Category: Advertising Covers

Receipt: Duly & Co – 32212

Receipt

Duly & Co

Details

  • Date of Issue: 30th January, 1943
  • Order No.: 32212
  • Printer: 
  • Quantity: 4,000

Shire Highlands Railway Company Ltd.

Shire Highlands Railway Company Ltd.

Nyasaland

The Shire Highlands Railway Company Ltd incorporated in 1895 with the intention of constructing a railway from Blantyre to the effective head of navigation of the Shire River. After problems with routing and finance, a South African 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge railway was constructed between 1903 and 1907, and extended in 1908 to a Nsanje, a distance of 113 miles (182 km) as water levels in the Shire River fell.

As navigational problems in the Shire River continued, in 1912 the Shire Highlands Railway Company contributed to the construction by the British South Africa Company of the Central African Railway of 61 miles (98 km) to the Zambezi, almost entirely within Mozambique.

Although this line, completed in 1914, was owned by the separate Central Africa Railway Company Ltd, the Shire Highlands Railway Company operated all services on its line and was part-owner of its shares. In 1935, the railway undertaking of the Shire Highlands Railway and shares it held in the Central Africa Railway Company Ltd were transferred to a new company, Nyasaland Railways Ltd.

I Conforzi (Tea & Tobacco) Ltd

I. Conforzi (Tea & Tobacco) Ltd.

Cholo

Ignaco Conforzi (b.1885) was an Italian immigrant that brought with him a diploma of agricultural science to Nyasaland in 1907 as a manager with the Blantyre and East Africa Company. In 1909 he began his own tobacco plantation in the Cholo district. By the end of WWI, he was a major producer for the Imperial Tobacco Company.

In 1923 he established a link with Gallaher Ltd, a Belfast tobacco company. It was here that his wealth developed. In the following year he began a successful plan to purchase tobacco from independent peasants in the Central Province. In 1928, he switched from tobacco to tea on his Cholo estates and also acquired substantial land holdings in the Lilongwe and Fort Manning districts.

By 1935 he owned 54% of the tobacco market, owning ten tobacco estates and six tea plantations. In 1939 he converted his private enterprise into a British-based company, I. Conforzi (Tea & Tobacco) Ltd. This ensured that when Britain declared war on Italy in 1940, the Government did not expropriate the company.

In 2001, the plantation went into liquidation and was acquired two years later by a Limbe-based Asian firm.

Reference

  • A History of Malawi 1859-1966 – John McCracken
  • Historical Dictionary of Malawi – Owen J. M. Kalinga
Contributors
  • James Gavin

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Typocrafters Ltd

Typocrafters Ltd

Bulawayo

Typocrafters was a lithographic printer located on Douglas Road, Bulawayo. In the early 1970’s Mardon Printers purchased the company and it became known as Mardon Typocrafters.

Postcards

Print Orders

Contributors
  • Geoff Brakspear
  • James Gavin
  • Narendhra Morar

The Nyasaland Pharmacies

The Nyasaland Pharmacies

Blantyre/Limbe

In 1922, Percy W Skerrett left Lennon Ltd to open his own pharmacies called The Nyasaland Pharmacies. The first one was opened in Blantyre, and later a second one was opened in Limbe.

Postcards

Contributor
  • Keith Harrop

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Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls

The original Victoria Falls Hotel was intended only as temporary quarters for the railway employees, and was to be removed after construction of the bridge. However once established, it was quickly expanded and proved impossible to close, despite the objections of the Administrator of North Western Rhodesia, Robert Coryndon and the residents and traders of the newly established town of Livingstone.

The first Victoria Falls Hotel was built in early 1904 and opened for business on 8 June. By the beginning of 1905, tourist traffic to the Victoria Falls had increased considerably and it was necessary to enlarge the accommodation at the Falls Hotel.

The first designs for the next reconstruction of the hotel were supplied by Sir Charles Metcalfe, but the actual building erected in 1914-7 was designed by Frank Scott. Efforts to encourage tourism included the running of two special trains, in 1926, carrying 350 American tourists from a world-cruise liner and including visits to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, with the parties staying at the Victoria Falls Hotel for a couple of nights. The success of this tour, to be the forerunner of any more, led to the enlarging of the hotel in 1927.

In 1968, management of the hotel was taken over by Zimbabwe Sun Limited. In the early 1970’s it was leased to the then Southern Sun hotel group, forerunner of today’s African Sun Limited.

A significant development in the late 1990s was the involvement in the hotel of another leading Zimbabwean hospitality operation, Meikles Africa Hotels. Today the property itself still belongs to the National Railways of Zimbabwe and there is a shared 50/50 partnership operation between African Sun and Meikles Africa.

The Victoria Falls Hotel continues to trade today and is now a member of The Leading Hotels Of The World .

Advertising Covers

Postcards

References

Contributors
  • Dave Trathen
  • James Gavin

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Rehabilitation and Prevention of Tuberculosis (RAPT)

Rehabilitation and Prevention of Tuberculosis (RAPT)

Bulawayo

 

Formerly known as the Rhodesian Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, the organisation changed it’s named in 1980 to Rehabilitation and Prevention of Tuberculosis when Rhodesian became Zimbabwe.

Cinderellas

Stamp Releases

Contributors
  • James Gavin

Strachan & Co.

Strachan & Co.

Salisbury/Umtali

In June 1891, the first commercial pharmacy, Lowenstein & Strachan was opened in Salisbury by Welshman, John Strachan. The initial fixed premises comprised a round pole and dagga hut in Pioneer Street.

John Strachan was a qualified chemist and druggist, and also was trained at a dental hospital where he performed tooth extractions. Leopold Lowenstein was in charge of the Johannesburg branch while the Salisbury business was run by Strachan. Owing to an incident which the drivers of Strachan’s supply wagon had with a lion on arrival in Salisbury, the chemist shop acquired the name Lion Dispensary. Towards the end of 1891 Strachan had a thatched hut built on the Causeway.

A ‘handsome’ chemist shop under the name of Strachan and Co was opened in Pioneer Street in December 1895 and later a more modern establishment was built in Baker Avenue in the area known as Causeway.

In 1902 Strachan sold out to Mr. James Dobie and Mr. George Drakes, who retained the name Strachan’s and Co.  By 1910 the firm had premises at Causeway, Kopje and a branch on Manica Road. The Kopje establishment was closed in 1914.

John Strachan died in 24th October, 1947 in Ardbennie, Salisbury of heart disease and prostate issues at the age of 82.

Special thanks to the Strachan family for kindly providing photographs from their family collection.

Postcards

Although there is no publisher’s imprint on Series X, it is assumed to be published by Strachan & Co. due to similarities to the other series.

References

Contributors
  • Geoff Brakspear
  • James Gavin

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George C Brown

George C Brown

Bulawayo

Little is known of George C Brown. What is known is that he was working as an agent for the Central News Agency. He had established his business in Sauer’s Chambers on the corner of 8th Avenue and Abercorn Street, Bulawayo using the name Geo C Brown & Co.

By 1909, he was trading as Brown’s Bazaar and Novelty Stores. By 1944, the business was situated at Selborne Avenue, Bulawayo, selling stationery, books, periodicals, toys, fancy goods, carnival novelties, balloons, firecrackers, crepe paper etc.

Postcards

George C Brown
Brown’s Bazaar
Brown’s Bazaar & Novelty Stores
Other Publishers

Revenue

Reference

Contributor
  • Geoff Brakspear
  • Keith Harrop
  • Andrew Wilkie

Philpott & Collins

Philpott & Collins

Bulawayo/Gwelo/Salisbury

Eric Philpott & Charles Collins (1876-1931) originally worked as compositors for The Bulawayo Chronicle.

Around 1902 they formed a partnership, taking ownership of an existing printing and stationery business, Case & Co. The business was located in the Main Avenue Buildings on the corner of 7th Avenue and Main St, Bulawayo. In July, 1902, they became one of the first Rhodesian publishers of picture postcards.

From around 1906, they began to publish books. Some of their more famous books include The Bulawayo Cookery Book (1909), Rhodesian Rhymes (1909) More Rhodesian Rhymes (1913) and Bird’s Tales (1930). By 1908 they had re-located to the Brest Building in Abercorn St where they also sold curios.

Charles Collins died at the Cecil Hotel, Bulawayo on 7th March, 1931 and it appears that Philpott moved to Northern Rhodesia, as an article in the Cape Times in 1938 noted he was a resident from there.

Soon after the business became Philpott & Collins Ltd.By the 1950’s it again changed to Philpott & Collins (PVT) Ltd.

Postcards

Other Publishers

* Renton’s postcards may have been photographs taken by Renton and published by Philpott & Collins as the images appear on their Green Crest series.

Revenue

References

Contributors

  • Sean Burke
  • Terry Cowlard
  • James Gavin
  • Keith Harrop
  • Walter Herdzik
  • Ian Johnstone
  • Malcolm Murphy
  • Jefferson Ritson
  • Andrew Wilkie

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