Catalogue description Dominions Office and successors: Governor, Southern Rhodesia and High Commission, Southern Rhodesia, Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and Rhodesia: Correspondence

Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing colony in 1923, with a governor appointed in London taking over the administration of the colony from the British South Africa Company. The Colony was granted full self-government, with the exception of legislation affecting African interests, Rhodesia Railways and international (but not Commonwealth or trade) relations. The post of governor was replaced by a high commissioner in April 1953, more responsibilities having devolved from Britain to the colony, and in September of that year the Federation of Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland came into being, with the High Commission in Salisbury becoming the British High Commission for the Federation.

Between March 1962 and April 1964, departmental responsibility for relations with the Federation and then the three former Federation territories rested with the Central African Office before reverting to the Commonwealth Relations Office. The Federation was dissolved in December 1963, and from January 1964 the three former territories resumed control of the powers formerly exercised by the Federation, with the High Commission in Salisbury assuming responsibility for British relations with Southern Rhodesia only. The name of Southern Rhodesia was changed to Rhodesia in 1964. In November 1965 Rhodesia declared its independence from Britain, and from that date the High Commission in Salisbury was effectively closed, with only residual staff remaining to take care of British interests in Rhodesia.