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Filabusi Memorial Site

Memorials	:	0
Location	:	Insiza District, Zimbabwe
Description	:	Some 35 European settlers were killed near Filabusi in 1896. A memorial was erected for them at Filabusi in their memory. Due to vandalism, the memorial was moved to the museum in Bulawayo. This historic site remembers some of the earliest European killings of the Matabele Rebellion, or Umvukela of 1896 which occurred on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 March 1896. Arthur Bentley, the Assistant Native Commissioner was found at his desk on Monday 23 March with a half-written letter. Most of these victims are buried nearby. His killing and those at Edkins Store must have occurred in a coordinated... Read More	Some 35 European settlers were killed near Filabusi in 1896. A memorial was erected for them at Filabusi in their memory. Due to vandalism, the memorial was moved to the museum in Bulawayo. This historic site remembers some of the earliest European killings of the Matabele Rebellion, or Umvukela of 1896 which occurred on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 March 1896. Arthur Bentley, the Assistant Native Commissioner was found at his desk on Monday 23 March with a half-written letter. Most of these victims are buried nearby. His killing and those at Edkins Store must have occurred in a coordinated way as there is no evidence that the other victims heard Bentley being killed or were in anyway prepared for the attack on them. There is some doubt about the actual date individual victims were killed, but Albert Baragwanath only left Bulawayo on Sunday evening the 22 March ‘after dinner to ride his rather decrepit horse back in the cool of the night to his store’ and was one of the victims. Harry Cumming’s from Insiza reached Bulawayo on Tuesday 24 March in the morning; Arthur Cumming and Lucas from Filabusi reached Bulawayo on Wednesday 25 March at 2am with the news. The fact that both have the surname of Cumming has caused much confusion! Joseph O’Connor was the only survivor of the killings and his account was initially taken as fact; subsequent research has proved that at least some of his story was false. The story told locally is that the Filabusi Memorial was pushed over by artisanal gold miners’ resident in the area who believed that a pot of gold had been buried beneath the base. GPS reference for the old Filabusi Memorial: 20⁰29′57.61″S 29⁰17′39.47″E now removed to the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe at Bulawayo. The Memorial site is located 28.5 kilometres from the A9 turnoff to Filabusi from Mbalabala on Annedale Farm on which the Filabusi Memorial site, Edkins store and Filabusi old cemetery are located.

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Where is Filabusi Memorial Site?
Filabusi Memorial Site is located at No GPS information available Add GPSFilabusi, Matabeleland South Zimbabwe Insiza District ,Matabeleland South ,Zimbabwe.
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Nearby Cemetories:

1. Quarrie Kraal Cemetery, Insiza
Insiza District, Zimbabwe

2. Old Filabusi Cemetery
Insiza District, Zimbabwe