The Rhodesian Study Circle is a philatelic website for the areas of Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, British Central Africa and Nyasaland, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The South African Mutual Life Asssurance Society was part of the products offered by Old Mutual and was founded in 1845. The original name The Mutual Life Assurance Society of the Cape of Good Hope was changed to The South Africa Mutual Life Assurance Society in 1885.
Bulawayo
28 September 1969
Hartley Hills was named after Henry Hartley who emigrated from England as a child with the 1820 settlers. Interest in gold exploration in the interior was revived when Henry Hartley found gold reef in “ancient workings” north of the Mupfure River (formerly the Umfuli) although he could not remove samples due to a prospecting ban imposed by Mzilikazi. However the legend goes that a shot and dying elephant collapsed on a gold bearing quartz outcrop.
A group of investors in Natal formed the South African Gold Fields Exploration Company under the leadership of Sir Thomas Baines. C J Nelson was appointed chief geologist. Meetings were held, and about £3,000 subscribed for shares to equip a party of 34 Australians to carry out mining on the Tati goldfields.
On 28 September 1869, Thomas Baines and Nelson pegged the first gold claim in Mashonaland.
16-17 October 1971
The 13th Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) was held 16-17 October, 1971. JOTA is an international Scouting and Guiding activity held annually; it is on the third full weekend in October. First held in conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of Scouting in 1957, it was devised by Leslie R. Mitchell. It is now considered the largest event scheduled by the World Organization of the Scout Movement annually.
Matjinge Mission
There is currently little information on the formation and history of the Matjinge Mission. The mission hosts both a primary, secondary and boarding school.
The schools continue to service boarders and local children today.
Mutero Mission
Mutero Mission began as an outstation of Mukaro Mission. It became its own independent mission in 1956. Located in the Gutu Tribal Trust Land in Masvingo Province, Southern Rhodesia (among the Shona peoples), it was established by the Bethlehem Missionary Society (SMB) under the leadership of Bishop Haene.
Simon Mutero, the son of the local chief, persuaded his father to win the support of chief Chagwiza to permit the Roman Catholics to open a school in 1946. The area had previously been under the influence of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC), but the local populace had become dissatisfied when the DRC closed down local schools. Mutero would go on to teach at the mission for over 20 years. When SMB missionary, Fr. Joseph Suter, first arrived, he saw “only a vista of treeless land without water or pasture. Water was obtained from a borehole; buildings were put up and primary and junior secondary schools established.”
The Mutero mission community in the late 1970s consisted of Bethlehem Father Anthony Wey, the mission superior, Fr Walter Kaufmann, Fr James Bernet, Fr Winterhalder, and five sisters of the Diocesan Congregation of the Infant Jesus (SJI) under the leadership of Sr Tarcisia Gundani, the superior. The sisters ran the primary and the secondary school and the clinic. All stayed at the mission throughout “the war of independence, in spite of the dangers and hardships, and being cut off from all outside communication from April 1979 to April 1980. Father Urayai would later join the Mutero from Serima Mission,
The mission presently consists of Chatikobo Primary School, Mutero High school (with a current enrollment of 765 students and 35 staff), and the Mutero Mission Clinic.
Guard Force
The Guard Force was the fourth arm of the Rhodesian Security Forces. It consisted of both black and white troops whose initial role was to provide protection for villagers in the Protected Village system. Its headquarters were in North Avenue, Salisbury. Its training establishment was based at Chikurubi in Salisbury.
During the latter stages of the Bush War they provided a role in the protection of white-owned farmland, tribal purchase lands and other strategic locations. They also raised two infantry Battalions and provided troops in every facet of the war in each of the Operational Areas. It was a large component of the Security Forces, with a strength of over 7,200 personnel.
The guard force cap badge was a castle on top of a dagger, below the castle was a scroll reading ‘Guard Force’
2GP Chipinga
25 October 1976
On 25 October 1976, Alaska Mine Postal Agency opened in the Alaska Trading Store.