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Name: HUNTER, John Alexander

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Birth Date: 3 June 1882 Shearington, Dumfries

Death Date: 27 June 1963 Makindu, Kenya

First Date: 1908

Profession: Originally railway official, 1922 became professional big-game hunter. Founded Clairmont Club at Kiambu for dances etc., El Capricco, Diani

Area: 1922 Duke St., Nairobi, opened Hunter's Lodge in 1958, 100 miles from Nairobi on Mombasa road. 1930 Box 525, Nairobi, Clairmont Kiambu

Married: In Nairobi 3 June 1918 Hilda Banbury b. 15 Jan 1892 Sandown, Isle of Wight, d. May 1984 Malindi (dau of Frank Stenlake Banbury, arr. EA 1912)

Children: Doreen (Salmon) (18 Mar 1919 Nairobi-26 Feb 2001 England); John Gordon (13 June 1920 Nairobi); Leslie Oliver (1921-3.4.2010 New Zealand); Sheila (1923); Dennis Graham (19 Dec 1925-1..6.2003 Springs, S. Africa); David Roy (1927); Denis Gordon (c. 1930-1932 Kenya-13 Aug 1999 Kitale)

Author: White Hunter, African Bush Adventures etc.

Book Reference: Gillett, EAWL, Saving Game, Big Stuff, Markham, Sundown, Rundgren, Stoneham Wanderings, Tracks, Mischief, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Red 22, Sheardown, Elephant, Kingsley-Heath, Peacocks, Chandler, Red Book 1912

General Information:

Hunter's Lodge halfway bet. Nbi and Msa
Source: Mrs D. McCall-Smith
Saving Game - 'John Hunter, one of the old timers whose books have sold widely, has been 'looking after' the Makindu district of Kenya, and he wrote this comment for a recent Game Dept. report: "It is hardly possible to realize the difficulty creatures have in their struggle to survive. In my area, I reckon there are hundreds of bow-and-arrow artists who live by their skill…"  
Big Stuff - '.. was employed to shoot rhino in Makueni district of Kenya to facilitate Wakamba settlement. He shot over 1000 rhino.'
Rundgren - When Rundgren joined the Game Dept. in 1944 Hunter was covering the Rumuruti area - He was soon posted to a desk job at Machakos as he was over 60.
Stoneham Wanderings - employed to kill lions in the Manga area - killed 98 in a month or two.
Tracks - 2 sons are architects and one designed 'Hunter's Lodge'. J.A. arrived in 1910 to work on the railway building
Mischief - took Diana and Jock Delves-Broughton on safari in Feb. 1941? with Hugh Dickinson
Sheardown - John Hunter - By the time I met him, he had opened his hotel, 'Hunter's Lodge', at Kiboko Springs, half way between Nairobi and the Coast. Whenever I was doing anything thereabouts, I pitched my camp on the other side of the road from his place, taking my refreshment with the big man himself; he was about six foot six in height and eighteen or so stone in weight. Everything about him was large, including his ridgeback dog which was almost the size and build of a lion itself, and also his colossal aptitude for enjoying himself in the right company.
Elephant - J.A. Hunter, another Kenya professional, is noted for his enterprise, always searching out fresh country in which he can give the party he is conducting a fair chance of securing a really fine trophy; his success in procuring good heads is the result of more than mere luck. He is generally regarded as one of the most reliable hunters in East Africa, and his toll of lion will probably constitute a record for all time.
Peacocks - Lord Howard de Walden safari in 1930 - "The White Hunter that we went with was, in fact, called Hunter and became, or already was, renowned. He was a quiet efficient man who produced what was wanted and knew the animal world inside out. There was one thing about him I never liked, though I might be doing him an injustice. I think that he liked, or enjoyed to kill. He was employed to cull the lion population in the Serengeti, which was no doubt necessary for the good of the breed, but he seemed rather to relish the numbers he slaughtered."
Chandler - From his early days as an undisciplined rogue to his elderly role as ancient adventurer with a twinkle in his eye, John A. Hunter (known variously as Jack, John A., or, most commonly, J.A.) arrived in East Africa at a tender age in 1905, after having disgraced his godly Scottish family by having an affair with an older divorcee. His father wasted no time in emotional farewells but instead sent him off with a practical parting gift, a fine Purdey shotgun. Young Jack spent his first few months in British East Africa working on his parsimonious cousin's farm. Tiring of that he got a job as a train guard on the Uganda Railway. …………….. At this time in Kenya the hunting industry was just beginning. Hunter got onboard early, leading 2 American clients on the first-ever safari to Ngorongoro Crater. The two American hunters were highly competitive, and when they missed a shot at a record impala, killing its neighbour instead, they suggested that Hunter stretch the horns to record size by steaming them. Hunter disdainfully refused, and the Americans, once their competitive juices had cooled, eventually admitted he was proper to do so. ……………. [lots more]
Red Book 1912 - J.A. Hunter - Naivasha
Gazette 19/9/1917 - High Court case - John Alexander Hunter vs Esther Henrietta Parkes otherwise Esther Henrietta Hunter
Gazette - 12/11/1919 - Register of Voters - Nairobi, North Area - John Alexander Hunter - Transport Agent, 2nd Avenue, Parklands and Mrs Hilda Hunter - 2nd Avenue, Parklands
Gazette - 11/11/1925 - Application for Hotel & General  Liquor Licence - J A Hunter - Claremont House
Gazette 2 Feb 1965 probate
First on the scene when Denys Finch-Hatton's plane crashed at Voi in 1931 - dined with him the night before.
Langata cemetery, Nairobi in loving memory / of / my beloved husband / John Alexander Hunter / born Dumfries 3.6.82 / died Makindu 27.6.63

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