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Name: HARVEY, George Morgan
Birth Date: 1868 Springfontein, Orange River Colony, bapt. 11 July
Death Date: 21.4.1924 Nairobi, gun accident
First Date: 1905 from SA after SA War - Huguenots
Last Date: 1924
Profession: Farmer, 1st to grow lucerne. Farmed at Eburru during WW1
Area: Naivasha and later 11000 acres on Eburru Plateau
Married: Catherine Elizabeth van den Heever who came with him from SA and d. 25 Mar 1928 in a car accident at Eburru
Children: Violet Mary (Howarth) (25 Aug 1893 Bethulie, S. Africa-1980 Harlow, Warwickshire); Herbert Tobias (2 Oct 1894 Bechuanaland-1978); Thomas; Una Alys (Barton) (29 Oct 1897 Vryburg, S. Africa-29 Mar 1962 London); Moira Emmeline (Naivasha 26.6.1908-1987); Hugh Morgan (1 Dec 1921 Eburru-30 Mar 2002 Bournemouth); George Clement Thomas (4 Oct 1899 Bloemfontein-24 Feb 1979 Johannesburg); Moina Emmeline (Chapman) (26 June 1908 Kenya-1987 Reading)
Book Reference: Gillett, SE, HBEA, Howarth, KAD, Red 25, Hut, Playne, Drumkey, Red 22, Land, AJ, Gazette, Barnes, Wolseley-Lewis, North, Naivasha, Leader14, Red Book 1912, Red 19, Red 22, Gazette
War Service: Service in SA War
General Information:
SE - G.M. Harvey - Naivasha - July 1907
Howarth - 'After a preliminary look in 1904 he was most impressed, returned to SA where he sold up and, in 1906, arrived in Nairobi with his wife and family. He bought some land in Nairobi in the area then known as Secretariat Hill but, as he was a farmer at heart, he sold it to invest in a farm at Naivasha. The Nairobi property was to become very valuable in time: this certainly was not the case with his farm land.
Grandfather Harvey and J.D. Hopcraft were among the earliest pioneer settlers in the Naivasha district. Grandfather's farm which he named "M'berrish", was situated on the southern side of Lake Naivasha, but he found it somewhat claustrophobic surrounded by mountains (!) so decided to look at the Eburru Hills behind to see whether he could extend his farm there. He purchased a huge area of land, built a house high up on the side of the mountain at an altitude of over 8000 ft., and settled down to farm it. .....…..
The farmland is volcanic with no surface water at all. However, using his divining rod, he found what he thought to be large quantities of underground water. The purchase of the Eburru land caused a great deal of amusement amongst his friends and the Authorities in the Govt. Land Bank - "mad old Harvey - a farmer who buys land without a drop of water!". Eventually he discovered that the water was in fact steam, which issued from the ground near the top of the mountain and dissipated into the air, similar to the New Zealand geysers. Nothing deterred, he set about erecting the most primitive contraption, built from old 4 gallon paraffin tins, which were placed over the jets of escaping steam. This condensed into beautiful crystal-clear water and was drained into pipes leading down the hill into reservoirs. The farm, therefore, was called "Distilled Waters". Since then several people have claimed to have been the first to harness the steam-jets but, without doubt, it was Grandfather Harvey who did so. .......... (more) .......
At Eburru dairying was to eventually prove the most viable enterprise, but lion gave endless trouble. ........ He had several tame warthogs on the farm. He made some suitable harnesses and trained them to pull a light cart. This outfit was used on occasion to take the cans of cream from the farm to Eburru railway station. He displayed the rig at the Nakuru Agricultural Show in the early 1920's and it caused quite a sensation.
Playne - N'Goga Kidogo - The healthiness of this rising colony is testified by Mr G.M. Harvey, of N'Goga Kidogo, whose 5 children are all exceedingly well, no doctor having been called in to them during 3 years. Mr Harvey came to BEA in 1905 from Orange River Colony, where he was born and gained his farming experience. N'Goga Kidogo is 5000 acres in extent, and is 13 miles by road from Naivasha, and besides this estate Mr Harvey has a one-third share in 5000 acres near Nairobi. N'Goga Kidogo, situated on a plateau surrounded by rocky hills, si covered with scrub bush, there being plenty of fuel and timber for fencing purposes, while it has 3 miles of Lake Naivasha frontage. ........... There is a 7 roomed house with a beautiful view, and trees are being planted round it for the purpose of shade. Game of all sorts is very plentiful. Mr Harvey is well known as an expert water-finder working by means of a divining rod.
Drumkey 1909 - Cattle Brand - VH2 - G. Harvey - Naivasha
Drumkey 1909 Directory of Residents - G.M. Harvie, Naivasha
Land - 1907 - G.M. Harvey - Grazing, 5000 acres, Rift Valley, 16-5-05, Registered 23-1-07
Land 1909 - G.M. Harvey - Grazing and agricultural, 4945.3 acres - Naivasha - 23/12/09 - Leasehold under Licence for 2 years from 1/7/10 and if development effected to the extent of Rs. 6000 within 2 years, 99 years lease will be granted - Registered 25/6/10
Agricultural Journal 1908 - Brands allotted and registered - G. Harvey, Naivasha - Naivasha VH2
Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Naivasha - G.M. Harvey (British), Settler, Eburu
Nairobi Forest Road Cemetery - G.M. Harvey, British, age 56, died 21/4/24
Naivasha - letter from his son - "My father was a born pioneer and quickly adapted himself to the very primitive conditions prevailing in East Africa. He and J.D. Hopcraft were the first settlers to arrive at Naivasha Station. Thence they travelled by ox-cart to their respective farms on the West side of the lake. Large safaris of Kikuyu used to bring head loads of maize, bananas, flour and beans all the way from the Kikuyu Reserve over the Aberdares to sell; this was most useful for feeding the labourers who had to be taught the use of almost every farm tool. It was through the ingenuity of my father that otherwise good but totally dry land on Eburru was made productive. He discovered that by leading the steam from fumaroles into pipes it condensed and a fairly plentiful supply of water could be obtained. Eburru mountain was entirely waterless, but riddled with steam jets. In recognition of this he was granted a tract of land on Eburru by the then Governor Sir Percy Girouard.
Red Book 1912 - G.M. Harvey - Naivasha
Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - G.M. Harvey - Farmer - Naivasha
Red Book 1919 - District Committees - Naivasha - G.M. Harvey
Gazette - 6/8/1924 - Probate and Administration - George Morgan Harvey, late of Distilled Water, Eburru who died at Nairobi on 21 April 1924. Applied for by Herbert Tobias Harvey of Distilled Water, Eburru
Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - G.H. Harvey - Farmer - Naivasha and Miss Catherine Harvey - Naivasha
UK Foreign and Overseas Registers for death - from cerebral haemorrhage