Rhodesia: Last Outpost of the British Empire 1890-1980 by Peter Baxter


"First edition (hardback limited to 150 copies) published, April 2010 by Galago Books, South Africa, 544pp., no dust jacket, text in
acceptable condition with slight browning to pages & small creases to the top & bottom corners of some of the pages, browning to the page extremities at the very top - less so to those at the side & bottom, spine slightly cocked & boards a bit warped, some bumping & rubbing to board corners, to the top, bottom & sides of boards - heavier to the top of the spine, heavier still to the base, bumping to the rear bottom right hand side, rubbing to spine edges on front & rear, both boards are marked - the rear one more so than the front. An acceptable copy of the extremely rare first hardback edition.



Last Outpost of the British Empire is the story of Rhodesia, the last substantial British imperial possession in Africa, and the closing act of the British Empire itself. It is an examination of the pre-independence history of Zimbabwe that offers a tangible illustration of how and why the current crisis came into being.

The narrative follows the 90-year history of Rhodesia from its formation in 1890 to its demise in 1980. While the content is detailed
and widely researched, it is also accessible, and can perhaps best be described as ‘popular’ history.

The story opens with a brief overview of local pre-history, the machinations of the Portuguese in the region and the arrival of the
conquering Matabele. The early life and career of Cecil Rhodes are examined as a background for the deeply questionable political
manoeuvering that led to the eventual dispossession of the Matabele.

The narrative then continues with the arrival of the pioneer column in the virgin territory of Mashonaland, the provocation of the Matabele
that led to an eventual war of conquest and the development of a British overseas territory.

While this is primarily a history of white colonial adventure in Africa the author has at all times included detailed accounts of the
political and social development of Rhodesian blacks and the roles that they played in the destruction of the colony and the thrust
towards their own emancipation. Characterizations in this regard are strong, and in fact Baxter has leaned heavily on character development and the value of individual endeavour and effort throughout the narrative.


The thesis of the tale has tended to be that of a triumvirate of Englishmen whose influence on Rhodesia guided it through three
distinct phases. The first of these was obviously Cecil J Rhodes, the second Sir Godfrey Huggins, and the third Ian Smith. The character of each of these phases was distinct, with the golden years of settlement and development being those presided over by the long administration of Sir Godfrey Huggins.

The 1960/70's civil-war and the rise of black nationalism perhaps takes up most of the book, a period that Baxter believes is examined in a wholly balanced and objective way. The tragedy of the event from both sides is detailed, and if a political bias exists the author does so with a tendency to criticism of both sides for a certain defiance of reality and moral blindness.

The book was written very much in the modern milieu, and much of what is relayed and examined is done so in the context of current events.




Will ship by Royal Mail 1st Class Signed for, well packaged.



(£5.39/unter/mil)