Cecil rhodes biography summary examples

English mining magnate and politician (1853–1902)

For other people named Cecil Rhodes, see Cecil Rhodes (disambiguation).

Cecil John Rhodes (SES-əl ROHDZ; 5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was an English mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896.

He and his British South Africa Company founded the southern African territory of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe and Zambia), which the company named after him in 1895. He also devoted much effort to realising his vision of a Cape to Cairo Railway through British territory.

Cecil rhodes family tree

Rhodes set up the Rhodes Scholarship, which is funded by his estate.

The son of a vicar, Rhodes was born at Netteswell House, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. A sickly child, he was sent to South Africa by his family when he was 17 years old in the hope that the climate might improve his health.

He entered the diamond trade at Kimberley in 1871, when he was 18, and with f