Compare Reuben Leonard Young

Later established a studio in Nairobi which he called 'The Dempster' and soon achieved a great reputation for his artistic photographic work. He later became proprietor of the Swift Press, Nbi. and was still able to make use of his profession.  

HBEA has him as H.D. Young.

Genesis - December 1898 - Visit to railhead by His Highness, the Sultan of Zanzibar and suite, accompanied by the Chief Engineer and heads of Depts. 'Among the staff that accompanied the train was Mr W.D. Young of Dempster Studio fame as it was felt that a photographic record of the Sultan's visit would be of great interest, and in consequence Mr Young was on the spot with all his gear, and had fixed up his camera, in order to immortalize His Higness and the group of officers with him. But the reckoning had been made without consulting the Sultan, and his objections to pose or let the lens of the camera be pointed anywhere in his direction were obviously sincere and the cameraman had to pack up his traps and return to the Coast, pictureless.' 'This was the first occasion on which I had met Mr Young out here, but there came a haunting memory when I observed his bland smile when baulked of the picture he had come all the way from the Coast to secure, and it was the coupling of the camera and tripod and this same smile, that quickened my memory and took my mind away back to a former meeting with the same camera man, which took place about the year 1892 on the hot sandy bed of the river Krishna on the East Coast of India.'

The African Standard - 26-2-1903 - Invited to the wedding of H.R. Phelips & Miss Jacquette Edith Lambe in Mombasa (Mr & Mrs Young)

North - Settler, arr. from India; semi-official photographer for the Uganda Railway; Mombasa at first, Nairobi later; at first meeting of "Committee of Europeans", Nairobi 4/1/1902; Land Grant application, Kikuyu Road 14/3/1904; 'Young the photographer and drunkard' (F.J. Jackson, FO 2)

Playne - The Dempster Studio, Nairobi - Many of the photographs with which this volume is illustrated are the work of Mr W.D. Young, who has had exceptional opportunities of familiarising himself with every part of the Protectorate. Coming to EA in the Railway Service, after many years of life in India, the administration took advantage of his expertness as a photographer to provide records of the progress of the work and of its engineering features. For some time he practised his art in Mombasa, but disposed of his studio there and transferred his headquarters to Nairobi, where he has achieved a reputation in amateur dramatic work. He is a recognised leader in artistic photographic work in the Protectorate, and has lately taken a farm at Kikuyu, where he intends to indulge his hobby of farming in his leisure hours.

Drumkey 1909 - Lodge Scotia, No. 1008 S.C. - Director of Ceremonies

Drumkey 1909 - Photographer, Nairobi - D. Young

Land 1909 - W.D. Young - Agricultural, 321 acres - Kikuyu - Limoru District - 15/6/08 - Homestead, freehold - Registered 13/9/09

Advertiser - 29/1/1909 - Advert - "The Bohemians" under the direction of W.D. Young

Member of Lodge Harmony - Joined 7/8/11, age 48, Photographer, Nairobi, died 1939 (AR 1911)

Nairobi Forest Road Cemetery - William Dempster Young, British, age 76, died 27/6/39

Gazette - 17/12/1902 - Plague compensation after bubonic plague in March 1902 - W.D. Young, Photographer Mombasa - Rs 300

Red Book 1912 - W.D. Young - Kyambu

Web - RCS Photo collection - William D. Young was a railway photographer on the East Indian Railways in the early 1900s. According to Preston, Young photographed the Krishna Bridge circa 1892 and these images were later published in a guide to East Indian Railways (1922). Young went to East Africa in the late 1890s and was employed as a freelance photographer to record the construction of the Uganda Railway 1897-1901. From circa 1899 to circa 1904 Young had a studio in MacDonald Terrace, Mombasa. He moved to Nairobi and had a studio in Victoria Street 1905-07. Young opened Dempster Studio, Nairobi 1908. In 1912 his home address was at Kyamby, where Young farmed. From circa 1919 to the late 1920s Young was manager of the Swift Press, Hardinge Street, Nairobi. Young does not appear in the East African almanacs for 1930.

Gazette - 12/11/1919 - Register of Voters - Nairobi, North Area - William Dempster Young - Printer, Ngara Road

Claire Cameron - WD Young was born in India but I have not been able to find a record of this or the names of his parents.

He married Emelia Regan in Bangalore. They had 2 children who were killed on one of those push pull trucks on the railways, in either Kenya or Uganda. After that they had Bill (William Dempster) my grandfather on 1 December 1912 (I think) and Mayence a year or so later. Again I have not been able to find official records of these births.

Bill went to school in Dehra Dun, India, in a rather posh college for colonial types and Emilia died in India in the mid 1930s. I think I recall Mayence saying that Emilia got fed up with Nairobi and went back to where her family were in India. So WD and Emelia must have separated and the children went with her.

Gazette - 14/10/1914 - Dissolution of Partnership between W D Young and W Baker trading as the "Swift Press" has been dissolved by mutual consent as from 6 October 1914 by the retirement of W. Baker. Business to be carried on by W D Young

Red 22 - Box 271, Nairobi

Gazette - Voters List 1936 - William Dempster Young, Printer, Salisbury Rd., Nbi