Lanarkshire Philatelic Society

RHODESIA

Gordon Shepherd

Society member, Gordon Shepherd, who's also a fellow of the Rhodesian Study Circle, gave us an excellent insight into the history/geography of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe with his recent display.

He started with a brief insight of modern Zimbabwe, a country of some 14 million people of two ethnic groups (the Matabele & the Shona) & where inflation is, currently, a massive 160% and AIDS is rife.  Material relating to the UDI period (1965) to the present day, through the internationally recognised independence period (1980), formed the basis of Gordon's first round with overprinted UDI issue stamps & then locally printed definitives and topical special issues. Covers relating to the ill-fated 1968 Gibraltar talks also featured as did 1970s Civil War (Army) free mail covers.

Gordon's second round covered early North East and North West Rhodesia (now known as Zambia) up to 1911. Material relating to the early BSAC (British South Africa Company) mail runners; the building of the Victoria Falls bridge and the coming of the railway (with its development through to Belgian Congo) and the transfer of mails to the railway all featured as did covers relating to the opening of Livingstone Post Office in 1903. Missionary mails, Hunting and Game Licences also featured as did material relating to the slave & ivory trades and postmarks of various forts, built to deter slave traders, which bore the names of BSAC company directors.

An excellent evening's entertainment was accorded a warm vote of thanks by Alex Magowan.