British South Africa Company & Rhodesia - A Brief History

Rhodesia is a country with a very colourful and varied history. Indeed, the country commonly known as “Rhodesia” underwent several name changes, was not recognised by is former Colonial master for a period and today no longer exists, replaced by the independent state of Zimbabwe.

The earliest stamps of Rhodesia are inscribed “British South Africa Company” (BSAC for short) and were first issued on 2nd January 1892. Indeed the name “Rhodesia” did not appear on any stamps until the “Doubleheads” issue of 1910.

The British South Africa Company was formed by Cecil John Rhodes, a wealthy diamond mining magnate who had set up the famous De Beers Mining Company in 1880. Mining concessions for the lands north of the Cape Colony were obtained in 1888 when Chief Lobengula, King of the Matabele people signed a treaty with Britain. The BSAC received its Royal charter in 1889.

Rhodes was a very shrewd man, both politically and in business. Rhodes hoped to enable colonisation and economic exploitation and wanted to be free to control the area without what he saw as interference from the Colonial Office in London. Rhodes got his own way because he would pay to administer the territories north of South Africa against future mining profits. The Colonial Office did not have the funds to do it. Rhodes promoted his business in the strategic interest of Britain and prevented the Portuguese (coming from Mozambique), the Germans and the Boers from moving in.

The British South Africa Company was free to set up its own police force, army, banks and so on. In 1890, Rhodes sent a group of settlers, known as the Pioneer Column, into Mashonaland where they founded Fort Salisbury (now Harare, capital of Zimbabwe). In 1891 an Order-in-Council declared Matabeleland and Mashonaland British Protectorates. In doing so, the British South Africa Company had carved out an enormous chunk of Africa for its own ends. It was able to defend itself during the first and second Matabele wars. The area controlled by the BSAC was first known as “Zambesia,” after the Zambezi River that ran through it. It was officially named Rhodesia in 1895.

The stamps inscribed “British South Africa Company” were issued for use in the territory controlled by the company. Rhodesia joined the South African Postal Union in August 1892, so its stamps became valid for international mail. Between 1892 and 1910 various different issues of stamps depicted the arms of the company. There were only two exceptions during this period. In 1896 stamps of the Cape were overprinted “British South Africa Company” to make a set of seven different values.

A beautiful commemorative set of stamps depicting the Victoria Falls was issued in 1905. These stamps commemorated the visit of The British Association and Opening of Victoria Falls Bridge and make for an eye-catching album page in any stamp collection.

More to follow soon...

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