Last modified: 2008-05-10 by bruce berry
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The pre-colonial history of what was to become Northern Rhodesia at the end
of the 19th century is fragmentary and based largely on tribal oral
tradition. Later early European explorers, such as Dr Lacarda who led an
expedition to Lake Miveru in 1789, and later Dr David Livingstone who traveled
from Bechuanaland through Barotseland to Luanda in
1853 and returned to Mozambique in 1855, also gave account of what they had seen
and found. In 1899 the British South Africa Company received a Royal
Charter which empowered it to exercise complete administrative control over what
became known as Southern Rhodesia and Northern Bechuanaland. From this date onwards the
Company extended its activities across the Zambezi River into what became known
as Northern Rhodesia. The Company exercised complete administrative
and legislative control over the territory until 1923 when it surrendered its
buildings, assets and all its land and other monopolistic rights, other than
mineral rights, in return for a cash payment from the British Government.
In 1924 the Office of Governor of Northern Rhodesia was created and executive
and legislative councils were established in the territory which became a
British Protectorate. There were progressive constitutional developments
in the composition of these two bodies before and during the period of the
Federation
of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, of which Northern Rhodesia became a constituent
member on 3 September 1953. Following the dissolution of the Federation on
31 December 1963, a new constitution came into effect in January 1964 giving the
territory internal self-government. On 24 October 1964 Northern Rhodesia
became the independent state of Zambia.
Bruce Berry, 18 Jan 2004
Stuart asks when the coat of arms of Northern Rhodesia was adopted.
I don't know if it is definitive, but the Oct. 1917 National Geographic
depicts the badge of RHODESIA as a blue field, with a golden lion grasping
an elephant's tusk in it's right paw and the letters B.S.A.C (for Cecil
Rhodes' British South Africa Company)
William Grimes-Wyatt, 11 February 1996
Before 1924 the arms of the British South Africa Company
(BSAC) were
also used as the arms of Northern Rhodesia.
Bruce Berry, 1998-02-09
The flag badge described for Northern Rhodesia under the year 1910 is
simply the crest of the British South Africa Company. Northern Rhodesia
was separated administratively from Southern Rhodesia in 1910, but both
territories remained under control of the BSA Company. Only in 1924, when
the BSA Company ceased to be the political power, did Northern Rhodesia
formally become a British protectorate (and Southern Rhodesia a Crown Colony).
The BSAC continued to function in land development, and was only wound up some years later. The BSAC not
only controlled the countries now called Zimbabwe and
Zambia, but also
had substantial power over Bechuanaland Protectorate, controlling it through
the police there. The British Government was at one stage quite anxious
to hand Bechuanaland over to the BSAC, but later had second thoughts
following the Jameson Raid. However, the BSA Police undertook the capture
of the Caprivi Strip from Germany in 1915 and occupied the strip until 1918, if not later. Despite this empire-building, the
BSAC abdicated part of its responsibility in the late 19th century, handing
over the administration of North-Eastern Rhodesia (the northern part of
present-day Zambia) to the
British Central Africa Protectorate. The result
was some interesting confusion in postage stamp issues! Getting back to
the BSA Police: this force retained its name right through to Zimbabwean
independence, when major changes were forced through. Despite being a police
force, it had the status of being the premier regiment and the senior service
in Rhodesia, always taking pride of place in any parade.
Mike Oettle, 21 Dec 2001
It appears then that there were no formal arms between 1924 and 1939
although the new arms were in use from 1927.
Bruce Berry, 29 June 1998
The Colonial Office wrote to the Government of Northern Rhodesia in
1938 about the flag of the colony and were told that the badge, granted
in 1928, had never been used on any flag as the government operated no
launches and there was no opportunity for the Governor to embark in a vessel.
The sole use of the badge was as part of the design of the Public Seal.
Presumably the badge was used on a flag after 1943 when Governors were
directed to use their defaced Union Jack on land instead of the Union Jack.
Public
Record Office CO 323/1575/16.
David Prothero, 26 Jan 2001
image by Clay Moss, 08 Aug 2004
A locally-formed committee consulted the deputy leader of the Mint,
the Governor Sir Herbert Stanley, an heraldic artist at the Royal Navy
base in Simonstown (near Cape Town) and the result was a design which was
adopted in 1927.
The design signifies a fish eagle of the Zambezi and most other rivers
of Northern Rhodesia and water rushing over the rock of the Victoria Falls.
The heraldic description is: Sable six palets wavy Argent on a Chief Azure
an eagle reguardant wings expanded Or holding in the talons a Fish of the
second. The Government of the Colony accepted that this design be used
as a shield on the Public Seal of the Territory in 1927.
It received the approval of the King in 1930 and was formally granted
to Northern Rhodesia by Royal Warrant on 16 August 1939.
As far as I my memory serves me the Northern Rhodesia flag was a Fish
Eagle (Nkwazi) with a fish in its claws depicted flying over the Victoria
Falls. When independence came I believe it was decided to take away the
fish as it was felt that it portrayed the grasp of colonialism on the masses.
Steve Stephenson , 23 November 1999
The comment on the fish held in the claws of the fish eagle in the arms
of Northern Rhodesia seems to me to be an inspired example of radical
political hogwash. That's a reflection on the African nationalist politicians
who produced the garbage, not on the vexillologist who quoted it! I recall
hearing at the time that people were complaining about the "dead fish".
What both comments betray is an abysmal ignorance regarding the symbolism
involved. The African fish eagle is very similar to the American bald eagle
- not only do they belong to the same genus, but they are almost identically
colored. The only significant difference between them, and one which is
easily portrayed in heraldic art, is the fish eagle's habit of catching
fish. The allegedly dead fish is in fact freshly caught - so freshly caught
that carefully observation of any video portraying this act of predation
will reveal that the fish is wriggling as it is carried away. The net result
of Zambia's removal of the fish when it converted the eagle in the chief (of the protectorate's arms) to a crest (in the
arms of the republic) is that there is no longer any distinguishing mark
to identify this bird as an African fish eagle, and it might as well be
a symbol of the USA. So much for African independence!
Mike Oettle, 21 Dec 2001
image by
Clay Moss, 10 June 2005
image by
Clay Moss, 10 June 2005
Red ensign versions, although "unofficial", saw notable usage. It appears
that two such versions existed, one with the shield on a disc and one without.
I have seen two such period pieces. One is obviously American-made while the
other is a mystery.
Clay Moss, 10 June 2005.
image by Clay Moss, 10 Sept 2005
image by Clay Moss, 02 June 2005Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
British South Africa Company before becoming a British Protectorate
in 1924. The flag of the Governor of Northern Rhodesia was a British Union
Flag charged in the centre, on a white roundel, with the Arms granted to the Protectorate on 16 August 1939, namely
"Sable, six palets wavy Argent, on a Chief Azure an Eagle reguardant
wings expanded Or holding in its talons a Fish of the Second".
In common with other flags used by British Colonial Governors, the
Arms were within a green garland of laurel. This flag continued to be used
by the Governor of Northern Rhodesia when the Protectorate became one of
the constituent territories of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
between 1953 and 1963, and ceased to be used once Northern Rhodesia gained
independence on 24 October 1964 as the Republic of Zambia.
Bruce Berry, 20 Jan 2003