During the 1960s, Central and Southern Africa were in turmoil, marked by civil wars, racial tensions, Rhodesia’s UDI, apartheid in South Africa, and tribal conflicts. Despite the instability, my husband and I moved to Zambia, where we lived for three years. On our arrival in 1967, Zambia had been independent from British Colonial rule for nearly three years and was reasonably stable compared to some of its neighbours.

With no mobile phones or emails, our only means of communication with family back home was through handwritten letters. Many of these letters, carefully kept by my mother, form the heart of this book. They capture the details of our daily lives, working environments, and vibrant social circles, as well as the incredible places we visited across Zambia and its neighbouring countries.

While living there, we witnessed a nation facing immense challenges yet striving to forge its own identity. Still carrying many hallmarks of British colonial influence, Zambia was undergoing a slow but determined transformation into an independent country. Through these letters, this book offers a personal and historical glimpse into a pivotal time in Zambia’s journey.

Muriel Ings was born in rural Suffolk in 1943 and married at 19. She and her husband lived in Zambia for three years at the end of the 1960s. From an early age, she loved reading, tennis, which she played when much younger, is one of her interests. She has also been a member of an Amateur Dramatic Group for many years. Now living in Essex, she belongs to a drawing group and regularly practices Tai Chi.

Customer Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Jean

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, which provides a captivating look into the life that Muriel Ings once led. It is astonishing to consider that, as recently as the late 1960s, the primary means of international communication was still by letter, and overseas phone calls required advance booking—a reality that feels worlds apart from our current era of instant emails and WhatsApp messages. Through a series of thoughtful and descriptive letters sent to her mother during her three-year stay in Zambia, Muriel brings her experiences vividly to life. It is touching to know that her mother preserved each of these letters, allowing Muriel to weave them into this charming book. By doing so, she has preserved both the history and the memories of a unique time and place for future readers.
Claire

A really interesting read. A snapshot in time of a country going through a period of change and establishing its independence. Loved the down to earth real life experiences that were shared in the different letters sent home actually at that time. A married couple finding their way in a new country finding and settling into work, setting up and establishing a home and making new friends within their community. I especially enjoyed the joys and challenges of travelling within South Africa at that time.
Martin

A really good read about a country building on its independence and the day to day lives of the old colonial workforce contracted to assist. Loved the layout of the book with the dates being the chapters, didn't want to put it down once I'd started reading it but when I did it was easy to pick up where I'd left off. Can't wait to see what happens from 1971.