Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia (, ) was an unrecognised state in southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the "de facto" successor state to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia, which had been self-governing since achieving responsible government in 1923. A landlocked nation, Rhodesia was bordered by South Africa to the south, Bechuanaland (later Botswana) to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique (a Portuguese province until 1975) to the east. In the late 19th century, the territory north of the Transvaal was chartered to the British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes.
Sydney Robinson (businessman) Sydney Robinson (businessman) Sir Sydney Walter Robinson JP (1876 – 17 November 1950) was an English farmer, building contractor and Liberal politician. Sydney Robinson was born in 1876 in Walthamstow which was then in the county of Essex, the son of Alfred and Georgina Robinson. He was educated in Walthamstow but then travelled to the USA where he studied at the Metropolitan College in Chicago. In 1898 he married Gwendolene Edith King. Robinson had business interests as a building contractor and was also a farmer with land near to Chelmsford. His speciality and success was in the breeding of pedigree