Emigration to Rhodesia??

[MarionH]

If someone emigrated to Rhodesia after 1946 would there be any records that can be accessed? I've tried A and FMP but there is nothing in the records there. The only clues I have is a marriage in 1946 in Dorset and a "family rumour" that they went to Rhodesia (well I suppose that could mean South Africa or anywhere else for that matter!!!!!!) :(
Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated - I have no idea if the people are still alive at this stage.
Thanks, Marion

[Janet]

Tricky one! There was both Northern and Southern Rhodesia until sometime late 1970's but then became Zambia under Robert M'Gabe. How you get hold of family history from there these days would no doubt be the proverbial nightmare! However to be fair Zambia was apparently the name for the country pre English rule! You may find something in National Archives at Kew but I doubt if records still exist in that country any more!

Janet

[Cloggie]

What used to be known as Rhodesia is now Zambia and Zimbabwe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia_(disambiguation)

[MarionH]

Tricky one! There was both Northern and Southern Rhodesia until sometime late 1970's but then became Zambia under Robert M'Gabe. How you get hold of family history from there these days would no doubt be the proverbial nightmare! However to be fair Zambia was apparently the name for the country pre English rule! You may find something in National Archives at Kew but I doubt if records still exist in that country any more!

Janet

Hi Janet,
Had a feeling this would be the case!! I am assuming they may have gone between the marriage in 1946 and prior to the changeover but even if there were records then it would be impossible to get hold of. Sadly I am nowhere near Kew - the only other possibility would be checking each electoral roll but online I think I can only get the latest ones (2003 - 2007). This may have to remain a mystery forever I fear.
Thanks anyway.

Thank Cloggie - yes it was a bit of a mix up with changes - I'm not hodig up much up hope!

[Mary from Italy]

The outgoing passenger lists on FMP only go up to 1960.

Have you also checked the incoming lists on Ancestry in case they came back for a holiday? They also stop at 1960, though.

[Uncle John]

I don't know what the nearest port for Rhodesia would be. Nairobi or Mombasa perhaps?

[Mary from Italy]

You could check the consular BMDs on FMP, although people wouldn't necessarily register the events with the consulate.

[Uncle John]

My brother was born in Nigeria in the 1940s and isn't in the overseas births on familyrelatives. I saw his b.c. many years ago. It had the year pre-printed as 192... . No wonder it was falling to pieces.

[Janet]

Thinking new kitchens at present I should have said Zimbabwe as well as Zambia so am glad Cloggie put in the Zimbabwe bit!! Consular records will only be there if people wanted them to be recorded for UK. None of my people going abroad and getting married, having children or dying are in the consular records! So that area can be hit or miss!
Janet

[MarionH]

Thanks everyone,

Yes - I've checked the Consular records - the search said nothing against the name with the initial (apart from 4 - which weren't the one) - so I checked everyone with the right surname - nothing there.

Again checked incoming passengers - nothing for either husband or wife, and all outgoing lists in case they went elsewhere but no joy there either. If they inconveniently left after 1960 there seems no chance of finding them!

I have a feeling that Harry Potter borrowed that cloak from my relatives - do you think I can claim it as a family heirloom????

[Oscar]

I'm trying to help a friend whose relatives went to Rhodesia and to find any records is an absolute nightmare. Her ancestors married there and we're stuck with two people with the same name, but can't differentiate until we have the marriage cert - but as yet, zilch!

Gwyn

[MarionH]

Hi Gwyn,
Did you find any sites that have records of any kind for Rhodesia at all? I have been hunting on the net for anything at all but can't seem to find anything.
Marion

[Mary from Italy]

I doubt if there's anything online. Very few countries have online BMD or census records.

Might be worth trying the Times online archive in case there's a marriage, engagement or death notice.

The Rhodesia Pioneers mailing list might also be useful:

Zambia Mailing Lists

[Oscar]

Hi Marion

My friend (who lives in SA, but was brought up in Rhodesia) has been doing some digging for records too, but we have got nowhere at all. As Mary says, there's nothing on-line and I wonder how many records actually exist there at all, given the state of the country! It's such a pity, because we can go no further back without the relevant marriage record which should take us back to Scotland. Oh well, these things are sent to try us.............

Gwyn

[MarionH]

Thank you Mary, Thank you Gwyn,

I will check those sites but it does appear that the original black hole has moved has moved continents!! Poor Harold and Hannah will stay in the ether forever with only their birth and marriage gracing my tree.

Thanks for all of your help,

Marion

[Macbev]

Hi Marion

My friend (who lives in SA, but was brought up in Rhodesia) has been doing some digging for records too, but we have got nowhere at all. As Mary says, there's nothing on-line and I wonder how many records actually exist there at all, given the state of the country! It's such a pity, because we can go no further back without the relevant marriage record which should take us back to Scotland. Oh well, these things are sent to try us.............

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn. OH's Scottish grandparents married in Cape Town and their two children were born there as well. They brought baptismal certificates to Australia with them, but not the marriage cert or birth registrations as far as the family knows.

However, since you mention Scotland....I found a copy of the marriage details recorded in the 'Intimations' section of the Ayrshire 'Herald', which seemed to contain a lot of BDM events that occurred abroad concerning local families. It is worth while investigating whether the local newspaper in your family's area did the same.

[Uncle John]

My grandparents' marriage and my father's birth in India were both recorded in The Times.