- Sir Roland “Roy” Welensky, KCMG ( 20 January 1907 – 5 December 1991) was a Northern Rhodesian politician.
- Rolanda was the second and last prime minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
- Welensky was born in Pioneer Street, Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia.
- Born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) to an Afrikaner mother and a Lithuanian Jewish father.
- He moved to Northern Rhodesia, became involved with the trade unions, and entered the colonial legislative council in 1938.
- After leaving school at the age of 14, Welensky found employment with Rhodesia Railways as a fireman, while putting his physical strength to work as a boxer.
- He rose through the ranks of Rhodesia Railways to become a locomotive engine driver and became involved in the trade union movement, joining the Rhodesian Railway Workers’ Union.
- After participating in the unsuccessful 1929 Rhodesian Railways strike Welensky was moved by management to Broken Hill, the main base of the railways in Northern Rhodesia.
- In 1933 he became Chairman of the Broken Hill branch of the union, and was appointed to the National Council.
- Welensky was elected to the Northern Rhodesian Legislative Council in the 1938 general elections.
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sir Raphael “Roy” Welensky
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