Rhodesia’s founder, Cecil John Rhodes (1853-1902). (Artist unknown.)
Built in 1905 for economic and communication reasons, the Victoria Falls Bridge was used for a different purpose in 1975. A train was parked on it to host a meeting between Ian Smith and the black nationalist parties to discuss the Rhodesian constitutional question. Sponsored by South Africa and Zambia with support from Tanzania, the meeting lasted no more than a day. Until the Kasangula Bridge was built in 2021, the Falls Bridge was the sole rail/road bridge over the Zambezi to connect southern Africa with central African countries. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.)
The iconic Birchenough Bridge, two thirds the span of the famed Sydney Harbour Bridge, both of which were designed by Ralph Freeman. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.) Close inspection of the relief map of Rhodesia shows that it has two river systems flowing from the watershed in the Highveld in two different directions – northerly toward the Zambezi, which flows easterly out of country, and southerly or south-easterly toward Mozambique and the Limpopo, which flows easterly out of the country. A closer look reveals that two major rivers, the Odzi and the Sabi, flow south on the west side of the Eastern Highlands and the Chimanimani Mountains, before heading into Mozambique, creating a significant natural barrier to access the central and southern parts of the country from Umtali. The ornate and impressive Birchenough Bridge was built in 1935 across the Sabi River, just south of its confluence with the Odzi River.
Chrystal Wynn’s water colour rendition of a cobra confronting a mongoose, a battle which the author and his mother witnessed in 1953. This impromptu interruption of the cobra’s 20-minute losing battle fascinated them, causing his mother to be late for a tennis match.
An excellent rendition of the curved two-room corrugated iron-walled Glenview Farm homestead built under thatch in 1947, in which the Raynor family lived for 26 years. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.) Note the ever-present rain gauge in the foreground, the omnipresent jacaranda tree and the necessary long-drop a safe distance away from the house. The green Ford truck, registration number H202 is proudly parked in the foreground.
The majestic Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus. One of the more impressive birds of prey found in Rhodesia shown with its prized kill of a Crowned Guinea-fowl, Numida meleagis. The author was fortunate to witness such a kill in 1954. The species often hunt monkeys, and have been accused of killing lambs. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.)
A good presentation of a tempestuous Rhodesian sky, which can produce a sudden and devastating hail storm. (Oil by Gordon Henderson, graciously given to the author by the artist during his stay on Glenview.) Rhodesian talent stretched well beyond agriculture, the sports field and anti-terrorist efforts. Extraordinarily talented artists, including gifted African carvers of soapstone and verdite, were common in the country.
The nocturnal Pennant-wing Nightjar, Macrodipteryx vexillaria. During the breeding season, the distinct male, with its two 15-inch pennant feathers, flits around the bush after dark in search of flying insects uttering its quintessential trill. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.)
School of Infantry, December 1966. (Photo: Ian Raynor.) Course Officer, Capt. Charlie Aust discussing the cause and effect of international military conflict with Paul Jaffa, just months before the 1967 Arab-Israeli six-day war. Paul and John Davey (in the background) were two of twelve of Intake 83 to attend the officer training course. By 1980 Aust attained the position as commander of the RLI.
Flue-cured tobacco on Lone Cow Estate, Mtoroshanga (1964). Tobacco’s importance to Rhodesia’s agricultural economy and the country’s prominence in the world’s flue-cured market could not be ignored. It was the major focus of British Prime Minister Wilson’s sanctions thrust against Rhodesia. (Photo: Ian Raynor.)
One of the most exciting cricketers to grace the fields of international cricket was Rhodesia’s own Colin Bland, shown here playing for the Springboks against England in 1965. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn, painted from a photo in Wisden as its 1966 Cricketer of the Year.) One of only two to receive the award in two different years, Bland revolutionized the art of fielding in the game. Brian Johnstone, a respected British commentator, asked spectators why they were flocking to watch the South African team. The response, “To see a fielder”, was one Johnstone had never heard previously. Bland was credited with single handedly saving 50 runs in every innings, and often a “run-out” in a game. He was an explosive middle order batsman.
Rhodesia’s iconic steam driven passenger train. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.) To increase the efficiency of Rhodesia’s railway system, rail executives insisted that steam locomotives should be upgraded to haul heavier loads, as well as travel further distances before a reload of coal was required. While the last delivery of a new steam driven locomotive to Rhodesia’s train fleet occurred in the late 1950s, the first diesel driven locomotive was delivered in 1955, and the last coal-fueled locomotive was finally decommissioned as late as 1995. During the author’s train trip to Gaberone in 1967 the locomotives between Bulawayo and Botswana’s capital were exclusively fueled by coal.
The announcement of a massive infrastructure development in 1956 captured the imagination of Rhodesians. Construction of an ambitious hydro-electric power project, never before attempted, would be built at Kariba Gorge on Zambezi River. The double curvature concrete dam wall (420 feet high, 80 feet wide at its foot, 1,899 feet long over its top, carrying a two-lane highway between Rhodesia and Zambia) would be the world’s largest man-made dam. 2,000 square miles of water would stretch back from the wall 175 miles, being 36 miles wide at the widest point. Four electric turbines produced 6.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to the Zambian Copperbelt mines to the north and Rhodesia in the south, relieving coal use from the Wankie Collieries, near Victoria Falls. Deep suspicion (and superstition) consumed the Tonga tribes on both shores of the Zambezi, who had to be re-located to higher ground. Record floods in 1957 and 1958 nearly derailed the project. Several workers were killed in the wall’s construction.
Secondary industries, such as tourism and the kapenta fishing industry, resulted from the formation of the lake. Amid disregarded warnings from some engineers, the wall was threatened by the eroding hole caused by the necessary overflow of cascading waters from the floodgates. To prevent further erosion, and an eventual disaster, 2023/24 marks the date when a multi-million-dollar restoration project is scheduled for completion. In dry working conditions created behind a newly-built cofferdam, the hole was pumped dry and its sides and bottom reinforced.
Despite 1967/68 being the worst drought the Gatooma district ever experienced over the last 20 years, two herds of kudu remained on parts of Glenview Farm and Sunnybank, probably because plenty of borehole water and cattle salt licks were available. (Photo: Ian Raynor.)
Under Glenview’s newly implemented business model of 1968/69, the photo shows the farm’s first 500-acre crop of cotton. (Photo: Taken by the author for his father.) Proudly showing off the crop to two leading scientists from Gatooma’s Cotton Research Station. Inscribed in his distinctive script on the back of the photo, “Dr. Graham Matthews and Dr. John Tunstall.”
Another proud farmer, this time from the high rainfall area of Enterprise, showing off his SR52 commercial maize crop. (Photo: Ian Raynor.) This hybrid maize variety was the result of Rhodesia’s late 1960 release of the world’s first commercially successful “single-cross” maize hybrid for general use to farmers. Crop specialists and economists of the time considered the practice to cross two single pure bred generationally-clean open-pollinated white dent lines – in this case two heterotic groups Salisbury White (Harry Arnold) and Southern Cross (Alan Rattray) – could never succeed. Rex Tattersall had to re-check his astonishing harvest results of his 1959 trials. Together with Mike Caufield, the four scientists brought Rhodesia into the forefront of scientific breeding. SR52 raised the previous decade’s average commercial maize yields by more than 300%. (McCann, James; Maize And Grace: Africa’s Encounter with a New World Crop, 1500-2000 – Harvard University Press – Pub 2005.)
Aside from droughts, veldfires were another scourge for the Rhodesian farmer. (Oil-on-cardboard by Gordon Henderson.) Exhausted from fighting this fire for close to 24 hours in August 1972, a force of 50 labourers from Glenview left neighbouring farmers to finally extinguish it. The author discovered the painting at the foot of his bed after a few hours sleep.
An early-dawn welcome party close to the main gate to Doreen’s Pride Ranch. (Photo: Ian Raynor.) Few Gatooma residents would believe that a mere 17 miles south of the town centre, one might be confronted with a herd of these stately animals.
Many students who attended Gwebi Agricultural College were talented sportsmen, among them being George Hodgson of Course 16. Barely out of his teens while at Gwebi, he played for Mashonaland. Not only did he go on to represent Rhodesia, but he captained the side a few times. The above 1974 photo shows George in his rugby prime (in Rhodesia’s green and white striped jersey, with knee guard) leaping for the ball against Willie John McBride (ball in hand), the British Lions legendary captain. With hands on hips facing us is Welshman scrum-half Gareth Edwards, still regarded by some as the greatest rugby player of all time. (The image from an enlarged photo proudly displayed in his home, per kind favour George Hodgson.)
As with 1972, another magnificent maize crop produced on Sunnybank in 1978, the last crop grown on the neighbouring farm before giving up the lease. It was amazing how a bit of water at the right time of the season made all the difference between good and mediocre results. (Photo: Ian Raynor.)
Sunset on Kariba lake. (Oil by Enid McMaster.)
Rhodesia’s President John Wrathall and his wife Lady Doreen Wrathall visit Gatooma in March 1978. (Government file photo.) In the reception line, representing the Gatooma Farmers Association, the author with his wife, Heather, and son, Bradley. Despite the worsening security situation, local dignitaries criticized them for taking Brad to the function. Lady Wrathall disagreed. Later the same year John Wrathall passed away from a heart attack while in office.
Zimbabwe Ruins, viewed from a kopje to its north. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.)
The new September/October leaf growth of Masa trees on the shores of Lake Kyle, the source of water for the irrigated Lowveld sugarcane plantations. (Water colour by Chrystal Wynn.)
Typical scene in the Gatooma area, off the road to Pasi Dam. (Oil by Enid McMaster.)
A good start to the 1980/81 farming season on Glenview, from a photo the author took in the second week of November while on their way to the Salisbury airport to emigrate to Canada. This nostalgic image is their last view of Glenview Farm. (Photo: Ian Raynor.)
Soon after landing in Canada, the author received this stunning 1980 photo so typically representative of the October/November jacaranda blossoms of Salisbury’s avenues. The comment written on the back, “See what you are missing.” (Photo: by Jaclyn)
A 2014 shot of an iconic 1940s/50s Rhodesian-built stripped road still in use in 2014 between Darwendale and Selous, albeit it in poor condition. Note oncoming right-hand drive vehicle making a safe pass with its right wheels on its left strip. (Photo: Ian Raynor.)
