the geographic scope of the company was widened considerably until it embraced nearly all of the African continent. Expansion took Lonrho out of Rhodesia, north of the Limpopo River, and into neighboring Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Zaire, and Tanzania, transforming the company into an African conglomerate without rival.

In 1998, the company split it’s mining activities into Lomin.

References

Contributors
  • James Gavin

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