Papers of William Thyne

Records of the Scottish Study Group on the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland: steering committee minutes; membership records; letters to the press; circulars; and memoranda. Questionnaires and itineraries for Edinburgh visit of Godwin Lewanika (pro-Federation African MP for Luangwa, Northern Rhodesia).
Thyne's correspondence with: Sir Roy Welensky, 1960-1965; Rhodesian diplomats; Scottish churchmen; A. J. Lewis of Bulawayo (editor of a Rhodesian newsletter); J. M. Greenfield (Federal Minister of Law), 1963; Garfield Todd; Sir Alec Douglas-Home; and Sir Hugh Beadle (Chief Justice of Southern Rhodesia).
Annotated photographs of Cecil Rhodes' burial ceremony 1902, given to Mr Thyne by Mr. Ted Weaver, Curator of Matopos Park and organiser of the ceremony.

Mr Thyne, a successful Edinburgh printer and paper manufacturer, started visiting Rhodesia regularly in 1948. In 1960 Thyne set up a Rhodesia committee in Edinburgh, the Scottish Study Group on the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which was established with the approval and advice of Sir Roy Welensky and the Federal High Commissioner, Sir Gilbert Rennie. The group intended to 'counter inaccurate and prejudiced views of the Federation in Scotland' and to present a 'balanced' interpretation of the Monckton Report. It hoped to influence Scottish MPs and churchmen.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

Mr Thyne, a successful Edinburgh printer and paper manufacturer, started visiting Rhodesia regularly in 1948. In 1960 Thyne set up a Rhodesia committee in Edinburgh, the Scottish Study Group on the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, which was established with the approval and advice of Sir Roy Welensky and the Federal High Commissioner, Sir Gilbert Rennie. The group intended to 'counter inaccurate and prejudiced views of the Federation in Scotland' and to present a 'balanced' interpretation of the Monckton Report. It hoped to influence Scottish MPs and churchmen.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

* Glass, B. 'Scottish Propaganda at the End of Empire' in The East Asian Journal of British History, 4 (2014).
* Glass, B. The Scottish Nation at Empire's End. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.

Published

GB 193