Golf - Golf at Muthaiga originated with the Muthaiga Country Club which was the property of the late Major J.A. Morrison. ' ......... One of his [J.J. Toogood, Standard Bank]  first customers was Major H.F. Ward who, following a shooting trip in Kenya, had left the Army and had established himself as an Estate Agent. One of his friends was J.A. Morrison, a wealthy Army officer, who was also in Kenya on a shooting trip. Morrison was convinced that considerable potential existed for a suburb of Nairobi founded on a Club with sporting facilities. They found what they wanted and arranged to purchase the "farm" that later became Muthaiga. Freddie Ward and Morrison, having worked out what would be needed for the purchase, subsequent survey, club etc went off to the Bank to see Toogood. Morrison who was giving Ward a Power of Attorney said that he wanted to arrange for the necessary funds to be available and would Toogood accept a cheque on London. Toogood replied  That he would be only too pleased and nearly fell out of his chair when Morrison produced a cheque book and wrote him out a cheque for £60,000. In those days a £60,000 credit at a Branch recently opened was manna from Heaven.  ....... ' extract from a letter from R.G. Ridley - 1995  

Cranworth - Muthaiga [Country Club] owed its initiation to Berkeley Cole, who in an unusual outburst of respectability said that he was sick of being treated like a pig and that he yearned for a club of a refined nature where, when you wanted a drink, you rang the  bell and it was brought you on a spotless tray. He received a considerable measure of support. The more so since the old Club buildings showed ominous signs of falling down. I do not think, however, that it would have been more than an airy aspiration had it not been for the practical initiative of Major Freddie Ward and the generous enterprise of Major J.A. Morrison. The latter found the money and the former did the work, and Muthaiga rose from its foundations.

D. of course was the first president and Charles Bowring and I [Lord Cranworth] had the honour of being the first vice-presidents. The original clubhouse added to since over and over again, was very charming. It did not carry out all Cole's aspirations, in that a very attractive bar was one of its main features, nor did Berkeley show any particular disposition to avoid it; but admirable and spotlessly clean meals were a feature from the start. .... (more) ...…   

Debrett - Major Grenadier Guards Reserve of Officers; Nile Expedition 1898, present at battle of Khartum (medal with clasp), S. Africa 1899-1900, European War 1914-16 (despatches, DSO); sat as MP for Wilts, S., or Wilton Div. July 1900 to Jan 1906 (when he was defeated), and for Notts. E. Div. (U) Jan 1910 to April 1912 Walford 1913 - MP for the Wilton Div. of Wiltshire 1900-06, and for the E. Div. of Nottingham Jan 1910-1912 Eton (1892) - New College; Oxford VIII 1893; Eton VIII 1891-2;

Mills - When 38 year old Captain James Morrison arrived in British East Africa in 1912 he was looking forward to an enjoyable hunting trip. His health was poor exacerbated by recent domestic problems. He had left behind his wife and 3 children at home in England and plans for his country estate, Basildon Park in Berkshire, and was returning to Africa after an absence of 12 years. James was amongst the most favoured of Edwardian gentlemen being one of the 'Lucky Morrisons'. The family's wealth had started with James' grandfather, also named James, born in 1790, the son of an innkeeper in Hampshire, who went on to develop a successful business career through Morrison, Dillon & Co. Grandfather James' investments diversified and prospered and he bought land and properties in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Wiltshire, Yorkshire, and Islay, Argyllshire. He also acquired a significant collection of pictures by the old masters.

When he died in 1857 the value of his estate was over £4m of which he left £750,000 to his second son Alfred. In 1866 Alfred married Mabel Chernside and James Archibald, called Archie by his family, was born at Fonthill, Wiltshire on 18th September 1873. He grew up there together with his elder brother Hugh and two younger sisters. James went to Eton in 1887 where he did well in both academic and sporting activities, rowing in the eight at Henley. He went to New College, Oxford in October 1892 to read Latin and Greek, and Latin Literature, but seems never to have taken his final exams and left without a degree. He was a member of the New College eight and was twice in the winning Oxford boat against Cambridge.

His father, Alfred, died in 1897, the year after James had left New College and joined the Grenadier Guards. James obtained his commission as a Lieutenant in 1898 and served in the Sudan, including Khartoum ……. He was also on special service in South Africa in 1899 and 1900 …….. Before being hospitalised with enteric fever and invalided home. In 1900, in the footsteps of his grandfather, who had been a prominent Member of Parliament in the 1830s, James stood successfully as Conservative MP for South Wiltshire which seat he held until 1906. In January 1901, aged 27, James married the Hon. Mary Hill-Trevor and settled down at Berwick House, Fonthill where he laid out a golf course. They had a son, Simon Archibald in 1903 and 2 daughters, Mary and Elizabeth in 1902 and 1909. In June 1903 he was promoted to Captain but resigned his commission in April 1906.

In 1909 James' uncle Charles died, aged 91, and left an estate valued at nearly £11m which attracted death duties of £1m, believed to be a record for that time. Being a bachelor, Charles' nephews Hugh and James were among the chief beneficiaries of his will. Later in the same year James' unmarried aunt Ellen died, aged 74, leaving an estate valued at £3m from which James benefited substantially. Principal among the assets that James inherited was the country estate of Basildon House and Park in Berkshire that had been purchased by his grandfather for £97,000 in 1838. It comprised 3,522 acres and encompassed most of the villages of Upper and Lower Basildon. Thus, aged 36, James' situation was transformed from being the son of a wealthy family to being personally extremely wealthy and a major landowner ………… In September 1911 James left his wife and family for an actress, Mrs Helena Morand, and went to live with her in Paris ………After his short sojourn in BEA when he returned to England he faced considerable family difficulties due to his relationship with Mrs Morand. This resulted in the breakdown of both his marriage and that of Mrs Morand. He gave his wife a settlement of £15,000 per year and Mrs Morand £500 a year. He had no contact with at least one of his children after that time. His wife remarried in 1915 and lived until 1962. ………. [much more] He was also devoted to sport, was a fine shot and fisherman. James married a second time in 1920 to Edith Dorothy Halton. In December 1921 his bachelor uncle Walter died aged 85. Walter had inherited the family property at Malham Tarn and his nephews James and Hugh benefitted substantially from the estate valued at £2m. …………… He married for a third time in 1931 to Gwendoline Phyllis Talmage. That year his elder brother Hugh died. James died, aged 61, on 27 October 1934 at his London residence, Kensington Court W1 and is buried at All Saints Church, Fonthill Bishop, Wiltshire next to his brother Hugh. …………….. It is intriguing that whilst Major Morrison's time in British East Africa was measured only in months the developments that he foresaw, but never visited, have thrived and prospered for almost a century. He seems to have been a generous, spontaneous, active and extravagant individual, indeed an appropriate benefactor for the Muthaiga Club.

Permanent Way - In 1901 John Ainsworth had persuaded Mr Sandbach-Baker to acquire 5000 acres of land, the present suburb of Muthaiga, which he later sold to Major J.A. Morrison. President of Muthaiga GC in 1922.

Red 31 - J. Morrison, Kabete

Blue Book 1912 for land grant