Dominions Office and successors: Governor, Southern Rhodesia and High Commission,...

DO 154

1946-1966

This series contains correspondence of the British Governor (1923-1953) and High Commission (1953 onwards) in Salisbury.

Public Record(s)

English

• Central African Office, High Commission, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, 1962-1963
• Central African Office, High Commission, Southern Rhodesia, 1964-1964
• Commonwealth Relations Office, Governor, Southern Rhodesia, 1947-1953
• Commonwealth Relations Office, High Commission, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, 1953-1962
• Commonwealth Relations Office, High Commission, Rhodesia, 1964-1966
• Commonwealth Relations Office, High Commission, Southern Rhodesia, 1953-1953
• Commonwealth Relations Office, High Commission, Southern Rhodesia, 1964-1964
• Dominions Office, Governor, Southern Rhodesia, 1923-1947

98 file(s)

Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Topics

International

Africa

Series is accruing

Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing colony in 1923, with a governor appointed in London taking over the administration of the colony from the British South Africa Company. The Colony was granted full self-government, with the exception of legislation affecting African interests, Rhodesia Railways and international (but not Commonwealth or trade) relations. The post of governor was replaced by a high commissioner in April 1953, more responsibilities having devolved from Britain to the colony, and in September of that year the Federation of Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland came into being, with the High Commission in Salisbury becoming the British High Commission for the Federation.

Between March 1962 and April 1964, departmental responsibility for relations with the Federation and then the three former Federation territories rested with the Central African Office before reverting to the Commonwealth Relations Office. The Federation was dissolved in December 1963, and from January 1964 the three former territories resumed control of the powers formerly exercised by the Federation, with the High Commission in Salisbury assuming responsibility for British relations with Southern Rhodesia only. The name of Southern Rhodesia was changed to Rhodesia in 1964. In November 1965 Rhodesia declared its independence from Britain, and from that date the High Commission in Salisbury was effectively closed, with only residual staff remaining to take care of British interests in Rhodesia.