scot47

Colonialism was not all about repression. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#in...mtStkFzFhtfncG


I arrived there in 1973, 9 years after Independence in 1964, when Northern Rhodesia had become Zambia under the leadership of Kenneth Kaunda - "KK", who is still with us.

i still have offspring there. God grant that I can visit again.

BEVS

I truly hope that comes about scot47.

Thairetired2016

Zambia has improved a lot since KK retired. Worth visiting.

scot47

Not much interest in Zambia (Northern Rhodesia until 24.10.1964) I guess it is a generational thing. People of my cohort went to Zambia after independence to build the education system. We were replaced by those we taught. Now very few go to this region from UK or Europe.

Gordon Barlow

Interesting, Scot. A third-cousin of mine (one Arthur Barlow) was Secretary to the Bishop of Zambia, Oliver Green-Wilkinson, from 1958 until 1972, a year before you arrived. He never went back there after leaving the country. I mention him only in case his name or the Bishop's might have been mentioned in your hearing.

I also have distant cousins in Zimbabwe, from the time when it was Southern Rhodesia; I'm in touch with them once in a while.

scot47

I rarely have the opportunity to mix with thoise of such exalted rank. I know no one who went to Eton and Magdalene !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Green-Wilkinson

scot47

Zambia is rarely in the news wher I live now, and most people here are not aware of its existence.. I hear from my son and from grandchildren but our high hopes of the 1970s never came to fruition. I still admdire KK for what he did but wonder if things could have been different. If only Smith and the Rhodesian Front had seen sense earlier ! I have no doubt that many of Zambia's misfortunes came about through the prolonged "Chimurenga" and the Dictatorship south of the Zambezi that ensued. Mugabe has retired now but the rest of the gang are conducting "business as usual".

scot47

Reading my post here, I am reminded that I particpated in the final rundown of The Empire and the difficult transition to a new world. I did start writing my memoirs. Sent Chapter 1 to eldest daughter. I hope to continue.

Gordon Barlow

Good luck with the memoirs! I found it very difficult to write a whole book. The best I could manage in respect of my memoirs was some reminiscing in blog-posts and idle comments on various online forums. I have to ask you: will the book sell? Or will it just be for your personal satisfaction?

scot47

For me and my family, not for publication. A Polish friend of mine did this. I feature in his book as I was responsible for helping him get out of People's Poland in 1966. I had forgotten all about this episode in my life intil I read his account of it. Mine will be slightly different. I should have kept my diaries.

My older daughter - now 25 - has expressed an interest in reading about my exploits.

Gordon Barlow

Good for her - and lucky you! My son is a lovely chap in all ways, but has no real interest what his parents did in their lives. Sigh... So my reminiscences were written for my grandchildren.

Sabi Star

There are a few active groups you might be interested in on Facebook of mostly old timers e.g. - ''Northern Rhodesia and Zambia Group'', ''Kitwe Past and Present'', ''A life in Southern Africa''. Stories like - ''... my brother was killed by an elephant in Tete in the '37...'' etc.

scot47

I am on one of these FB pages. Today is the 95th Birthday of Kenneth Kaunda who steered Zambia during the years after independence. He was not popular with the white settlers and in the end lost his position as President. I still admire the man.

Sabi Star

Oh yes - I was there with KK at that time. He used to make speeches about ''lunches'' (launches - as in boats) on the Zambezi! I think they were either Rhodesian or Zambia ' but can't remember which anymore!