The Northern Rhodesian Record 1992

This book is not an official academic history, but rather an unusual "insider counter-narrative" compiled directly by the people who ran the colonial administration.

A Defensive "Set the Record Straight" Mission

Published privately in 1992, The Northern Rhodesian Record was born out of a specific sense of frustration among retired British colonial officers. Led by editor Terence D. Carter (who held the Military Medal) and supported by senior figures like Sir Glyn Jones (the last Governor of Nyasaland), these ex-officials felt that the media—particularly the BBC—and modern historians were unfairly denigrating the legacy of the Colonial Service.

In 1985, Carter sent letters to over 150 former officials inviting them to write down their memories. The resulting book is a collection of 23 firsthand accounts covering everything from the enforcement of "Indirect Rule" and rural touring, to specific operations like the massive Kariba Dam resettlement scheme, and wildlife/tsetse fly control. It is explicitly designed as a "friendly challenge" to post-colonial critics.

The Police History Features a Future MI5 Director

The second half of the book features a substantial, highly detailed history of the Northern Rhodesia Police (NRP) by Colonel Tim Wright. The NRP was unique because until 1932, it wasn't just a civil police force—it was a heavily militarized unit acting as the territory's frontline military defense.

One of the most remarkable historical figures to come out of this specific police force (and featured in its history) was Sir Percy Sillitoe. He began his career patrolling the Victoria Falls and opening the very first police station in Lusaka in 1914, before marching hundreds of miles to fight German forces during WWI. Decades later, using the policing and intelligence skills he began developing in Northern Rhodesia, Sillitoe rose to become the Director-General of MI5 during the early years of the Cold War (1946–1953).

210mm x 295mm
Softcover; minor edge wear.

R800