Mining in Rhodesia
Attractive New Life for Conisbrough Family
Glimpses of conditions in a newly-opened coal mine in the heart of Southern Rhodesia are given by Mr George Turner, a young ex-Cadeby Colliery deputy, in letters home to his wife and son at 1, Markham Avenue, Conisbrough. The wife, Mrs Dorothy Turner, and four-year-old Melvyn, are sailing from England to join Mr Turner on April 17th.
Mr Turner has had three weeks in which to make up his mind about Southern Rhodesia and his verdict is “wonderful.”
40-Foot Seam
Working at Wankie as an overman in a Welsh-owned pit managed largely by native labour, he writes: “The pit is a bit different from Cadeby, but there is nothing to do. It seems very funny to see the native working. There are thousands of them. Where one man does a job down our English pits, it takes four or five natives to do it here. It also seems very queer to go every-day smoking instead of chewing tobacco.” In another letter Mr Turner writes that seams at the pit are 40—60 feet thick.
From what Mrs Turner, an ex-W.A.F., told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter the other day, it seems the Turner family has little to worry about. Thrown in with Mr Turner’s job at the pit are a furnished house, rent free, with two servants to look after it; free coal, a canteen six months, and free education for the children. This will include a few years at Cape-town boarding school for Melvyn when he reaches the age of 14.
Shopping Will be a Major Operation for Mrs Turner
The nearest town, Bulawayo, is as far from the pit as London is from Conisbrough and it is to Bulawayo that Mrs Turner must travel each Saturday to do her week-end shopping. A car will be provided for the purpose, and she will return home on the Sunday.
Domesticated Boy
Looking after Mr Turner at the moment is a black boy who he has christened “Sandy,” but, he says, as black as coal. The boy cooks, darns, washes, irons, and cleans up “just like a woman,” he writes. So intrigued is young Melvyn by the thought of the black boys that he keeps hoping that his father will send him one home. Mr Turner said that Melvyn was “absolutely thrilled” about their impending move.
Mrs Turner herself is looking forward eagerly to her new life. During her W.A.F. service she hoped to be sent abroad but never had the opportunity. She and Melvyn are living at present with her parents, Mr and Mrs Graves, in Markham Avenue, as their former home in Parkgate Avenue, Conaby, was sold before her husband left.
Mr Turner’s mother, who is over 70, is planning to visit them for a six months’ holiday in Rhodesia in two years’ time.
The only household articles that Mrs Turner will take with her are curtains and crockery. These, she learns, are very expensive out there, but everything else very cheap. Cigarettes, for instance, can be bought at 4s for 1s, or, in the case of the popular English brand, 50 for 4s. 6d.
Mrs Turner and Melvyn are to sail from London on April 17th in the “Rodesia Castle,” and will be seen off by Mrs Turner’s two brothers. They will reach South Africa in the middle of May and then have three days’ journey by train through bush country before reaching Wankie.