Private compilation of Fenemore Collection

The Postcards of Vryburg, Mafeking and Bechuanalands

Plot

THE POSTCARDS OF VRYBURG, MAFEKING, AND THE BECHUANALANDS.
THE CARDS SHOWN IN THIS EXHIBIT PROVIDE A CAMEO OF EARLY FRONTIER LIFE IN THE SMALL TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF BOTH BRITISH BECHUANALAND, AND THE BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE.
FEW EARLY CARDS OF BRITISH BECHUANALAND AND THE PROTECTORATE HAVE SURVIVED. BY CONTRAST, CARDS FROM THE MAFEKING ERA ARE RELATIVELY PLENTIFUL, PROBABLY BECAUSE THE SIEGE AND WAR CAPTURED THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION.
HISTORICAL NOTES: VRYBURG
THE ORIGINAL NAME AS GIVEN BY THE FILIBUSTERS OF THE ERSTWHILE " REPUBLIC OF STELLALAND" WAS SPELT "VRIJBURG". THE TOWN WAS LAID OUT BY THE INSPECTION COMMISSION THAT CONSISTED OF THREE PERSONS SELECTED BY THE VOLUNTEERS. A MR H. BOSMAN WAS APPOINTED CHAIRMAN.
THE COMMISSION WAS CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SELECTING THE MOST SUITABLE POSITION FOR THE TOWN, AND AFTER MUCH DEBATE THE PRESENT SITE WAS SELECTED. IT WAS LAID OUT ON WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY A NATIVE VILLAGE CALLED "HUHUDI", MEANING A SPRUIT OR RUNNING STREAM.
ON THE 7th. FEBRUARY 1885, SIR CHARLES WARREN MARCHED INTO VRYBURG, DURING THE COURSE OF WHICH, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS INCLUDING THE POST OFFICE WERE TAKEN OVER BY THE MILITARY AUTHORITIES. ON THE 30th. SEPTEMBER 1885, A PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED TO THE EFFECT THAT THE TERRITORY OF BECHUANALAND HAD BEEN ANNEXED AS A CROWN COLONY TO BE KNOWN AS "BRITISH BECHUANALAND".
ON THE 1st. OCTOBER 1885, MR S.G.A. SHIPPARD WAS APPOINTED ADMINISTRATOR AND CHIEF MAGISTRATE OF BRITISH BECHUANALAND. THE CROWN COLONY LASTED FOR TEN YEARS AND WAS THEN ANNEXED BY THE CAPE COLONY ON THE 16th. NOVEMBER 1895.
MAFEKING
MAFEKING IS A DESCRIPTIVE NAME MEANING "AMONG THE ROCKS" ( IN SECHUANA THE NAME IS "LEFIKA", A ROCK, THE PLURAL OF WHICH IS "MAFIKA" )
THE BOERS FROM THE ZUID AFRIKAANSE REPUBLIEK, AT THE SAME TIME FORMED THEIR OTHER REPUBLIC KNOWN AS "LAND GOOSEN"- IN ENGLISH "GOSHEN REPUBLIC". THE CAPITAL "ROOIGROND" WAS SITUATED NEAR MAFEKING. THIS TERRITORY WAS ALSO TAKEN OVER BY SIR CHARLES WARREN IN 1885, AND BECAME AN INTEGRAL PART OF BRITISH BECHUANALAND.
MAFEKING ACHIEVED FAME DURING THE ANGLO BOER WAR, 1899-1902, WHEN THE TOWN WAS BESIEGED BY THE BOERS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN MONTHS. IT WAS GARRISONED UNDER COLONEL ROBERT BADEN POWELL, AND WAS SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED. THE SIEGE WAS RAISED ON THE 17th. MAY 1900.
THE BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE
THE VAST TERRITORY NORTH OF THE MOLOPO RIVER WAS PROCLAIMED "THE BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE" ON THE 30th. SEPTEMBER 1885. IT SERVED AS AN IMPORTANT BUFFER TO GERMAN EXPANSIONISM FROM THE WEST, AND AS THE RAILWAY EXPANDED NORTHWARDS IT PROVIDED RHODES AND HIS "BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY" WITH A ROUTE TO THE NORTH, AND THE SOON TO BE FOUNDED NEW COLONY OF "RHODESIA".
AT "PITSANI " THE INFAMOUS "JAMESON RAID" INTO THE TRANSVAAL REPUBLIC WAS LAUNCHED IN DECEMBER 1895, WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS FOR BOTH RHODES AND DR. JAMESON. THE RAID PROVED TO BE A PRECURSOR TO THE GREAT ANGLO-BOER WAR ( 1899-1902) BRITISH PRESTIGE WAS GREATLY DAMAGED, AND RHODES WAS FORCED TO RESIGN AS PREMIER OF THE CAPE COLONY.
THE BECHUANALAND PROTECTORATE ATTAINED INTERNAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ON THE 1st. MARCH 1965. THE TERRITORY GAINED INDEPENDENCE WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH ON THE 30th.SEPTEMBER 1966, WHEN THE NAME CHANGED TO BOTSWANA.