Winston Field
Encyclopedia
Winston Joseph Field MBE (1904 - 1969) was a Rhodesia
n politician. Field was a former Dominion Party MP who founded the Rhodesian Front
political party with Ian Douglas Smith. Field was born and brought up in Bromsgrove
in the United Kingdom
, and moved to Southern Rhodesia
in 1921. A tobacco
farmer near Marandellas (now known as Marondera
), in Mashonaland East
, Field was President of the powerful Rhodesian Tobacco Association from 1938 to 1940, when he left for military service during the Second World War.
He was elected Federal MP for Mtoko in 1957 under the Dominion Party banner. The Federation Minister of Justice, Julian Greenfield, found him 'somewhat impulsive and opinionated but entirely straightforward'.
When the Rhodesian Front
was formed in early 1962 by Ian Smith
and 'Boss' Lilford, a very wealthy and Right wing tobacco farmer they needed an Establishment figurehead. Field was chosen. He was a solid, trustworthy figure and no racist, even though "nearly everyone else in the new party was to the right of him". His wife said "he didn't really want to take it on, he wasn't really a political animal".
The "imperious and intolerant" (Godwin & Hancock, 1993) Field was elected, to his and many others surprise, as Rhodesia's first Rhodesian Front Prime Minister
in the 1962 general election and served until he was replaced by Ian Smith
in 1964. Field lent an air of respectability to the Rhodesian Front government, though his Cabinet was derided by one newspaper as "by no means an inspiring list". At the time of Field's election it was assumed that Britain would delay the process of independence for Rhodesia until "an African majority assumed power in Salisbury
" (Godwin & Hancock, 1993). Many in the Rhodesian Front felt that Field did not fight hard enough for independence, in particular that the British had hoodwinked him on visits to London in June 1963 and January 1964 over promises of independence. His relatively short time in office saw the dissolution of the Central African Federation on 31 December 1963 though he did win the majority of the Federation's military and other assets for Southern Rhodesia.
His Cabinet included John Gaunt a former Federal MP for Lusaka and a former District Commissioner in Northern Rhodesia. Aware of discontent in Cabinet fomented by Gaunt, Field demanded his resignation in the spring of 1964. Gaunt asked him to wait over the weekend whilst he cleared up some matters in his office. In that time Gaunt and Ian Smith organised a plot against Field, now seen as ineffectual after his failure to win independence. Ken Flower
, head of Rhodesia's Central Intelligence Organisation, an organisation Field had ordered be set up, had in fact warned him sometime previously there was a conspiracy against him, involving several of his ministers.
The caucus of the Rhodesian Front decided to ask for his resignation on 2 April 1964 and the decision was conveyed to Field the next day, though the formal demand was not made until a Cabinet meeting a few days later. Field was replaced as leader of the Rhodesian Front and as Prime Minister by Smith on 14 April 1964, despite the Governor Sir Humphrey Gibbs
urging him to fight the rebels against him in his party.
He died in Rhodesia in 1969. His son attended Falcon College
.
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n politician. Field was a former Dominion Party MP who founded the Rhodesian Front
Rhodesian Front
The Rhodesian Front was a political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under white minority rule. Led first by Winston Field, and, from 1964, by Ian Smith, the Rhodesian Front was the successor to the Dominion Party, which was the main opposition party in Southern Rhodesia during the...
political party with Ian Douglas Smith. Field was born and brought up in Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and moved to Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
in 1921. A 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...
farmer near Marandellas (now known as Marondera
Marondera
Marondera is a town in Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe, located about 72 km east of Harare; population 39,384...
), in Mashonaland East
Mashonaland East
Mashonaland East is a province of Zimbabwe. It has an area of 32,230 km² and a population of approximately 1.1 million . Marondera is the capital of the province.-Districts:Mashonaland East is divided into eight districts:* Chikomba* Goromonzi...
, Field was President of the powerful Rhodesian Tobacco Association from 1938 to 1940, when he left for military service during the Second World War.
He was elected Federal MP for Mtoko in 1957 under the Dominion Party banner. The Federation Minister of Justice, Julian Greenfield, found him 'somewhat impulsive and opinionated but entirely straightforward'.
When the Rhodesian Front
Rhodesian Front
The Rhodesian Front was a political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under white minority rule. Led first by Winston Field, and, from 1964, by Ian Smith, the Rhodesian Front was the successor to the Dominion Party, which was the main opposition party in Southern Rhodesia during the...
was formed in early 1962 by Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
and 'Boss' Lilford, a very wealthy and Right wing tobacco farmer they needed an Establishment figurehead. Field was chosen. He was a solid, trustworthy figure and no racist, even though "nearly everyone else in the new party was to the right of him". His wife said "he didn't really want to take it on, he wasn't really a political animal".
The "imperious and intolerant" (Godwin & Hancock, 1993) Field was elected, to his and many others surprise, as Rhodesia's first Rhodesian Front Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Rhodesia
The Prime Minister of Rhodesia was the head of government in the colony of Rhodesia. Rhodesia's political system was modelled on the Westminster system and the Prime Minister's role was similar to that of the same position in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New...
in the 1962 general election and served until he was replaced by Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
in 1964. Field lent an air of respectability to the Rhodesian Front government, though his Cabinet was derided by one newspaper as "by no means an inspiring list". At the time of Field's election it was assumed that Britain would delay the process of independence for Rhodesia until "an African majority assumed power in Salisbury
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
" (Godwin & Hancock, 1993). Many in the Rhodesian Front felt that Field did not fight hard enough for independence, in particular that the British had hoodwinked him on visits to London in June 1963 and January 1964 over promises of independence. His relatively short time in office saw the dissolution of the Central African Federation on 31 December 1963 though he did win the majority of the Federation's military and other assets for Southern Rhodesia.
His Cabinet included John Gaunt a former Federal MP for Lusaka and a former District Commissioner in Northern Rhodesia. Aware of discontent in Cabinet fomented by Gaunt, Field demanded his resignation in the spring of 1964. Gaunt asked him to wait over the weekend whilst he cleared up some matters in his office. In that time Gaunt and Ian Smith organised a plot against Field, now seen as ineffectual after his failure to win independence. Ken Flower
Ken Flower
Ken Flower was of Cornish extraction and worked for H.M. Customs & Excise before joining the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia in 1937. After war service in British Somaliland and Ethiopia he returned to Rhodesia in 1948 rapidly rising in the hierarchy of the BSAP...
, head of Rhodesia's Central Intelligence Organisation, an organisation Field had ordered be set up, had in fact warned him sometime previously there was a conspiracy against him, involving several of his ministers.
The caucus of the Rhodesian Front decided to ask for his resignation on 2 April 1964 and the decision was conveyed to Field the next day, though the formal demand was not made until a Cabinet meeting a few days later. Field was replaced as leader of the Rhodesian Front and as Prime Minister by Smith on 14 April 1964, despite the Governor Sir Humphrey Gibbs
Humphrey Gibbs
Sir Humphrey Vicary Gibbs, GCVO, KCMG, OBE was the penultimate Governor of the colony of Southern Rhodesia who served through, and opposed, the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965....
urging him to fight the rebels against him in his party.
He died in Rhodesia in 1969. His son attended Falcon College
Falcon College
Falcon College is a private institution of higher learning for boys aged 12–18 in the southern Matabeleland region of Zimbabwe. It was founded in 1954 near Esigodini , 55 km southeast of Bulawayo on the remains of the Bushtick Mine...
.