Description
Object description
British civilian served District Officer with Colonial Administrative Service in Kalfi and Teita Hills Districts in Kenya, 1949-1953; served as Executive Secretary to State War Executive Committee at Seramban, Negri Sebilan, Federation of Malaya, 1953; served as Private Secretary to Deputy High Commissioner Sir Donald McGillivray in Federation of Malaya, 1953-1956; served as District Officer with Colonial Adminstrative Service in Bukit Metajam in Federation of Malaya, 1956-1957; served as District Officer and District Commissioner with Colonial Administrative Service in Kenya, 1957-1963
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as District Officer with Colonial Administrative Service in Kalfi and Teita Hills Districts in Kenya, 1949-1953: background to joining Colonial Adminstrative Service, autumn 1947; intimations of coming independence in Africa, 1947; question of whether District Officers should be married or not; arrival as District Officer in Kalfi District, 2/1949; character of Kalfi District; duties and public works; question of possible influence of military service on politicisation of populace; difference in attitude between coastal peoples and inland tribes; attitude to whites amongst Kikuyu in Nairobi, 1949; politician anti-white attitude; character of Teita people.
REEL 2 Continues: question of training Africans to take over administration; attitude of people to African administrators; method of choosing chiefs; separation of tribes geographically from each other; problem with soil erosion; use of 'goat bag'. Recollections of period as Executive Secretary to State War Executive Committee at Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Federation of Malaya, 1953: composition of State War Executive Committee; role of State War Executive Committee in co-ordinating Emergency measures; location of main insurgent groups in Negeri Sembilan State; setting up of jungle post among Sakai people at Tesek Bera; opinion of General Gerald Templar; betrayal of insurgents by Surrendered Enemy Personnel (SEP); use of terror tactics by insurgents. Aspects of period as Private Secretary to Deputy High Commissioner Sir Donald McGillivray in Federation of Malaya, 1953-1956: posting to job; memories of Donald McGillivray.
REEL 3 Continues: duties as private secretary; move towards Independence; attitude towards work. Aspects of period as District Officer with Colonial Adminstrative Service in Bukit Metajam, Federation of Malaya, 1956-1957: status of district as white area and previous insurgent strength; multi-cultural nature of district; transfer of power in Bukit Metajam. Aspects of period as District Officer and District Commissioner with Colonial Adminstrative Service in Kenya, 1957-1963: areas worked in; lack of politicisation amongst Africans; recruitment and return to civilian life of Kipsigis who served in King's African Rifles; prior recollection of inter-community relations in Mombasa, 1949-1950; an Indian entrepreneur and trader in Bomet; dependence of Nairobi Secretariat on Goan and Indian clerks; meeting with Jomo Kenyatta, 1962.
