Connections with Brighton and Hove : Khama III (1837 – 1923), often referred to by missionaries as Khama the Good also called Khama the Great, was the Kgosi (meaning king) of the Bangwato people in what is now modern-day Botswana (formerly Bechuanaland). He and his brother became Lutheran Christians (1860), an action that was strongly opposed by their traditionalist father. In October1889 a charter placed the Bamangwato people under the authority of the British South Africa Company (BSAC) of Cecil John Rhodes, (Prime Minister of South Africa) Khama had seen what Rhodes had done to the indigenous South African people and he feared the same fate would befall his people. Khama sailed for England, accompanied by a former Brighton Pastor Charles Willoughby and his eight-year-old son Harold Willoughby who acted as an interpreter for Khama and his fellow Kings, Sebele I and Bathoen 1. Khama III was the grandfather of Seretse Khama who in 1948 married an English woman Ruth Williams, thus causing an international scandal due to their inter-racial relationship. Sebele I (1841 – 1911) was the King of the Kwena, a major Tswana tribe in modern-day Botswana. During his lifetime, he resisted the 1885 Bechuanaland Protectorate as well as the control of his land by the BSAC. He joined forces with Khama III and Bathoen in going to England in 1895 to thwart Rhodes ambitions. Bathoen I (1845 – 1910) was the king of the Ngwaketse people. Together with Khama III and Sebele I he is credited with saving Bechuanaland Protectorate, a predecessor of Botswana, from being absorbed by expansionist forces in the 1890s. NOTES • Khama III, Sebele I, Bathoen I came to England in 1895 to petition Queen Victoria to protect their land from Cecil Rhodes railway expansion project - Cape Town, South Africa, to Cairo in Egypt. The expansion would involve taking over Botswana for his own company the British South African Company. • Accompanying Khama III, Sebele I, Bathoen I was the Rev Charles Willoughby, former Brighton resident and Pastor at the Union Chapel (now a public house) and now the missionary advisor to King Khama. Willoughby’s role was facilitating the trip to England and acted as his tour manager, press secretary, bookkeeper, political advisor. Willoughby was also part of helping the three kings gain support for their cause. • Khama’s interpreter of choice was Willoughby’s eight-year-old son, Harold Willoughby who spoke fluent Setswana. Harold often went on walks with Khama and the other kings on Brighton Promenade and they visited the newly opened Aquarium, as well as going on the Palace Pier and stopping off at the Brighton Dome to speak to a sell-out audience. • Khama III, Sebele I, Bathoen I stayed in Brighton for four days and in that time, they visited many places, including Elm Grove school where they watched a maypole dance, had photos taken and signed the school’s visitor’s book. • Khama was impressed with Elm Grove and made it clear that he wanted his people to educated to a high standard. • Khama III, Sebele I, Bathoen I met Queen Victoria in Windsor Castle, documented in her diaries of 1895. The meeting was successful because she granted Botswana continual protection from the British Empire and so the BSAC was defeated by three African Kings, a White Missionary and his eight-year-old son. • Before leaving England to return home gifts were exchanged between the monarchs, some of which are still in existence.
941 Mercedes Streetdeck - carried name since March 2024.