Fritz, the name of the Tea Gardens was Rhodwins what follows is a descrption from the Great North Road Youtube does not alow posting the link.12 miles from Mufulira on the Kitwe Road. The turn-off was just after the railway crossing and before the Kafue Bridge. The property was acquired by my father in the late 40's as a recreational plot. The only building on it was an old Rondawel house which overlooked the Kafue.
Fritz. I am Welsh born in Liverpool in 52. My dad now deceased was an extraction metallurgist whos specialty was developing profitable new extraction processes for metals hence the copperbelt. Once his extraction processes moved into production we moved to another mine and country. Specializing in copper, nickel, zinc and later gold and uranium. He worked around the world and was well regarded in his field. This meant I experienced all these wonderful places. A charmed childhood of sorts
Martin - Reading about all your ecapades like swimming in still waters, and croc infested rivers, being charged by elephants - it's a miracle that you got through all this unscathed. Yes you were very lucky to have all these opportunities through your father. Don't think it would be quite the same living in Zambia now - times have changed. Still we got the memories, nobody can take them away from us.
Game.. I saw plenty of game although no lions! We were charged by elephants a couple times in Wankie in SR and Etosha in SWA or Deutsch-Südwestafrika as it was stilled called by locals. both occasions we had stopped to watch a herd at a waterhole and were charged from behind. my father calmly put the car in gear and drove away but scary and yet more adrenalin. We had far trouble with baboons as I am sure you did in your treks into the bush and, of, Crocs on the Kafue as well.
Danger - Fritz, we were warned of bilharzia, rabies - stay away from still water and strange dogs but we didnt listen! We had a raft 8 x 8 feet at anchored on Mindola lake about 150 yards out the water was green-brown, warm and clear. we knew crocs were there but swam just the same it gave us huge adrenaline rushes nothing like it. we would lay face up watching fish eagles ride thermals and swoop to grasp large fish never missing. Often thought Id like to be a fish eagle or leopard.
Part 3: Sorry the names of your friends do not ring any bells, But I remember the Edinburg Hotel very well, my place of work was just along the road from; just about every night after work we went there for drinks. I really enjoyed my time in Northern Rhodesia, as it was known as then. Writing to you brings back a lot of memories; all sorts of experiences come flooding back into my head. Btw my real name is Fritz Schöne, originally from Cologne Germany.
Fritz.. you must visit a website GreatNorthRoad created for and for those who grew up and lived in Northern Rhodesia until 1964. full of photos and evocative recollections. some so very familiar to my experiences. Especially the things we all did like swimming in Mindola lake knowing that there were crocs in the water.. Madness really. I spent an evening on the site and almost cried as I read these tales of times gone by. like you memories came flooding back.
The Germans were well represented on the copperbelt and fitted in well and were well regarded. I didnt know to any German children. I did when we moved to South West Africa originally a German colony. I liked the Germans there they had a charm and classy grace about themselves. They owned the farms and ranches and had great hunting rifles and skills. We would visit a German family who owned a large ranch 20,000 Morgan! And take us big game hunting on Sunday afternoons - amazing
Hi Martin, had a quick look at GNR website, will check it out in more detail later. Thanks for that. Before leaving for Africa I was advised not to go swimming anywhere, because of bilharzia, nobody ever mentioned crocs. (One more reason not to go swimming) One of my ambitions was to see an elephant in the wild - sadly I never did. I saw hippos on the Zambezi River. Btw why did you go to Kitwe, were you with your family? Where did you live before Africa? Greetings, Fritz
Part 2: After giving them 5 Shillings they let us go, even laughing and waving us good bye. I remember Dag Hammersköld's plane crash very well. A group of us visited the crash site, I remember a very small memorial made of stone about one meter high. I took a photo of it, but it somehow got lost amongst my thousands of photos. Still photography is my hobby you know, videos are secondary. I even picked up a small fragment of the plane.
Part 1: You mentioning all that potential danger makes me now realise how unaware and careless I was about my safety. Some of my friends often warned me not to be so trusting. Once we had a bit of a scare - travelling by car through a little village we run over a chicken,but carried on. Driving through the same village on the way back a felled tree blocked our way and a large group of africans were yelling and waving sticks at us.They wanted us to pay for the dead chicken.
Part 3 As I gaze at your vids the children look very much like we looked, clothes. haircuts. I wonder if you knew anyone in common with my parents friends who would have still been there in 64 Jill and JD, Lucy and John (Lucy hot Italian) just a little older than you they ran with the fast crowd of young adults. Recall the Eskimo Hut (ice cream) and the Mine and Edinburgh Hotels. yellow sulphur in the air when the wind blew the wrong way although mostly in Nkana not Kitwe
Part 2.. Danger.. we were very aware. as a lad I would play in the bush with my friends and encounter African kids most were fine. However on occasion we encountered groups of older boys (drunk or drugged) who beat us up for no other reason than we were small little white kids. Do you recall seeing the African kids walking down the road with wire (toys) cars. But Africa was and is a dangerous place
Part 1 ..Do not berate yourself 8mm colour film was expensive. My parents had a canon movie camera but all our films have slipped away. The sense of danger came and went. one moment fine, another hysterical crowds of Africans fleeing something running wildly in front of your vehicle smashing hands and sticks on your car then fine again. Dag Hammarskjöld UN Sec Gen plane crashed near Ndola in September 1961. The Rhodesian SAS were based in Ndola. For a while travel between towns was in convoy
No, I didn't hunt btw. I am sure I would have more vids if the digital video camera had been invented at that time. As you can probably guess, all these vids are converted 8mm films, hence the poor picture quality. Nobody believes me when I tell people here that these big hills are actually anthills. I could still kick myself that I run out of film as I visited the Victoria Falls. Have no record of it at all - just memories.
Part 1: After 2 years in NZ I got itchy feet and asked a friend who lived in Kitwe to fix me up with a job.Can't remember the pulley type slide in the tea gardens,but wouldn't be surprised if it was Bullen Bush. I Often went on the Kitwe-Ndola road to go to the pictures in Ndola, was never aware of any danger like necklassing, perhaps things were different when I was there. Must say I never felt in any danger, well perhaps I was just blissfully ignorant.
Hi Martin, sorry I haven't got any more vids. I travelled on the Southern Cross from Wellington NZ to Durban in 1964, was 26 years old. From Durban I went by train heading for Kitwe, but due to a rail strike had to go on by bus, I think it was from Bulawayo. I only spent 6 months in Kitwe. You mention Tea Gardens in Kitwe, do you mean Bullen Bush? I saw fantastic firewoks in Lusaka's stadium at the inauguration of Kenneth Kaunda. 24th Oct 1964. I live in New Zealand now.
Part 1 schritzy pity that you dont have more vids but am happy with what you have posted at 26 you had the adult life of the copperbelt while I that of a child so your experiences will have been similar to that my parents. My father was an extraction metallurgist may I ask what brought you to Kitwe?.
Part 2 Fritz. It seemed to me that everyone was very nervous with Katanga just up the road and independence on the horizon not mentioned necklassing of white families on the Kitwe-Ndola road. To keep the expats there they were well paid, cheap housing with bars on windows, armed, smoked (springboks, matinee) drank copiously (lion beer?) gambled and attended wild parties that went aon all weekend. We drove around in Chevy Impalas and convertible Ford Galaxies..
Part 3 .. Tea gardens. I am unsure of the name of the tea gardens there however I recall one had a platform wire pulley type slide anchored from platform on a tree on an island (huge anthill) we would swim out to the island holding the pulley rope and then climb up the island up the tree to the platform and then slide down it seemed a very long way down for an 8 year old who had just learnt to swim.. and yet I did it.. did you hunt?
Do you have any more vids? Nkana mine pool? Downtown. Slimes Dam, Fireworks display? Candlelight carols at soccer park. Sailing club on the small lake just out of town. Kafue River? Tea Gardens? I attended Kitwe primary (whites only) I lived on Rodean Dr off Eton way
Schritzy.. amazing vids What makes them so evocative to me is I had a very similar experience travelling to Northern Rhodesia in 1959 from Southampton to Cape Town and then by train to Kitwe. Later. I sailed to the England on the Southern Cross March 63 (Cape Town to Southampton). Did you sail on her? if you did how old were you? I was 11 and had the most amazing 2 weeks in my life... as part of a small gang of young boys
Fritz, the name of the Tea Gardens was Rhodwins what follows is a descrption from the Great North Road Youtube does not alow posting the link.12 miles from Mufulira on the Kitwe Road. The turn-off was just after the railway crossing and before the Kafue Bridge. The property was acquired by my father in the late 40's as a recreational plot. The only building on it was an old Rondawel house which overlooked the Kafue.
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Fritz. I am Welsh born in Liverpool in 52. My dad now deceased was an extraction metallurgist whos specialty was developing profitable new extraction processes for metals hence the copperbelt. Once his extraction processes moved into production we moved to another mine and country. Specializing in copper, nickel, zinc and later gold and uranium. He worked around the world and was well regarded in his field. This meant I experienced all these wonderful places. A charmed childhood of sorts
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Martin - Reading about all your ecapades like swimming in still waters, and croc infested rivers, being charged by elephants - it's a miracle that you got through all this unscathed. Yes you were very lucky to have all these opportunities through your father. Don't think it would be quite the same living in Zambia now - times have changed. Still we got the memories, nobody can take them away from us.
Greetings from NZ, Fritz
schritzy 2 years ago
Game.. I saw plenty of game although no lions! We were charged by elephants a couple times in Wankie in SR and Etosha in SWA or Deutsch-Südwestafrika as it was stilled called by locals. both occasions we had stopped to watch a herd at a waterhole and were charged from behind. my father calmly put the car in gear and drove away but scary and yet more adrenalin. We had far trouble with baboons as I am sure you did in your treks into the bush and, of, Crocs on the Kafue as well.
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Danger - Fritz, we were warned of bilharzia, rabies - stay away from still water and strange dogs but we didnt listen! We had a raft 8 x 8 feet at anchored on Mindola lake about 150 yards out the water was green-brown, warm and clear. we knew crocs were there but swam just the same it gave us huge adrenaline rushes nothing like it. we would lay face up watching fish eagles ride thermals and swoop to grasp large fish never missing. Often thought Id like to be a fish eagle or leopard.
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Part 3: Sorry the names of your friends do not ring any bells, But I remember the Edinburg Hotel very well, my place of work was just along the road from; just about every night after work we went there for drinks. I really enjoyed my time in Northern Rhodesia, as it was known as then. Writing to you brings back a lot of memories; all sorts of experiences come flooding back into my head. Btw my real name is Fritz Schöne, originally from Cologne Germany.
Good luck to you, Cheers - Fritz
schritzy 2 years ago
Fritz.. you must visit a website GreatNorthRoad created for and for those who grew up and lived in Northern Rhodesia until 1964. full of photos and evocative recollections. some so very familiar to my experiences. Especially the things we all did like swimming in Mindola lake knowing that there were crocs in the water.. Madness really. I spent an evening on the site and almost cried as I read these tales of times gone by. like you memories came flooding back.
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
The Germans were well represented on the copperbelt and fitted in well and were well regarded. I didnt know to any German children. I did when we moved to South West Africa originally a German colony. I liked the Germans there they had a charm and classy grace about themselves. They owned the farms and ranches and had great hunting rifles and skills. We would visit a German family who owned a large ranch 20,000 Morgan! And take us big game hunting on Sunday afternoons - amazing
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Hi Martin, had a quick look at GNR website, will check it out in more detail later. Thanks for that. Before leaving for Africa I was advised not to go swimming anywhere, because of bilharzia, nobody ever mentioned crocs. (One more reason not to go swimming) One of my ambitions was to see an elephant in the wild - sadly I never did. I saw hippos on the Zambezi River. Btw why did you go to Kitwe, were you with your family? Where did you live before Africa? Greetings, Fritz
schritzy 2 years ago
Part 2: After giving them 5 Shillings they let us go, even laughing and waving us good bye. I remember Dag Hammersköld's plane crash very well. A group of us visited the crash site, I remember a very small memorial made of stone about one meter high. I took a photo of it, but it somehow got lost amongst my thousands of photos. Still photography is my hobby you know, videos are secondary. I even picked up a small fragment of the plane.
schritzy 2 years ago
Part 1: You mentioning all that potential danger makes me now realise how unaware and careless I was about my safety. Some of my friends often warned me not to be so trusting. Once we had a bit of a scare - travelling by car through a little village we run over a chicken,but carried on. Driving through the same village on the way back a felled tree blocked our way and a large group of africans were yelling and waving sticks at us.They wanted us to pay for the dead chicken.
schritzy 2 years ago
Part 3 As I gaze at your vids the children look very much like we looked, clothes. haircuts. I wonder if you knew anyone in common with my parents friends who would have still been there in 64 Jill and JD, Lucy and John (Lucy hot Italian) just a little older than you they ran with the fast crowd of young adults. Recall the Eskimo Hut (ice cream) and the Mine and Edinburgh Hotels. yellow sulphur in the air when the wind blew the wrong way although mostly in Nkana not Kitwe
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Part 2.. Danger.. we were very aware. as a lad I would play in the bush with my friends and encounter African kids most were fine. However on occasion we encountered groups of older boys (drunk or drugged) who beat us up for no other reason than we were small little white kids. Do you recall seeing the African kids walking down the road with wire (toys) cars. But Africa was and is a dangerous place
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Part 1 ..Do not berate yourself 8mm colour film was expensive. My parents had a canon movie camera but all our films have slipped away. The sense of danger came and went. one moment fine, another hysterical crowds of Africans fleeing something running wildly in front of your vehicle smashing hands and sticks on your car then fine again. Dag Hammarskjöld UN Sec Gen plane crashed near Ndola in September 1961. The Rhodesian SAS were based in Ndola. For a while travel between towns was in convoy
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
No, I didn't hunt btw. I am sure I would have more vids if the digital video camera had been invented at that time. As you can probably guess, all these vids are converted 8mm films, hence the poor picture quality. Nobody believes me when I tell people here that these big hills are actually anthills. I could still kick myself that I run out of film as I visited the Victoria Falls. Have no record of it at all - just memories.
Greetings from NZ, Fritz
schritzy 2 years ago
Part 1: After 2 years in NZ I got itchy feet and asked a friend who lived in Kitwe to fix me up with a job.Can't remember the pulley type slide in the tea gardens,but wouldn't be surprised if it was Bullen Bush. I Often went on the Kitwe-Ndola road to go to the pictures in Ndola, was never aware of any danger like necklassing, perhaps things were different when I was there. Must say I never felt in any danger, well perhaps I was just blissfully ignorant.
schritzy 2 years ago
Hi Martin, sorry I haven't got any more vids. I travelled on the Southern Cross from Wellington NZ to Durban in 1964, was 26 years old. From Durban I went by train heading for Kitwe, but due to a rail strike had to go on by bus, I think it was from Bulawayo. I only spent 6 months in Kitwe. You mention Tea Gardens in Kitwe, do you mean Bullen Bush? I saw fantastic firewoks in Lusaka's stadium at the inauguration of Kenneth Kaunda. 24th Oct 1964. I live in New Zealand now.
Greetings, Fritz
schritzy 2 years ago
Part 1 schritzy pity that you dont have more vids but am happy with what you have posted at 26 you had the adult life of the copperbelt while I that of a child so your experiences will have been similar to that my parents. My father was an extraction metallurgist may I ask what brought you to Kitwe?.
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Part 2 Fritz. It seemed to me that everyone was very nervous with Katanga just up the road and independence on the horizon not mentioned necklassing of white families on the Kitwe-Ndola road. To keep the expats there they were well paid, cheap housing with bars on windows, armed, smoked (springboks, matinee) drank copiously (lion beer?) gambled and attended wild parties that went aon all weekend. We drove around in Chevy Impalas and convertible Ford Galaxies..
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Part 3 .. Tea gardens. I am unsure of the name of the tea gardens there however I recall one had a platform wire pulley type slide anchored from platform on a tree on an island (huge anthill) we would swim out to the island holding the pulley rope and then climb up the island up the tree to the platform and then slide down it seemed a very long way down for an 8 year old who had just learnt to swim.. and yet I did it.. did you hunt?
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Do you have any more vids? Nkana mine pool? Downtown. Slimes Dam, Fireworks display? Candlelight carols at soccer park. Sailing club on the small lake just out of town. Kafue River? Tea Gardens? I attended Kitwe primary (whites only) I lived on Rodean Dr off Eton way
MartinIDavies 2 years ago
Schritzy.. amazing vids What makes them so evocative to me is I had a very similar experience travelling to Northern Rhodesia in 1959 from Southampton to Cape Town and then by train to Kitwe. Later. I sailed to the England on the Southern Cross March 63 (Cape Town to Southampton). Did you sail on her? if you did how old were you? I was 11 and had the most amazing 2 weeks in my life... as part of a small gang of young boys
MartinIDavies 2 years ago