Francis Richard Townley Balfour

Anglican Chaplain to Pioneer Column

Balfour was born on the 21st June 1846 in the United Kingdom and received his education at Harrow and later Cambridge University.

In 1890 he was attached by the British South Africa Company to the Pioneer Column as chaplain with the rank of honorary captain. He gave the address at the pioneer flag raising ceremony of the Union Jack, in Salisbury on 13th September 1890.

Balfour built the first Anglican Church in Mashonaland. He left the country in 1892 and died in Ireland, on 3 February 1924.