The Society of Malawi

19/06/2026

We are always open for school trips !

Book your school’s next educational trip to Mandala House for an amazing experience and beautiful views.

Contact: [email protected] for more details.

15/06/2026

The first passenger train arriving at Blantyre Station on 31st March, 1908 decorated with banana leaves. The train took eight hours to travel from Chiromo to Blantyre.

12/06/2026

A quick history lesson before we start the weekend:

Air Malawi VC10 (7Q-YKH)

In February 1972, Air Malawi leased a Vickers VC10 from British Caledonian Airways. It was later purchased in November 1974 and was registered as 7Q-YKH. The aircraft made its first official flight for the airline on 3 December 1974.

The VC10 manufactured by Vickers Armstrongs was designed to fly long distances from the shorter runways of that time. The aircraft offered excellent hot and high performance, which made it perfect for African airports. It featured rear mounted Rolls Royce Conway engines (which local legend has it, made a lot of noise during arrivals and departures at Chileka Airport)

With its famous red livery, this iconic aircraft flew Air Malawi’s weekly route between Blantyre and London Gatwick which normally left Blantyre on Sunday at about 20:15 (QM 104) and the return flight left Gatwick on Tuesdays at about 22:30 (QM 103).

Due to rising operating costs, the VC10 was taken out of service in September 1978. It was first flown to Bournemouth (Hurn) on 29 October 1979 for storage. The RAF considered buying the VC10 but were not prepared to pay the asking price. It later on had to return to Blantyre in 1981 as Air Malawi could no longer afford its parking fees.

An American buyer, acting through a South African broker, reputedly offered $1,000,000 for the aircraft but the deal fell through. The VC10 remained parked at Chileka Airport with its markings and registration number painted out. Other sources note that although the RAF did not purchase the aircraft itself, they did buy a large number of spare parts and sent a team to Blantyre to strip the plane.

Have a great weekend !

08/06/2026

 Did You Know?

The Air Malawi fleet in 1980 included a Vickers Viscount, which flew to Lusaka and Nairobi, a BAC1-11 which flew to Lusaka, Nairobi and Johannesburg, a HS 748 which flew to Lusaka, Beira, Lilongwe and Mzuzu and a Britten Norman Islander which flew to Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Karonga.

Featured in the photos are an Air Malawi ticket , an Air Malawi advertisement and copies of the Air Malawi’s Zikomo in-flight magazine (No. 4 of 1979 and No. 8 of 1980).

You can access these and more at the Society of Malawi library and archives at Mandala House, Blantyre.

Happy New Week!

04/06/2026

Looking for the perfect space to hold your next meeting? Look no further!

Book The Society of Malawi boardroom at the historic Mandala House at an affordable price:

K15,000 for a half day
K30,000 for a full day

For more information contact The Society of Malawi on : [email protected]

18/05/2026

All are welcome to the May talk by Carl Bruessow, titled ‘’Blantyre’s Beginnings: The First Buildings’’

Location: Blantyre Sports Club
Date : 26th May 2026
Time : 6:30 - 8:00 pm

Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/zno-rkhu-uud
Time: 6:30 – 8:00pm
Time zone: Africa/Johannesburg

10/05/2026

The new opening times for the library are as follows:

Monday 08:30 - 12:00
Tuesday 10:00 - 12:00
Thursday 10:00 - 12:00
Friday 10:00 - 12:00

Thank you to Mike Bamford, Malcolm Galloway and Tina Chimuzu.

Please email [email protected] with any further queries

09/05/2026

SOCIETY OF MALAWI HISTORICAL & SCIENTIFIC

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Blantyre Sports Club
On: Tuesday 26th May 2026
At: 6.30pm

09/05/2026

Thank you to Phoenix International Primary School for your continued support as a School Member of the Society of Malawi Historical and Scientific.

Phoenix International Primary School

A place to Begin. Belong. Become. Phoenix International Primary School offers an excellent academic education through the English National Curriculum and a variety of effective specialty programs which enhance learning. Our excellent teacher/pupil ratio in the classroom helps to maximise each child....

01/05/2026

Today, 153 years ago, on 1 May 1873, Africa’s most renowned missionary-explorer, David Livingstone, died at Chitambo’s village (in present-day Zambia). The date of his death was established through the accounts of his devoted companions, who carried his body to Zanzibar (covering a distance of over 1500km on foot) and then onward to London. His final journal entry is dated 1 May 1873 and reads: "“Knocked up quite, and remain—recover—sent to buy milch goats. We are on the banks of the Molilamo.”

Blantyre, Malawi’s commercial capital, takes its name from Livingstone’s birthplace in Scotland. It is here that our library is situated, on the historic grounds of the former African Lakes Corporation. This company embodied one of the key pillars of Livingstone’s vision for the region: the three “Cs”—Christianity, Commerce, and Civilisation.

The photo shows: One of Livingstone's men, Wainright who watches over Livingstone's body on the trip back to Britain. (Wellcombe Collection)