Category: Rhodesia

1975 – Hama Postal Agency Opened

Hama Postal Agency Opened

1 July 1975

Hama Postal Agency was opened on 1 July 1975. It was closed in 1978 following an attack during the armed conflict and was re-opened two years later in 1980.

Hama

Hama

Hama is named after Chief Hama’s village in the Chilimanzi Reserve (Tribal Trust Land), located south of Mvuma (Umvuma) in Chirumhanzu District, Midlands Province.

In 1912, Jesuits started St. Joseph’s Mission. Chief Hama initially welcomed the Jesuits, but later opposed their efforts. Nonetheless, between 1914 and 1916, the Jesuits opened a number of schools within a few miles of the mission and baptized approximately 200 new converts.

Postal Services

  • 1975.07.01 – Opened as a Postal Agency.
  • 1978.09.13 – Closed following an attack during the Bush War.
  • 1980.11.17 – Re-opened.

Postmarks

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1972 – RHOPHIL 72

RHOPHIL 72

28 August – 2 September 1972

The Congress of the Philatelic Federation of Southern Africa, through the Mashonaland
Philatelic Society held an exhibition of stamps in the Beit Hall, Girls High School, Salisbury
from 28 August to 2nd September, 1972. The combined events were given the name Rhophil 72.

Owners of recommended collections were invited to exhibit material from a wide international field. The exhibition, hoped to attract displays containing the gems of collections which may not have been shown before, while at the same time, award winning collections could be viewed; the aim being to illustrate some of the many popular facets of philately of both general and specific interest.

Stamp Issues

Commemorative Cachet

First Day Covers produced and sold at the Exhibition had the Rhophil 72 cachet applied
in violet. Covers from the Exhibition have a Salisbury postmark, not a “First Day of Issue” postmark that was applied at the Philatelic Bureau.

Commemorative Covers

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Monomatapa Hotel: 1975 – Aloe 75 International Congress

Monomatapa Hotel

1975 – Aloe 75 International Congress

The Aloe 75 congress was held at the newly completed Monomatapa Hotel. A special cover was produced with the commemorative cachet.

1975 – Aloe 75 International Congress

Aloe 75 International Congress

14-20 July 1975

Aloe 75, Rhodesia’s first international Succulent Congress, was organised by the Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia and was held at the Monomatapa Hotel in Salisbury during July, 1975.

The Congress paid attention to Euphorbias, Stapelias and other succulents but, since aloes are Rhodesia’s outstanding flowering succulent, it devoted attention primarily to the genus Aloe, and as the focus was on this genus the Congress was therefore considered the first aloe congress.

The papers presented to Congress appealed to botanists, horticulturists, nurserymen and collectors of rare species, while subjects such as the spectacular developments in hybridization were of interest to gardeners in many countries.

Apart from the formal International Congress, there were numerous excursions into the veld so that delegates could observe various species in their habitat. In addition, there was a number of supporting functions and exhibitions, including a philatelic exhibition, which had a botanical theme and the striking of a commemorative medallion featuring Rhodesia’s unique Aloe ortholopha.

Stamp Releases

Commemorative Covers

Commemorative Cachet

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1975 – Aloe 75 International Congress: Commemorative Cachet

Aloe 75 International Congress

Commemorative Cachet

A post office was set up at a desk at the Monomatapa Hotel for the sale of first day
covers. A special cachet was produced that was used on all covers posted at the Congress. The cachet mark can be found in both purple and black.

Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia
First Day Cover
Monomatapa Hotel

Postcards

Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia: Aloe 75 International Congress

Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia

Aloe 75 International Congress

The Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia produced a commemorative cover for their International Congress on 16 July 1975. The covers can be found with the commemorative cachet.

Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia

Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia

The Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Rhodesia was established on the 30 March 1969, when its Constitution was unanimously adopted at an inaugural meeting of interested persons.

The organisation is a non-profit organisation, concerned with the enjoyment, preservation, conservation and popularisation of aloes, cacti, succulents, cycads and palms.

It is now the Aloe, Cactus and Succulent Society of Zimbabwe.

Commemorative Covers

Events

References

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Ernest Lawrence Sells

Ernest Lawrence Sells

1899–1972

Ernest Lawrence Sells was born April 1899 in Leistville, Ohio. He attended Asbury College, Drew Theological Seminary in Madison, New Jersey and Cornell University. Prior going to Africa as a missionary with the Methodist Episcopal Church, Reverend Sells was pastor at Methodist churches at Earlton and Verbank, New York.

Rev. Sells and his wife Dorothy arrived in Southern Rhodesia in 1927 and he would go on to serve for over 35 years. During that time, he served as superintendent at Mrewa (1929-33) and Mutambara Missions (1938); for a total of 22 years, he was superintendent of the Umtali District and pastor of St Andrews Methodist Church in Umtali; and beginning in 1956, he served as pastor and school principal back Mrewa Mission (Mrewa Methodist Center) where he over saw over 1000 students.

He also served on the central advisory board of the Rhodesian Government’s Department of African Education, as secretary of the Rhodesia Annual Conference of the Methodist! Church; and director of the Central Africa Christian Film Library.

Rev. Sells retired in 1964 and returned to the United States. He died September 1972 in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

References

Contributors
  • Mark Loomis

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