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Name: HEMSTED, Rupert William CMG, CBE, OBE

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Nee: bro of Stephen Oliver, Charles Selwood and Henry Hemsted

Birth Date: 30 July 1876 Whitchurch, Hants.

Death Date: 12 Mar 1952 Ngong, Nairobi

Nationality: British

First Date: 1899

Last Date: 1952

Profession: Administration officer in many capacities, Asst. DC, PC, etc.

Area: Nyanza, Kisii, Central, Northern Provinces retired to Ngong to farm, 1925 Kisumu, 1930 Meru, 1912 Eldoret, 1918 Narok

Married: Alice May Muriel b. 1897, d. 16 Feb 1945 Mombasa

Children: None

Author: Further bookref - Red Book 1912, Red 19

Book Reference: Gillett, HBEA, Cuckoo, Leys, Ainsworth, Police, RH, Gethin, Kenya Diary, Lillibullero, Tignor, White Man, EAHB 1905, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Karen 50, Hut, North, Curtis, EA & Rhodesia, Drumkey, Red 22, EAHB 1906, Dominion, EAHB 1907, Barnes, Leader14

War Service: East Africa unattached list

General Information:

Leys - 1919 - Since the move, Mr Rupert Hemsted has been in charge of the Masai tribe, and while, ......... his hands have been far from free, the policy that has mainly been followed is his. When, soon after the end of the War, Mr Hemsted went on leave to England some of the warriors took the opportunity to return to their former undesirable liberties. The Govt. then did a most extraordinary thing. It withdrew all its own officers from the reserve and allowed Lord Delamere to have sole charge of it for a fortnight. ........ This incident is recorded because it shows what it is most important for the reader to grasp, the unlimited influence, not only over policy but in the course of ordinary administrative affairs, of the richer concessionaires. It is beside the point to cite the opinion of some people that Lord Delamere is an expert in Masai affairs. Others naturally estimate his knowledge less highly..  ........(more on Hemsted and the undermining of his work)  
Ainsworth - 1908 - accompanied Ainsworth and KAR on expedition to quell anti European crusade of the Kisii as assistant Political Officer.  
Police - temporary DC at Karungu in 1907 when G.A.S. Northcote was speared by the Kisii.
RH s.1277 - DC at Kisii in 1938  
Gethin - In charge of the Masai Reserve at the time of the Masai move in 1912. ..... Rupert Hemsted and Bill Kennedy were both exceptional men.  
Kenya Diary - 1902 - Fort Hall - We arrived about 10 a.m. at Fort Hall where I found Hemsted the DO and only white man in the station. Fort Hall consists of 2 grass huts, in one of which live Tate and Hemsted, and in the other of which the work of the district is conducted. A stone house is being constructed for S.L. Hinde, the Sub-Commissioner, who is now on leave. All these buildings are enclosed within a stone wall and ditch ...... I like both Tate and Hemsted.  
Tignor - 1910 - Kisii - devised system of hut tax collection by officials rather than native chiefs. PC Kikuyu in 1927. One of the most experienced Masai officers having been posted to the area in 1911
White Man - WW1 - DC in charge of the Masai Reserve .... on leave when the Govt. tried to recruit Masai for the war ....... disastrous handling ....... Delamere had to help restore relations ...…  
EAHB 1905 - Asst. Collector, Dagoretti. 2nd Treasury Asst., EAP, Sept. 19th 1899; Chief Accountant, Somaliland, Dec. 1st 1901 to Dec. 31st 1903; Asst. Collector, EAP, Dec. 1st 1901.
KAD 1922 - District and Resident Commissioner and Resident Magistrate, Narok   
Red 25 - appointed Senior Commissioner 1924
Karen 50 - One of the original members of Karen Club in 1937 (Mr & Mrs)
Curtis - p. 66 - The Maasai Move of 1911-12 - Gethin's description of the move - Hemsted was in charge of the Maasai Reserve
East Africa & Rhodesia - 10/4/52 - Mr Rupert William Hemsted, CMG, OBE, who died recently in Nairobi at the age of 76, had given more than half a century of devoted service to Kenya in various capacities, and few men in the country had a better judgement on affairs generally. He had a deep sense of real values, and never hesitated to resist momentary but unsound trends. Born in Hampshire, the son of a doctor, he went to Kenya in 1899 as an assistant in the Treasury, and two years later was transferred to British Somaliland as chief accountant. In 1912 he returned to Kenya as an assistant district commissioner, with charge of the Masai, and for the next 11 years he continued, much to his own pleasure, and to the profit of the tribe, in that appointment, except for a period during the 1914-18 war in which he was engaged on intelligence and military supply duties. He was then successively provincial commissioner in charge of the Nyanza, Central, and Northern Frontier Provinces until he retired in 1930 and settled in the Ngong area to begin fruit farming. He was one of the members of the highly important Kenya Land Commission of 1932-33. A man of fine stamp, he was in his younger days a good cricketer, golfer, and excellent shot. Mrs Hemsted died some years ago, and there were no sons or daughters of the marriage.
Dominion - Senior Provincial Commissioner, 1st Class - 1930
North - 'Kinyundo' (short person); From Biggleswade
EAHB 1907 - Sub-Collector - Nandi
Barnes - Nairobi City Park Cemetery - Rupert William Hemsted, died 12 Mar 1952 aged 75
Red Book 1912 - H.W. Hemsted - Kisii - Kisumu Province - DC at Kisii
Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - R.W. Hemsted - District Commissioner - Narok
Cuckoo - 1907 - DC, Kisumu. 1908 - DC, Karungu.
Ainsworth - 1910 - DC Kisii. Member of the Kenya Land Commission in 1932.
Police - Asst. DC Kiambu in 1904
Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Kiambu Voters Roll
Barnes - Mombasa Cemetery - Alice May Muriel Hemstead died 16 Feb 1945 age 58, European Hospital, diabetes melitis, Catholic

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