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Name: TANNAHILL, Arthur Walter Alfred Claude OBE

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Nee: bro of Charles Douglas Tannahill

Birth Date: 25.2.1879 Painswick, Gloucestershire

Death Date: 10.9.1945 Nairobi

First Date: 1908

Last Date: 1966

Profession: Initially a Land Office Official. Chief Land Ranger EAP from 1908-14 and served on Nairobi Municipal Committee from 1910-17. Subsequently established Equator Saw-Mills and Pres. of Association of Chambers of Commerce & Industry of EA.

Area: HBEA 1912 - Nairobi, 1930 Box 268, Nairobi

Married: In Nairobi 16.10.1910 Isabella Marjorie Bruce b. 18 Dec 1887 Bellie, Banffshire, d. 21 Aug 1982 Frimley Park. She lived in Nairobi for over 50 years.

Children: Arthur Bruce (1 Jan 1912 Nairobi-1990); Barbara (2 Jan 1915 Nairobi-1991)

Book Reference: North, Gillett, HBEA, KFA, Nondies, Golf, KAD, Red 25, Hut, Red 31, Karen 50, Red 22, Web, Gazette, Barnes, Rugby, Leader14, Red Book 1912, Red 19

School: Merchant Taylor's School. Articled to Land Valuers in London 1895

General Information:

Member of Surveyor's Institute 1901.  
HBEA 1912 - Land Ranger, Land Office.  
KFA - Director of Kenya Grain Mills Ltd - 1923. President of Nondescripts RFC XV in 1937. Founder and Hon. Secretary of the Golf Union of EA in 1923. President in 1929/30
Golf - the moving spirit in organising the first Easter Tournament, which has now become the principle golf event of the year, and his name is commemorated on the shield for the possession of which rival teams  compete annually. Many will remember the vocal efforts of Tannahill and J.D. Leonard at the lunches and impromptu concerts at Easter. What they lacked in tunefulness they made up for in lustiness and echoes must still ring in Royal Nairobi of "J.D.'s" rendering of "There is a lady sweet and kind" and or Arthur in "Mary had a little lamb". Helped organise the first Amateur Championship in 1922. At a General Meeting on 18th April 1911, it was resolved to erect a new club-house "somewhere near the present fourth green." This suggested new site was about half a mile farther along Ngong Road and was, for that reason, strenuously opposed by Messrs. A.C. Tannahill and C.N.M. Harrison who maintained that only plutocrats with automobiles would be able to enjoy the course as the ordinary person with only a pedal bicycle as a means of transport would arrive so jaded as to be quite incapable of properly enjoying his game. The motion was carried, however, by 12 votes to 4 and a new club-house of weather boarding with a corrugated iron roof was built at a cost of £187 and occupied in Sept. 1911. President of Nairobi Golf Club in 1928. Captain of Nairobi Golf Club in 1924
KAD 1922 - Committee Member, REAAA, (and Red 25)  
Red 25 - President, Nairobi Chamber, Assoc. of EA Chambers of Commerce. Member of Municipal Committee, Nairobi 1910-20. Agent for various Estates and Company Secretary. Chief Land Ranger and Land Assistant to the Protectorate 1908-14
Karen 50 - Another prominent Nairobi Golf Club member was A.C. Tannahill, who is best known as the inaugurator in 1929 of the Easter Tournament, the trophy for which bears his name.
Red 22 - Hon. Secretary, Nairobi Golf Club
Web - History of Royal Nairobi Golf Club - At a General Meeting on 18th April 1911, it was resolved to erect a new club-house "somewhere near the fourth Brown". This suggested site was about half a mile further along Ngong Road and was, for that reason, strenuously opposed by Messrs A.C. Tannahill and C.N.M. Harrison who maintained that "only plutocrats with automobiles would be able to enjoy the course as the ordinary person with only a pedal bicycle as means of transport would arrive so jaded as to be quite incapable of properly enjoying his game."
Gazette - 15/4/14 - Arthur Walter Alfred Claude Tannahill - appt. Member of Board of Health
Barnes - Nairobi City Park Cemetery - Arthur Claude Tannahill, died 10 Sep 1945 aged 66
Rugby - Rugby Football Union of Kenya - President 1936-1945
Rugby - Nondescripts RFC - President - 1936-39
Leader14 - Land Ranger, Land Office
Red Book 1912 - A.C. Tannahill - Nairobi
Red Book 1912 - Land Dept. - Land Ranger
Web - President of Nairobi Rotary Club - 1931-32
Gazette 1/12/1908 - Arrived on 1st Appointment - Inspector of Farms - 4/11/1908
Gazette - 12/11/1919 - Register of Voters - Nairobi, North Area - Arthur Claude Tannahill - Agent, Muthaiga and Mrs Isabella Marjorie Tannahill - Muthaiga
Red Book 1919 - Nairobi Chamber of Commerce - Vice-President

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