Buried in Serre Road cemetery, France

Gethin - 'At the end of 1911 things came to a head. [Powys] Cobb taking action against Drury and Hobson for possession of their farms. The case for some unknown reason was held in Mombasa before Mr Justice Bonham-Carter. Something like 30 witnesses, like myself, gave evidence for both sides, which procedure completely defeated the Judge. All expenses were paid by Cobb and we lived in the only two Hotels then in existence in Mombasa. The case went on for weeks. The weather was hot and the Judge had a large Punka working over his head. When he got annoyed, and he had many reasons for doing so, he would jump up, the Punka catching his wig and shoving it over his face, much to the amusement of the witnesses and all present. He frequently threatened to clear the court, but this was only done once, when Harry Watts of Lumbwa while giving evidence, vomited in the witness box. The behaviour of the witnesses who had nothing to do in the evening but get drunk, became so rough at times the local inhabitants sent a petition to Bonham-Carter asking him to order the witnesses back to their farms before they had time to break up the town. The case ended by the Judge announcing he did not know the answer to the case, advising arbitration, which in the end the parties agreed to. Differences were settled out of court in a few hours, Cobb taking the farms and paying Drury and Hobson. He would have saved himself a lot of money if he had done this in the first place. Anyway we all enjoyed our Mombasa visit with the exception of the Hotel staff who came in for pretty rough times during the evening. …'

Playne - Mr Bonham-Carter was born in London 40 years ago (1869), and educated at Winchester and Trinity College, Cambridge. He came to EA on April 27, 1905, from England. Having served for a time as magistrate, he was appointed Judge on August 1, 1906. Mr Bonham-Carter was formerly Assistant Resident Magistrate in the Transvaal. He was a Lieutenant (temporary) in the Hampshire Regiment 1900-01, and has the South Africa (Queen's) medal, 4 clasps.

Drumkey - Visiting Justice of HM Principal Prison at Mombasa

Drumkey 1909 - Judicial Department - Judge

EAHB 1906 - Inner Temple and Western Circuit; Lieut. (temporary) The Hampshire Regt. 1900; South Africa War, Queens medal and 4 clasps; Acting Town Clerk, Johannesburg 1902; Advocate, Transvaal 1902; Asst. Resident Magistrate, Transvaal 1902; Magistrate, EAP, April 9th 1905; Acting Town Magistrate, Mombasa May 8 1905

Gazette - 26/7/16 - Obituary - Justice Arthur Thomas Bonham-Carter, 1st Puisne Judge - killed in action in France 1/7/16 aged 47. ………… [more]

Gazette - 4/11/1914 - Appt. - Mombasa Town Guard - To be Commandant with rank of Captain - His Honour Justice A.T. Bonham-Carter

Muthaiga Club War Memorial - 24 May 1869 - 1 Jul 1916, Capt. Hampshire Regt., Serre Rd. Cemetery No. 2, Somme, France

Red Book 1912 - A.T.B. Carter - Mombasa

Red Book 1912 - Judicial Dept. - Judge of the High Court

Gazette - 1/5/1906 - Appointed Town Magistrate, Mombasa

Plaque in Mombasa Cathedral reads - to the glory of God and in memory of Arthur Thomas Bonham-Carter, BA Cambridge, BL Inner Temple, born 24/5/1869, served through the Boer War 1899-1901, a Magistrate in the Transvaal 1902, Town Magistrate Mombasa 1905, a Judge of HM High Court of East Africa from 1906-1915 in which year he volunteered for service with the Forces of the Crown in Europe being appointed Captain in the Hampshire Regiment, killed in action in France on 1/7/1916 aged 47, generous and courageous in private as in public life his early death was a loss no less to the Empire than to his many friends, "who dies if England lives?", this tribute to his memory from his colleagues and friends in East Africa

HBEA 1912 2nd Puisne Judge also mention as being in charge of Mombasa Volunteers

Winchester College Roll of Honour Arthur  Thomas Bonham Carter was the third son of John Bonham-Carter M.P. J.P. D.L. (Fellow of Winchester College, 1873-1884), of Adhurst St. Mary, Petersfield, and his second wife, the Hon Mary Baring, daughter of Lord Northbrook.  His cousin was Captain Guy Bonham-Carter (H1897-1901), who was killed in action on 14th May 1915 - see individual entry. He entered Mr. Bramston's House from St George's Preparatory School in Ascot. He shot for Wimbledon VIII in 1887. The same year he went up to Trinity College, Cambridge, taking his degree in 1890. In 1894 he was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple and joined the Western Circuit. On the outbreak of the South African War of 1899-1902 he offered his services and obtained a commission in the 1st Volunteer Company of the Hampshire Regiment. From 1902 to 1914 he held various judicial appointments in the Transvaal and British East Africa, and when the European War broke out he was First Puisne Judge of the High Court at Mombasa.   He immediately undertook the organisation of the Mombasa Town Guard and served for several months with the Defence Force as Director of Military Supplies. He returned to England and joined the 3rd Batallion (Special Reserve) and was posted to the 1st Batallion Hampshire Regiment. His British Army Medal Roll Index Card indicates that he went to France on February 8th 1916 and it was as Company Commander near Beaumont Hamel that he was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916. He was buried in Grave XV1.D.13 of the Serre Road Cemetery No 2; and is also commemorated by a plaque in St Mary's Church, Buriton, Hampshire, and on the First World War Roll of Honour at the Nairobi Club in Kenya.

President of Mombasa Club 1912