Category: Postmarks

Abercorn

Salisbury

The village of Abercorn was established in 1895 when gold was discovered in the area. It was named after the 2nd Duke of Abercorn, James Hamilton (1838-1913) who was President of the British South Africa Company. Abercorn is the earliest European settlement in the Shamva area. During the First Chimurenga, many of the settlers of Abercorn died in an attack on the village.

It’s name was later changed to Shamva to avoid confusion with Abercorn in Northern Rhodesia (N.E. Rhodesia).

Postal Services

The post office was situated at a Police Post that held a telegraph office.

• 1898.10.01 – Post Office opened.
• 1899.03.31 – Postal Agency opened.
• 1899.12.01 – Post Office re-graded to Telegraph Office.
• 1900.03.31 – Re-graded to Money and Telegraph Office.
• 1900.04.01 – Re-graded to sub-Post Office.
• 1901.03.31 – Re-graded to Post and Telegraph Office.
• 1902.03.31 – Re-graded to Postal Agency.
• 1903.03.31 – Closed.

Mail Delivery

• 1899.01.31 – Mail runner via Mrewas and Enterprise to Salisbury.
• 1900.11.16 – Mail runner via Enterprise to Salisbury.

Postmarks

• Postmarks: Abercorn

Ayrshire Mine

Lomagundi District

Towards the end of the 19th Century, globalization, opened by finance capital frequently turned on mining speculation. A particularly notorious case was that of the Ayrshire mine in Southern Rhodesia’s Lomagundi district. Touted in its heyday as the richest gold prospect in the entire southern half of the continent, the Ayrshire’s corporate existence was characterised by company-mongering and market manipulation in the City of London. Few of these concerns immediately impinged on indigenous interests.

Gold claims were registered on 8 May 1893 on extensive ancient workings, on the Maquadzi River. By 1901 it was acquired by the Ayshire Gold Mine & Lomagundi Railway Company. The new owners contracted Pauling & Company to build a 2ft guage railway line from Salisbury to the mine, and this was complete in 1902 (using material and equipment from the Beira Railway).  In 1903, Ayrshire was the terminus on the postal runner route from Salisbury to Sipolilo and onwards to Feira and Fort Jameson. Two runners were employed at Ayrshire.

By 1906, this railway line had been taken over by the Mashonaland Railway Company. 1906, the gold bearing reef began petering out. By 1909 the mine and crushing mill had closed down and the once thriving community became a ghost town and in 1911 the Ayrshire section of the rail was discontinued.

Post Office

The Post Office agency was situated in the end room of the line at a hotel occupied by men working at the mine. It is suggested the agency closed when the Post Office could no longer justify the expense. It may have been due the Mashona Rebellion when the mine was abandoned.

Initially, mail was sent by runner. However, in 1902, mail was sent by rail to Salisbury.

• 1895.00.00 – Date stamp issued but no evidence exists that it was used.
• 1900.10.04 – Opened as Telegraph Office
• 1901.01.01 – Opened as Railway Telegraph Office
• 1902.11.20 – Regraded to Post Office
• 1903.03.31 – Regraded as Railway Sub Office
• 1903.07.01 – Regraded to Money & Telegraph Office
• 1905.10.12 – Regraded to Post, Telegraph and Money Order Office
• 1909.12.31 – Closed

Postmarks

Reference

• Late nineteenth-century globalization: London and Lomagundi perspectives on mining speculation in southern Africa, 1894–1904 – Ian Phimister
• Journal of the Rhodesian Study Circle No.240 – Andrew Wilkie
• Postal History of Southern Rhodesia
• Rhodesian Miners Handbook
• The Rhodesian Study Circle Journal No.45 – G.D.B. Williams
• The Rhodesian Study Circle Journal No.46

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Gothic Mine

Lower Gwelo District

 

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 by the Consolidated Exploration and Development (Rhodesia) Co. A period of development followed and by 1902 it was decided that sufficient work had to amalgamate with the adjoining Pagamesa Claims.

Milling ceased at Gothic Mine in 1910 and a development option was taken on the property by Mashonaland Agency Ltd.

Around 1978/79 the mine was reopened by a South African industrial development corporation.

Postal Services

Mail service was by runner to Gwelo via Shamrock Mine.

• 1912.08.22 – Postal Agency opened.
• 1931.05.22 – Closed.

Postmarks

Reference

• Postal History of Southern Rhodesia
• Southern Rhodesia Geological Survey, 1946

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