Lionel Cripps
Encyclopedia
The Hon Lionel Cripps CMG
(11 October 1863 - 3 February 1950) was the first Speaker of the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly
.
Born in Simla
, India
, the son of a General in the Bengal Staff Corps and his wife and educated in England
, Cripps moved to South Africa
in 1879, where he took up farming. In 1890, Cripps served as a trooper in A Troop of the Pioneer Column
that occupied Mashonaland
before prospecting in the Mazowe
district and eventually settling near Mutare
to farm tobacco
, and in so doing became the first farmer in Rhodesia to raise tobacco as a commercial crop. There he represented farmers in the region as head of a "vigilance committee", raising their grievances with Cecil Rhodes and demanding political rights within Rhodesia.
On 6 April 1893 he married Mary Lovemore in Cape Town
. Together they had four sons (Lionel, Hereward, Harold and Derick) and one daughter, Angela.
In 1903, Cripps helped established and led the influential Rhodesian Agricultural Union (RAU), a body representing settler farmers. He attempted to parlay his stature in the community into a political career, unsuccessfully contesting Eastern Constituency in the 1911 Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council election before his election to the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council
in 1914. Re-elected in 1920 Cripps was elected the inaugural speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1923.
Upon his retirement from politics in 1935, Cripps helped establish the National Archives and served as a member of the Historical Monuments Commission and developed a passion for Rock art
, making copies of all known rock art in Rhodesia.. Many of his reproductions of rock paintings and drawings are archived at the University of Zimbabwe
's Archaeological Unit and an academic study of his work, entitled Immortalising the Past - Reproductions of Zimbabwean Rock Art by Lionel Cripps, was released in 2007.
Cripps died in Umtali, Rhodesia.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(11 October 1863 - 3 February 1950) was the first Speaker of the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly
Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly
The Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly was the governing body of Southern Rhodesia from 1924 to 1965.-Background:In 1898, the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council, Southern Rhodesia's first elected representative body, was founded. Much of the decisions regarding the administration of...
.
Born in Simla
Shimla
Shimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the son of a General in the Bengal Staff Corps and his wife and educated in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Cripps moved to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1879, where he took up farming. In 1890, Cripps served as a trooper in A Troop of the Pioneer Column
Pioneer Column
The Pioneer Column was a force raised by Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company in 1890 and used in his efforts to annex the territory of Mashonaland, later part of Southern Rhodesia ....
that occupied Mashonaland
Mashonaland
Mashonaland is a region in northern Zimbabwe. It is the home of the Shona people.Currently, Mashonaland is divided into three provinces, with a total population of about 3 million:* Mashonaland West* Mashonaland Central* Mashonaland East...
before prospecting in the Mazowe
Mazowe
Mazowe is a village in Mashonaland Central province in Zimbabwe....
district and eventually settling near Mutare
Mutare
Mutare is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of around 170,000. It is the capital of Manicaland province.-History:...
to farm tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, and in so doing became the first farmer in Rhodesia to raise tobacco as a commercial crop. There he represented farmers in the region as head of a "vigilance committee", raising their grievances with Cecil Rhodes and demanding political rights within Rhodesia.
On 6 April 1893 he married Mary Lovemore in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. Together they had four sons (Lionel, Hereward, Harold and Derick) and one daughter, Angela.
In 1903, Cripps helped established and led the influential Rhodesian Agricultural Union (RAU), a body representing settler farmers. He attempted to parlay his stature in the community into a political career, unsuccessfully contesting Eastern Constituency in the 1911 Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council election before his election to the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council
Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council
The Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council was the inaugural governing body for the British territory of Southern Rhodesia before its replacement by the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly in 1923....
in 1914. Re-elected in 1920 Cripps was elected the inaugural speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 1923.
Upon his retirement from politics in 1935, Cripps helped establish the National Archives and served as a member of the Historical Monuments Commission and developed a passion for Rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
, making copies of all known rock art in Rhodesia.. Many of his reproductions of rock paintings and drawings are archived at the University of Zimbabwe
University of Zimbabwe
The University of Zimbabwe in Harare, is the oldest and largest university in Zimbabwe. It was founded through a special relationship with the University of London and it opened its doors to its first students in 1952. The university has ten faculties offering a wide variety of degree programmes...
's Archaeological Unit and an academic study of his work, entitled Immortalising the Past - Reproductions of Zimbabwean Rock Art by Lionel Cripps, was released in 2007.
Cripps died in Umtali, Rhodesia.