Would you believe there's another place called Hatcliffe in Harare, Zimbabwe? All we know about it is that it was an estate subdivided in the 1980s, and now is a middle-class suburb. Not a lot to go on! We've no idea who owned the so called 'Hatcliffe' estate. Or what kind of estate it was. Seeing how Harare has the world's largest tobacco market, perhaps it was a tobacco plantation! Harare was first settled by Europeans in 1890. It was called Fort Salisbury
then. In honour of Lord Salisbury the British prime minister. By 1902 it
had been designated capital of Southern Rhodesia. Still nothing much to
go on! What brought our mysterious Mr Hatcliffe to Harare? Was he there
as a result of the drastic social changes, particularly in agrarian England,
during the 19th century? Or could it have been because of the Boer War?
He may of course have been connected to Cecil Rhode's British South Africa
Company which around 1890 was developing resources in the area. Or maybe
he had been lured to the 'dark' continent in search of gold. Or diamonds.
Is this how he made enough money to buy a sizeable chunk of land in Salisbury?
If anyone can help solve the mystery they won't receive any prize, but
they will earn our eternal gratitude.
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