Pre-war volunteer to the Kenya Regiment (KR 573).

Forest Road cemetery, Nairobi - Sydney Paul Downey / 13.12.1905 - 7.1.1983 / beloved husband of Cynthia

Ruark - Syd Downey has been tossed twice by buffalo and contracted sleeping sickness from tsetse fly bites.

Downey - Late in 1923 he contracted osteo-myelitis and spent months in hospital and nearly lost a leg. In January 1925 he arrived in Kenya and took a job - at £8 per month! - on a coffee farm at Kiambu. ....... Gradually he became friendly with Pat Ayre and was fascinated to hear about the safari of the (then) Duke and Duchess of York - it dawned on him that there was, there could be, such a wonderful job as that of White Hunter. ....... By the beginning of 1930, Downey had started professional hunting on his own, with visitors from India or Denmark or elsewhere. Safaris became more frequent, and larger in scale. He started to make a name, and in 1933 he joined Leslie Tarlton's firm 'Safariland'. ......... When not on safari, Downey can now be found at his home in Karen, just outside Nairobi, backing on to the house so beautifully brought to life by Karen Blixen in her book 'Out of Africa'. ............ His son, by an earlier marriage is now in the RAF; Downey himself is keen on flying, and between 1948 and 1952 used to make recces in his own aircraft, studying water and grass, before an important safari. He married Cynthia in 1951, and they have a daughter. ....... In 1947 Ker & Downey was strengthened on the administrative side when Jack Block became a partner.  

Safari Trail - Meeting of Professional Hunters' Association in Duke of Aosta's stables in Addis Ababa in 1942 - Philip Percival, as President in the Chair, Pat Ayre, Vivian Ward, Syd Downey, Donald Ker, "Pip" Beverley, T. Murray Smith

Who's Who - Interested in coffee (Kiambu) and dairy farming (Limuru) also in Blue Marlin Hotel, Malindi; Formerly A Licence Pilot owning own plane.

Swara? - A Tribute - On 7 January 1983, Syd Downey died, aged 77, from a heart attack, thus depriving Kenya of yet another colourful 'old timer' of the safari world. He was one of the last of the great 'White Hunters' who played such an important part in opening up the vast game areas of East Africa thus spawning the beginnings of its tourist industry. Born of British parents in the Argentine, and educated in England, he arrived in Kenya in January 1925 to become a trainee coffee farmer. However, wildlife was his real interest and he spent every spare moment in the bush studying the ways of the wild and later gaining experience with people like the late Pat Ayre and Philip Percival, the deans of the hunting world of that time. Later he himself became one of the 'Greats' who set strict standards and traditions and was a stalwart member of the EA Professional Hunters Association. It was this invaluable background which enabled him to gather the intimate knowledge, experience and respect for wilflife, the conservation of which was to become his life's burning interest. He served in the Ethiopian campaign during the war under the command of General (then Colonel) Wingate, and for a time was taken prisoner by the Italians. After his release he met Donald Ker, and old hunter friend who was also in Addis Ababa at the time, and they decided that when hostilities ceased they would form their own hunting company. Thus Ker & Downey Safaris began in 1946 and developed into one of the world's leading safari companies. …… In 1955 he was active with Donald Ker, Noel Simon and a few others in forming the Kenya Wild Life Society, later to become the East African Wild Life Society, an organisation in which he always remained closely interested. Never a 'Killer' - indeed in his hunting days Syd always removed his hat as a sign of respect for any animal which a client had shot - he became more and more disenchanted with shooting, as did his partner Donald Ker, and in 1960 laid away his guns. For the next 14 years, until his retirement in 1974, he conducted photographic safaris only, which gave him much satisfaction and happiness. ………… He created a beautiful aviary in the garden of his Langata home and visitors from all over the world were always welcome to see his birds, hear his stories of the old days and enjoy some of his outstanding photography. He will always be remembered by his friends for his unfailing kindness, old world courtesy, integrity and sense of humour. To his widow Cynthia, daughter Margaret and son David, comes the sympathy of his many friends …… From the many observations by professionals, two should be included here. George Adamson described Syd as 'an outstanding example of what a hunter should be in the old days, and as a conservationist in recent years'. Then remarks by Hugh Lamprey: '….. His experience and wisdom, his kindness and sympathy, his stalwart character: he was the great gentleman among the hunters and naturalists of East Africa'.

Ruark - 1951 - looks like an ordinary businessman, is pushing 50 and still rated one of the best in the business.

Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Kiambu Voters List

Gazette 27 May 1983 probate