Charles Rudd
Encyclopedia
Charles Dunell Rudd was the main business associate of Cecil John Rhodes
.
Rudd studied at Harrow School
and then entered Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1863, where he excelled in playing rackets
. Before completing his degree, he left for Cape Colony
in 1865, where he hunted with the likes of John Dunn
and endeavored in various business enterprises. In the early 1870s, he worked for his brother Thomas' (1831–1902) Port Elizabeth-based trading firm. In 1872 Rudd and Rhodes became friends and partners, working diamond claims in Kimberley
, dealing in diamonds and operating pumping and ice-making machinery, amongst many other odds and ends. Between 1873 and 1881, while Rhodes intermittently attended college in England, Rudd managed their interests. By 1880 they had become rich and, with others, formed the De Beers Mining Company. Rudd was one of the directors and also held large interests in the main machinery supplier for the mining fields.
In 1887 Rudd's interests had shifted to gold, the previous year discovered at the Witwatersrand
. With Rhodes and him as directors, and his brother Thomas as chairman, they registered Gold Fields of South Africa Ltd
in early 1887. The company was structured to enormously favor Rudd and Rhodes, with its London board unaware of most of their activities in southern Africa. On the 13 October 1888 Rudd secured an agreement to the mineral rights of Matabeleland
and Mashonaland
from Lobengula
the King of Matabeleland. The agreement became known as the Rudd Concession
. Matabeleland and Mashonaland form the bulk of what is now known as Zimbabwe
.
Rhodes and Rudd had duped the British government and the investing public in believing that the concession was vested in the public company and made millions of pounds when the British South Africa Company
bought the concession. Rudd had disagreements with Rhodes, in 1895 proclaiming that he would no longer work with Rhodes, and perhaps was unaware of the Gold Fields' conspiracy which culminated in the disastrous Jameson raid
. Still, Rudd remained friends with Rhodes and a director of Gold Fields until 1902, after which he retired to Scotland, "enjoying the life of an Edwardian plutocrat". He bought the Ardnamurchan
estate in Argyll
, where he built two "houses", one of which, Glenborrodale Castle
, just for his guests. He died in 1916 after an unsuccessful prostate operation in London.
, was the son of his eldest son Percy.
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%...
.
Rudd studied at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and then entered Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1863, where he excelled in playing rackets
Racquets (sport)
Rackets or Racquets is an indoor racket sport played in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada...
. Before completing his degree, he left for Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
in 1865, where he hunted with the likes of John Dunn
John Dunn (1834-1895)
John Robert Dunn was a South African settler, hunter, and diplomat of Scottish descent. Born in either Port Elizabeth or Port Natal in 1834, he spent his childhood in Port Natal/Durban....
and endeavored in various business enterprises. In the early 1870s, he worked for his brother Thomas' (1831–1902) Port Elizabeth-based trading firm. In 1872 Rudd and Rhodes became friends and partners, working diamond claims in Kimberley
Kimberley, Northern Cape
Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, dealing in diamonds and operating pumping and ice-making machinery, amongst many other odds and ends. Between 1873 and 1881, while Rhodes intermittently attended college in England, Rudd managed their interests. By 1880 they had become rich and, with others, formed the De Beers Mining Company. Rudd was one of the directors and also held large interests in the main machinery supplier for the mining fields.
In 1887 Rudd's interests had shifted to gold, the previous year discovered at the Witwatersrand
Witwatersrand
The Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations...
. With Rhodes and him as directors, and his brother Thomas as chairman, they registered Gold Fields of South Africa Ltd
Gold Fields
Gold Fields Limited is a South African gold mining firm, one of the world’s largest, which is listed on both the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange ....
in early 1887. The company was structured to enormously favor Rudd and Rhodes, with its London board unaware of most of their activities in southern Africa. On the 13 October 1888 Rudd secured an agreement to the mineral rights of Matabeleland
Matabeleland
Modern day Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...
and 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...
from Lobengula
Lobengula
Lobengula Khumalo was the second and last king of the Ndebele people, usually pronounced Matabele in English. Both names, in the Sindebele language, mean "The men of the long shields", a reference to the Matabele warriors' use of the Zulu shield and spear.- Background :The Matabele were related to...
the King of Matabeleland. The agreement became known as the Rudd Concession
Rudd Concession
The Rudd Concession was a written mining concession or agreement that Charles Rudd secured from Lobengula, King of Matabeleland on 13 October 1888. Rudd was a business associate of Cecil John Rhodes and he obtained the concession as his agent....
. Matabeleland and Mashonaland form the bulk of what is now known as Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.
Rhodes and Rudd had duped the British government and the investing public in believing that the concession was vested in the public company and made millions of pounds when the British South Africa Company
British South Africa Company
The British South Africa Company was established by Cecil Rhodes through the amalgamation of the Central Search Association and the Exploring Company Ltd., receiving a royal charter in 1889...
bought the concession. Rudd had disagreements with Rhodes, in 1895 proclaiming that he would no longer work with Rhodes, and perhaps was unaware of the Gold Fields' conspiracy which culminated in the disastrous Jameson raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
. Still, Rudd remained friends with Rhodes and a director of Gold Fields until 1902, after which he retired to Scotland, "enjoying the life of an Edwardian plutocrat". He bought the Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan is a peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoilt and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main access route being a single track road for much of its length.-Geography:...
estate in Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, where he built two "houses", one of which, Glenborrodale Castle
Glenborrodale
Glenborrodale is a coastal community on Loch Sunart in the south of the Ardnamurchan peninsula in the Highland area of Scotland.It gives its name to a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' reserve in the nearby oakwoods at ....
, just for his guests. He died in 1916 after an unsuccessful prostate operation in London.
Family
Rudd's first wife died in 1896 of influenza or tuberculosis. In 1898 he married Corrie Maria Wallace, 30 years his younger, and the daughter of his partner in the machinery company in Kimberley. They had two daughters and a son. The olympic champion 400 meter runner Bevil RuddBevil Rudd
Bevil Gordon D'Urban Rudd was a South African athlete, the 1920 Olympic Champion in the 400 m.Rudd was born in Kimberley, into a family closely involved with the De Beers diamond mining company...
, was the son of his eldest son Percy.