The Rhodes Family

There is nothing to say where the Rhodes family lived or how John knew them. We may assume that they live close by. John is very much taken by the children and in one of the condolence letters (G T Parker), his love for children is remarked upon. The photos have a very joyous family feel about them.

Mr Rhodes – a handsome man

Mrs Rhodes – his elegant wife

Both Rhodes together. Massed sweet peas in the background

David Rhodes

David and Mary Rhodes

Mr Rhodes and the children

Mrs Rhodes and David

⇐ Mrs Rhodes on the left with David on her knee, Mary behind the jug and Mr Rhodes smoking a pipe. Three immaculately clad members of staff in attendance. To the right is a child’s chair on wheels.

“9 o’clock Sunday morning Nov 7th 1927, breakfast” – written on the back [7th November 1927 was a Monday (?)]

⇑ We can recognise the Rhodes house and garden by the shape of the tablecloth and the bearer to the left

⇑ This photo of the entrance to a house from the road is presumed to be the entrance to the Rhodes house, but with nothing written on the back, this cannot be confirmed

Many of the garden photos above show evidence of sweet peas growing. When John’s nephew was first posted to a remote part of what was then Northern Rhodesia for the Colonial Service in 1959, he planted sweet peas and immersed himself in their scent to remind himself of home.