SCENES OF FAMILY LIFE IN RHODESIA AND SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE PERIOD OF UNILATERAL INDEPENDENCE [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: SCENES OF FAMILY LIFE IN RHODESIA AND SOUTH AFRICA DURING THE PERIOD OF UNILATERAL INDEPENDENCE [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 6904
  • Other titles: AMATEUR FILM BY DOROTHY FINN [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Amateur film shot by Mrs Dorothy "Betty" Finn, British teacher and poet in Southern Rhodesia, between 1970 and her forced departure in 2000, of family and other scenes, providing a background record to the transition from the period of Unilateral Independence (UDI) to national independence as Zimbabwe in April 1980.
  • Description: Reel 1: Finn family's garden and cat, Salisbury (Harare); Kevin Maurer; Larvon Bird Garden; Betty Finn's sister and the Wicksteads, 1970. Horse show at Greendale (residential suburb), with riders dressed as "English knights" recreating scenes of mediaeval jousting. Scenes in the Inyanga Mountains: Brondesbury Park Hotel, Troutbeck Inn, Mount Inyangani (Nyangani), trout hatchery, so-called "slave pits" and African huts viewed by husband Hugh and two sons, Christian (born 7/11/1960) and Peter (10/9/1963). Climbing Mount Inyangani. Hondi River. Reel 2: Staying with Hugh's South African cousins at Jagersfontein, Orange Free State. 1820 Settlers' Route, with Settlers' Church and Memorial to Thomas Pringle. Finn Family holiday scenes in Port Elizabeth, with Castle Line passenger ship Windsor Castle in harbour. Transkei. Boer War battle site of Majuba Hill. Soutpansberg mountain range between South Africa and Zimbabwe. J G Strijdom Tunnel and bridge across Limpopo River, as family arrive home to "Welcome to Rhodesia" sign and Rhodesia's then (1970) flag beside the Customs House. Reel 3: On hydrofoil across Kariba Dam. Fothergill Island during the time of Rhodesia's Bush War. Hydrofoil "Seaflight" speeds along shoreline of Zambia (location of Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU guerrilla camps). Reel 4: Air Rhodesia Dakota fuelled by Shell tanker [despite sanctions], flying to Port Elizabeth for Christmas 1972. Reel 5: Christian plays in Churchill School Pipe Band, with boy and girl pupils all wearing kilts, and performing Scottish dances. Charities' carnival parade through Salisbury, with floats representing favourites of popular culture - Blue Loo, Andy Capp, Red Baron (Fokker triplane) and Snoopy. Band inspected by Mayor, and filmed by TV cameras. Salisbury Agricultural Show attended by Minister of Agriculture John Grayling. En route to Johannesburg for World Piping Championship (1976), family travels in convoy from Umvuma to Lion and Elephant Motel in the low veldt, escorted by helicopter overhead guarding against guerrilla attack. Johannesburg views. Return to Rhodesia, protected by reservist military escort, speeding to reach Umvuma before dusk. Travelling to Port Elizabeth via Graaff Reinet. Boer War relics. Scenes in East London. Reel 6: Family holiday on houseboat in Kariba Dam (one week after Air Rhodesia Viscount Umniati shot down on 12/2/1979 by Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army guerrillas). Matusadona Lodge on Fothergill Island. Rhodesian poet Noel Brettell and his wife Eva visit Betty Finn and family (after destruction of their own home in Inyanga by guerrilla rockets). Baron Christopher Soames arrives at Salisbury as last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, 1979. Family scenes with Christian wearing Internal Affairs military escort uniform during passing out parade. Planes at airport during Zimbabwe's first election (February 1980). On Zambezi, armed police in patrol boat. Flying over Victoria Falls. Reel 7: Family visit to Port Elizabeth, December 1976. Visit to Inyanga, and St Mary's Church at Troutbeck, built by Noel Brettell. Reel 8: Christian at passing out parade of Internal Affairs military support group, January 1979. Major Peter Ellis, Secreatry-General of International PEN, visits PEN Centre in Salisbury. Christian's passing out parade, April 1980. Reel 9: Sign reads "Welcome to Zimbabwe ", with many black Zimbaweans now visble. Police convoy escorts Prince Charles arriving at Salisbury for the independence ceremony marking the transition of Rhodesia to Zimbabwe, 18 April 1980. Grave of Cecil Rhodes in Matopos Hills, near Bulawayo. Maleme Game Park.
  • Alternative Title: AMATEUR FILM BY DOROTHY FINN [Alternative Title]
  • Colour: Colour
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 6904
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: NON-IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1970
  • Production Country: Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
  • Production Details: Finn, Betty (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: Super 8mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 9 Footage: 2250 ft; Running time: 112 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 6904

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