Barnes St Paul's Kiambu cem :Ethel Margaret / Swinton Home / born 2 April 1897 / died 21st November 1977

Returned in 1912 to settle and farmed a large estate at Soy.

KFA - In 1912 he set up a wagon repair business on land he had taken up at Soy, about 15 miles from Eldoret towards the Nzoia river. Col. Swinton-Home of the Dragoon Guards came to EA, like many others, to shoot game, and in 1910 resigned his commission to become a settler. A man of energy, vision, hope and perhaps too much generosity, his ideas were always bold and sometimes ahead of their time. Soy, at this period was on the outer fringe of settlement, but he resolved to develop it into the centre of a joint Uasin Gishu-Trans Nzoia region. And so he built an hotel and, in the same year, imported a steam engine and two mills to grist maize. Soon afterwards he added a small mill which produced an excellent wholemeal wheat flour. He ran a repair shop, and had on his pay-roll 2 blacksmiths, 2 wheelwrights, 2 cabinet makers, a tailor and a shoemaker, all Indians. He opened a store; constructing his own wagons, he ran transport to Londiani and later (after WW1) kept as many as 20 teams and wagons on the road. At the peak of his business (about 1926) he was bringing up 2000 cases of petrol a month by wagon. Col. Swinton-Home also went in for flax in a big way, and at one time grew over 300 acres. He built a scutching mill, brought an expert out from Ulster to run it and imported an expensive up-to-date hydraulic baling press. Soy became the baling and grading centre for the Plateau from Turbo to Sergoit Rock; the flax grew well and everything seemed set for the Plateau to become a great producing area. Then came the price collapse, the ruin of these hopes and disastrous loss to all those who had acted on them. ......... Present at 1922 meeting at Soy to discuss how best to form a co-operative society.

Eldoret - At one time it was contemplated having a combined Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia district, but Mr Swinton-Home refused to sell his farm to establish a central township there.                             

Eldoret - Obituary from the Kenya Weekly News of 29th April 1960 - The death was announced last week, after a long illness, of Lt. Col. G.A. Swinton-Home of Soy, in his 85th year. Swinton-Home was one of the outstanding pioneers of the Plateau and he made a great contribution to the start and the building of European enterprise and settlement in his countryside. Until old age took its toll - with him it did so a deal later than with most men - he was notable for a dynamic energy of mind and body and an encyclopaedic memory. He never spared either himself or his money in the task of discovery, by trial and error, how best to establish a viable economy in a district originally blessed almost solely by vast herds of game. It is sad that Swinton-Home never recovered so much of the money he invested in Kenya but many later settlers have cause to bless his courage and initiative. While serving with his regiment, the 5th Daragoon Guards, in India, Swinton-Home was inspired by Major Powell Cotton's book to set out on a shooting expedition to the country then known as the Guas N'Gishu Plateau. Soon he had decided to resign his commission and to settle on land at Soy. In 1912 he was largely responsible for the foundation of the Plateau Farmers' Association - he was their first delegate to the Convention of Associations - and for the organisation of the first Agricultural Show at Eldoret in 1913. For many years Swinton-Home was a Vice President of what is now the Royal Agricultural Society of Kenya and he played a leading part in the building of the present Eldoret showground in 1924 and in extending the Society's activities to the Plateau and the Trans Nzoia. In fact, he was in at the start of most aspects of the Plateau's development from a virtually empty waste of raw Africa. ....... (more) ..... By the outbreak of WW1 Soy had become quite a village with a posho mill and grist flour mill, and an excellent store, all owned and run by Swinton-Home. Later a roller flour mill was erected at Soy but the costs of transport caused it to close down. There was also a hotel, well patronised by travellers to and from the Trans Nzoia. On the outbreak of war in 1914 Swinton-Home, together  with the greater part of the male population of the Plateau, quickly joined the forces in Nairobi. Swinton-Home was in command of the lines of communication of the 1st SA Mounted Brigade which advanced from Arusha to Kondoa Irangi. It was a nightmare task in the rainy season and it exacted an awful price in men, money and materials. Later Swinton-Home was A.Q.M.G. at Dar es Salaam and then D.A. and Q.M.G. for EA. For his services he was appointed to the DSO and the OBE. After the war Swinton-Home threw his energy and much of his money into the task of developing the Plateau and the search for solutions to the countless problems that stood in the way. The first and essential battle was to get a railway through to Eldoret and on to Kitale, for without it there was no manner nor means of profitable agriculture in what is now a great farming area. When Swinton-Home was first agent for the Shell Company all petrol and oil were brought to Soy by ox wagon from Londiani. Always a fine judge of a horse, Swinton-Home played a leading part in the start of racing on the Plateau and at one time he had a small private course at Soy where some most enjoyable Gymkhana Race meetings were held in the early 20's. When the Kenya Defence Force - predecessor of the Kenya Regiment - was formed Swinton-Home was the first Area Commandant and it would be hard to think of a good cause to which he did not contribute his effort and his money. In 1925 he married Ethel, sister of Kenneth Lindsay, a well-known and very popular administrative officer. There were two daughters of the marriage.

Joelson - the founder of the village of Soy, which is probably without a counterpart in Africa, so close is its approach to a complete, self-contained English village. The local hotel is well supplied with substantially built rondavels and has many modern comforts.

Debrett - Lieut.-Col. (retired) 5th Dragoon Guards; now Lieut.-Col. Reserve of Officers; is Resident at Soy, and an Officer of Order of Crown of Belgium; S. African War 1899-1902 (Queen's medal with 2 clasps, King's medal with 2 clasps)                                                            KAD 1922 - Committee, Eldoret Chamber of Commerce.

KAD 1922 - Committee Member, REAAA       

Red 25 - Member, Kenya Land Settlement Advisory Board. Vice-President, Agricultural and Horticultural Society of Kenya; Owner, Soy Hotel, Soy

Red 22 - President, Soy Farmers' Association

Land 1909 - G.A. Swinton-Home - Grazing and agricultural, 3165 acres - Uasin Gishu - 17/8/08 - Leasehold under Occupation Licence for 5 to 99 years from 1/3/09 - Registered 25/6/10

Gazette 23 Aug 1960 probate

Gazette - 6/5/14 - Liquor Licence - Major G. Swinton Home - Soy Hotel

Gazette - 26/8/1914 - Appt. - Major G.A. Swinton Home, 5th Dragoon Guards, Commander of Volunteer Forces, to be Major, to date August 5th 1914

Gazette - 23/9/1914 - Appt. - Commandant, Volunteers - Major G.A. Swinton-Home, Reserve of Officers (late 5th Dragoon Guards), to date September 3rd 1914

Gazette - 4/11/1914 - Appt. - East Africa Volunteer Force - To be Lieutenant Colonel - Major G.A. Swinton Home, late 5th Dragoon Guards

DSO - ……. recalled at beginning of war 1914; appointed Commandant, E. African Volunteer Forces; served throughout German E. African Campaign on Staff; promoted Lieut.-Col. Oct. 1914; OBE; Belgian Ordre du Couronne.

Barnes - St. Paul's Church, Kiambu Cemetery - Ethel Margaret Swinton Home, born 2nd April 1897, died 21st November 1977 

Gazette - 7 February 1919 - OBE for valuable services rendered in connection with military operations in East Africa - Major (T/Lt.-Col.) George Archibald Swinton Home, DSO, R. of O., 5th Dragoon Guards & Special List.

Gazette - 26/9/1923 - Voters Register - Plateau North - George archibald Swinton Home, Farmer Soy Estate Soy and Mrs Ethel Margaret Home, Married, Soy Estate Soy

Gazette 15 Sep 1978 wife's probate