Romance and Reality of life in Northern Rhodesia (Kerswell)

Sialwala - a Mutonga headman

This little book was published in London in the early 20th century by Kate Kerswell and tells the story of Revd J.A. Kerswell and his wife Kate's mission in Nambala from roughly 1908-1912.
It's a brief but pleasant read, as usual describing travel from England to the interior and then time at the mission, with the usual stories of snakes, lions, malaria, mishaps and misunderstandings.
They go via Southampton in 1908 and up by train from Cape Town via Kimberley, Bulawayo, Livingstone, Kafue Bridge and Broken Hill (Kabwe) where they stop at the Grand Hotel, 'a number of round huts' with windows covered by calico.
There they meet the Rev. W. Chapman and Ila porters who will carry their luggage to their mission station at Nambala. At a village near Mumbwa they meet Mr A.C. Anderson, 'the official of the Kafue district'. They also meet the grandson of famous missionary Dr Moffat. (Anderson must have died not long after as he is later referred to as 'the late'.)
We hear a little of a local chief, Katumpa and his encounter with a mirror.
The native teacher is Robert Maolosi (from Aliwal North, South Africa).

After some time Chapman leaves them there. They receive a letter from G.E.Butt saying he will visit soon, but he needs porters to bring his bags from the railway station, 113 miles away. Later they join him in a trip to Nanzela where they meet Rev J.W. and Mrs Price.

'Native method of carrying a letter'

Returning to Nambala they meet Rev. W. Comber Burgess, a Wesleyan minister who (declining to take quinine, trusting to God instead) died of malaria in Lusakas that same rainy season (1909).
We hear also of the medical work the Kerswell's carried on at Nambala. Medicine donated by a Mr Calow 'of Redcar' turns out to be useful. We also hear about cases of 'jiggers' and many other events in the lives of Ila people and the mission.




There is a summary of names in the book at the end of this article. 
Machilas, machelas, maschelas...

A reader asked me if I knew what "maschelas" referred to on a postcard. I thought I'd just post a response here.

I think the most common spelling I've seen is "machila", but clearly there will be regional variations in the spelling, and besides, early writers would have spelt it phonetically, according to how they heard it.

Europeans travelling long distances, mostly women and children, would be carried on a machila by Africans, sometimes as far as from the coast to the interior.

Also people who were ill, injured or lame would often be carried this way. Sometimes Africans were carried this way long distances to the few medical stations there were in these days.

It is basically a conveyance that looks like a hammock, usually with a sun-shade, and carried on poles by teams of carriers, who would take turns relieiving one another if the journey was long.

Occasionally one will hear a story of how someone fell out or how many times they fell out that day, and of how all the carriers laughed. Apparently it would be a bit difficult to get used to, a bit sea-sick making perhaps, but also could be quite soporific if the carried person surrendered to it.


Nambala to the Zambesi, depending on which part of the river, might have been 200 miles or so. This was also the way that Kate travelled to Nambala from Broken Hill.

If you do some googling (add some relevant words, like "transport") you will see that this form of transport was also used in other parts of the world, apparently with the same name - so where did the name come from? I haven't researched it. Perhaps someone will comment.

Some names in this book

Anderson, Mr A.C.
Burgess, Rev. W. Comber
Buzande 69
Calow p84
Chapman, Rev W
Chibomba
Chidabufu's 63
Fell, Revd J.R. and Mrs p58, 70-1, 75, 81, 92
Hogg, Mr (Sijoba) p95
Kafwifwi's 64
Katumpa
Kerswell
Maolosi, Robert
Maulusi's  61
Mbula or Mbulu p50-54
Mono
Mukubelu
Mukunkus 61
Naluba's 67
Senachisigili, chief p89
Shamakundi's 65
Smith, Mr & Mrs 64-7, 84
Spencer, Mr T (of South Shields) p76
Tomo
Walker (early farmer) p67
Zamo 69

Nswana - The Heir (Charles Fisher)

Another index... The subtitle of this book is "The life and times of Charles Fisher, a surgeon in central Africa". This is by Monica Fisher. My copy was published by Mission Press, PO Box 71581, Ndola, Zambia in 1991.

This is a sequel to "Ndotolu - The life and stories of Walter and Anna Fisher of Central Africa" (formerly published as "Africa looks ahead"; see elsewhere on this blog for an index to this book) and tells the story of Walter's son Charles and his time as a surgeon in Northern Rhodesia at Kalene Hill hospital and elsewhere. There are mentions of a number of British visitors and Charles' time in England while studying at Cambridge and in Southern Rhodesia. There is quite a bit on hospitals on the copperbelt.

According to this account, Walter was influenced by Arnot, a neighbour of David Livingstone in Hamilton Scotland, to make his mark in Africa. Charles later followed in Walter's footsteps and made great contributions to medicine in Zambia. The book roughly covers the period 1900-1981, although there is also a repeated account of some of the information in Africa Looks Ahead / Ndotolu.

Unfortunately I read this so long ago that I am not going to attempt a fuller account of the book, but it is well referenced and indexed, so I will repeat some of the index here. The book also includes a lot of genealogical information on the Fisher and Darling family trees. One gets the impression that more would be available from the author. Good reading...

Here are (most of) the names in the index. I have left out most place names:

Acheson, Denis, Dr Jim, Mrs Maud
Adamson, A.L.
Allison, Vyvyan
Amos, Margery
Arnot, Frederick Stanley m Harriet Fisher
Ashton, Dr Leigh
Asnot, Boaz
Auchinleck, Sir Claud
Ayer, Frank
Aylward, Gladys

Barklie, Hester

Clark, J.A., Kenneth
Clough, Eric and Mrs
Coillard, M
Collier, William
Cook, The Drs
Cooke, A.J.
Copeman, A.E.
Coryndon, Sir Robert
Cottrell, John and Daphne
Crathorne, Lord
Crawford, Dan
Creech Jones, Arthur and Mrs
Cross, Revd A.J., J.W.

Dalhousie, Earl
Darling, Ada wife of Dr JSD
Darling, Rev Charles m Hester Barklie
Darling, Eileen dau of Dr SD
Darling, Guy son of Dr SD m. Dr. G. Revington
Fisher, Harriet "Trottie"
Darling, Henry twin of SE d.1867
Darling, James m. Hilda Maxwell
Darling, John (Revd) d.1620
Darling, John Singleton m (1) Mary Johnston (2) Isabella Knox
Darling, Letitia Belinda "Linnie"
Darling, Marrian
Darling, Dr J Singleton m (1) Ada Belcher (2) Marjorie Shillington
Darling, Ronald son of Dr SD
Darling, Susanna nee ffolliott m James Darling
Darling, William D son of JSD
Darling, WD ffolliott, Cousin ACF
Davey, William (FRCS)
Dixon, Dr Patrick (FRCS)
Dixon, capitao
Dlamini, Edith
d'Orsini, Contessa
Dowds, Dr Jack

English, Reginald
Ervine family

Faulknor, WL
Fisher, Alfred Charles m Monica nee Hanford
Fisher, Anne dau W ffolliott F m R Wyatt
Fisher, Charles Walter Stewart b1943 m Louise nee Rhodes
Fisher, Dr Georgina nee Revington m (1) Guy Darling(2) Wilfred Fisher
Fisher, Grenfell
Fisher, Henry d. WWI
Fisher, Herbert d. WWI
Fisher, Hester Chilombo "Hettie"
Fisher, Joyce m Gordon Grout
Fisher, Kitty nee Marks m W Singleton Fisher
Fisher, Michael Hugh b 1949 m Jann Oosthuizen
Fisher, M Monica nee Hanford m A.C.F
Fisher, Pearl 1899-1901
Fisher, Pearl dau WSF m (1) Victor Reed (2) Peter Lavers
Fisher, Rachel nee Starkey m W.B.F.
Fisher, Susanna (Anna) nee Darling m WF (1865-1937)
Fisher, Terence "Terry" son of WSF
Fisher, Dr Theodore
Fisher, Dr Walter "Ndotolu"
Fisher, Walter ffolliott 1898-1966 m Ethelwynne Marks
Fisher, Wilfred m Georgina Darling nee Revington
Fisher, William Benjamin 1828-1899 m Rachel Starkey
Fisher, W. Singleton 1895-1960 son of WF m Kitty Marks
ffolliott, Susanna m James Darling
Franklin, Harry
Fraser, Drs Donald and Agnes
Fraser, Revd George m Jean Mieklejohn
Freedendal, Fritz and Friedl

Gall, RB
Ghyoot, Dr E and Mrs
Gibbons, Maj A StH
Gilbert, Dr Frank
Glatthaar, Dr Leo
Goldman, Prof Edwin Monck m Lorna Bosworth-Smith
Goldman, Lorna
Gondwe, Alfred
Goodfellow, Derek
Gore-Browne, Sir Francis m Helenor Shaw-Stewart
Gore-Browne, Lorna nee Goldman
Gore-Browne, Mabyl
Gore-Browne, Robert 1893-1972 m Margaret Elias
Gore-Browne, Sapphire
Gore-Browne, Lt Col Sir Stewart m Lorna
Gore-Browne, Sir Thomas m Harriet Campbell
Gore-Browne, Rev Wilfred 1st Bishop of Kuruman and Kimberley
Gouzee, M
Greenberg, Dr
Green-Wilkinson, Oliver (Archbishop)
Grenfell, Joyce
Grenville-Grey, Wilfrid m Edith Dlamini

Hall, Elsie (pianist) m Dr Stohr
Hammond, RW
Hanford, Eliza nee Lacey m William Hanford
Hanford, Dr Francis W m Joan Austin-Holmes
Hanford, Rev Cannon Hugh D m Sapphire Gore-Brown 1887-1970
Hanford, William 1938-1921 m Eliza Lacey
Hannah, Dr James
Harding, Col Colin
Harris-Evans, Rev Douglas b 1907 m Helenor Hanford
Harris-Evans, Helenor
Haslam, Dr JFC
Henderson, Dr
Hewitt, Rev George
Highton, medical orderly
Hillary, Sir Edmund
Hilwood Farm
Hooper, Dr Otto (Nkana)
Howell, Dr James (FRCS)
Hoyte, Dr Julyan 1892-1969 m (1) Rachel Mary "May" Fisher (2) Adelaide Hobbs
Hoyte, Raymond d WWI
Hoyte, William and Henrietta nee Merryshaw
Hoyte, Wyn m. P.Last
Hunt, Margaret wife of P. Hunt
Hunt, Norman (architect)
Hunt, Peter (FRCS) m Margaret
Huggins, Sir Godfrey
Huxley, Elspeth
Hyland, Jane m 1784 Charles Singleton
Hyland, Susan

Iain, F, Peter, Patricia (? earlier in index)
Iceley, Rev Barnard
Ingborg (?) Lewis
Ingham, John
Irvine, Dr Dorothy nee Last b 1916
Irwin, David

James, Sinkonde (cook)
James, chauffeur
James, Gordon
Johnson, J (MP)
Johnston, Sir H.
Joloki, capitao
Jonas, chauffeur
Jones, Sir Glyn (Nyasaland)
Jones, Mrs Matron
Joubert, Frank & Mrs Enid Goldman
Judson, EW head of Sakeji School

Kalulu, game guard
Kalwa
Kama, Chief
Kamanga, Reubin
Kanmer, Dr & Mrs
Kamona, nursemaid
Kamona (Nyawili)
Kapwepwe, Simon
Kasavubu, president of Zaire
Kashiba ka Beno Mofya
Katareka
Katilungu, Lawrence
Kaunda, Dr Kenneth & Betty
Komoka, capitao
Kruger, Paul (Transvaal)

Lane, F
Last, Percy m Wyn nee Hoyte d 1917 dau Dorothy
Lavers, Pearl (Fisher)
Lawless, Drs James and Margaret
Leiper, prof.
Lenshina, Alice
Lewanika, King
Lewis, Arthur (architect)
Lewis, CS, HK
Lewis, O, stepgrandson of Mrs Boake m Ingborg Ellis
Lewis, Dr (neurosurgeon)
Lippert company
Livingstone, David
Llewellin Hospital (Kitwe central)
Lobengula, chief
Locke-King, Ethel DBE nee Gore-Browne m Hugh LK
Lubwa mission
Lumumba, Patrice
Lwenge Lodge
Lynn, Joseph

MacGregor "one-eyed" (could be same as in Ndotolu)
Mackenzie, WJ "Mac"
MacLaren, AB "Sandy"
Macleod, Revd Lord George
MacMinn, Revd and Mrs
Mahanga, wife of Msidi
Makangala, hunter
Makulu, Rev Henry
Malcomson, Rodney MP, dentist
Manasseh, medical orderly
March, Charles Earl
Maria, wife of Msidi
Marks, Ethel nee Burgess
Marks, Betty (Mrs Muir)
Marks, Ethelwynne
Marks, Joyce
Marsh, Joy nee Hanford b 1917 m Major Jeremy Marsh
Matthews, Rev Peter
McMullan, Mary Joy Susanna nee Fisher b 1948 m Terence McMullan
McNeil, Alec and Eve
Mengo
Menzies, IR "Bob" & Cosette
Miller, Bruce
Millman, William
Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation
Moffat, Rev Malcolm
Moffat, Sir John
Monckton, Lord
Monema, wife of Msidi
Moore, Mike
Morris, Revd Colin
Morris, Thomas
Mouchet, Dr
Msidi (Mushili, Msiri) Chief
Mudenda, Elijah
Musuka
Mwanakatwe, John
Mwanta Tamvwa, Paramount chief
Mwenzo mission

Nana Candundu
Nangle EJ
Ndona, Miss, Mrs
Ndubeni, chief
Nelson, cook
Nesbit
Nightingale, Edythe
Nightingale, Florence
Nightingale, Hester "Hettie" nee Fisher 1901-1935 m Rowlan N
Nightingale, Rowland
Nkumbula, Harry
Noak, Hans (architect)
Ntambu, chief
Nyakatolo, chieftainess
Nyawili (Kamona)

Ogden, John pianist
O'John, Mrs
Olen
Opala
orphanage at Sakeji
Osler, Sir William

Paddy (Bruce Miller)
Patel, D.L.
Payne, Charles
Philips, Celia nee Hanford b 1917 m Rev Rees Phillips, son Robert
Plat, Dr BS
Plumtree school
Pollett, Hugh
Ponsonby, Sir Charles, Winifred
Porto, Senhor Silva
Powdermaker, Prof Hortense
Prain, Sir Ronald
Pridie, Dr Kenneth (FRCS)
Pyke, Dr Hugh

Rand, Dr
Rennie, Sir Gilbert
Revington, Dr Georgina
Rhodes, Cecil
Rhodes, Louise (Fisher)
Richards, Dr Audrey
Ritchie, Lt General Neil
Rodger, Dr LM
Ross, Sir Ronald
Russell, Judge

Sailunga, chief
Sakayema
Sakaumba, chief
Sakeji school
Samuel, Satangama
Sandongu
Saxton, Drs Dorothy & George
Schindler, Freddy
Scweitzer, Dr Albert
Scott, Dr Alexander
Scott, Mrs Jeannine
Scott, Sir Peter
Sebituane, chief
Secuti's drift
Selby-Taylor, Rev
Senff, Mr
Sharp, R
Sharp, Dr Ruby
Sharpe, Sir Alfred
Sheehan, Prof
Shiwa Ngandu estate and hospital
Short, Prof & Mrs Rendle
Sikumbi
Silasi
Sillett, Rev Frederick & Dr Rachel
Singleton, Charles m Jane Hyland 1784
Singleton, Martha m Abraham ffolliott 1806
Sisters of charity
Smith, Dr Stanley
Smith, Mr, superintendent Shiwa hospital
Spare, Mrs Pat
Spock Dr B
Springer, Bishop & Mrs
Stairs, capt William Grant
Starkey, Rachel
Steele, Percy supt Luanshya hospital
Stirling, Col Sir David
Stockton, Revd James
Stohr, Dr
Storke, Arthur D
Sugg, John
Susman, Otto
Sutton, Angela nee Gore-Browne m (1) B Bell (2) J Sutton
Swan, CA

Tanner, Norman (FRCS) & dau Anne
Temple, Rev Merfyn
Tenke
Thesiger, Wilfrid
Thompson, HB
Thorndyke, Dame Sybil & Sir Hugh Casson
Thornycroft, Henry
Thorpe
Tottie, cape coloured
Tremain, John general manager
Tredgold, Mr Justice
Trotter, Mrs Nancy
Tshilongo
Tshombe, Moise
Tshopo river
Tysoe, Captain

Vambe, Lawrence
Vibetti, Mr
Victoria falls hotel
Vilanculos
Von Lingen, Phyllis "Prune"

Waddington, Sir John
Walker, Mackie
Walters, Vera m P Withpetersen
Watson, Sir Malcolm
Wedgwood Harold
Welensky, Sir Roy
Wheeler, Jim m Joyce Marks dau Susan
Wide, Dr ER
Wili, medical orderly
Williams, Emlyn (actor)
Williams, Dr B
Wina, Arthur MP
Wingate, General Orde
Winther, AS
Wood, Dr Michael
Woodrow Cross, Eileen nee Bruce Miller b1919 m JW Cross
Woodrow Cross J
Wusikili

Yakusu
Yeke
Yendeka, Mr