Southern Rhodesia Legal Aid and Welfare Fund

The Legal Aid and Welfare Fund was first set up in 1959 to provide support to persons detained by the Government of Southern Rhodesia, later Rhodesia. It received donations from individuals and organisations within Rhodesia and overseas, and used these to provide both legal aid for detainees to be adequately defended, and practical support in the form of various necessities, and other items such as books, while they were in prison. Other national and international organisations also gave support. The papers in this collection relate to the meetings and work of the group in Salisbury only. The minutes and accounts frequently refer to specific cases of aid required and/or given. A pencil note at the end of the minutes of the meeting of 3 Aug 1965 suggests that this was probably the last meeting to be held, the suspension of activity partly being due to the suspicion that a police informer had been planted on the Committee. However, there are further notes on detainees' cases in 1966-1967 and the support they received from legal representatives.