SE - F.S. Clark - Nbi. - July 1907

HBEA 1912 has an F.S. Clarke c/o Messrs Longonot Ltd., Naivasha.

HBEA 1912 - mentions Mr Clarke of Longonot in connection with sheep farming.

President of Naivasha Sports Club in 1929.

Obituary - mini-Sitrep 8 - Mr F.S. Clarke of "Mteitei", Songhor, who was as well loved and respected at Naivasha, as in Songhor, passed away at Songhor on Tuesday Feb. 15th at the age of 79, and by his passing, he leaves yet another gap in the fast diminishing ranks of those early pioneers, who have played such an important part in the making of Kenya ......... Kenya is today, because of such men and women, who, like the late Mr and Mrs Clarke, came to the Colony in earlier days, with vision, character and enthusiasm, to give to, as well as to get from, the land they were adopting. Mr Clarke's contribution to the building up of Kenya Colony, throughout a long period of years, merits more than a passing notice of his death. He was a man of utter sincerity, simplicity and integrity, coupled with charm of manner, sound knowledge and shrewd judgement tempered with kindliness, and these traits endeared him to his many friends throughout the Colony. Coming with his wife and daughter from New Zealand in 1905 to make his home in Kenya, Mr Clarke brought with him two pure bred Shorthorn cows and a pedigree bull, and was therefore one of the first settlers to recognise in Kenya the potentialities for stock farming, which at that time were not as generally acknowledged as now, and we owe him a debt of gratitude, in that he helped to lay the foundations of an industry that means so much to the Colony today. He first settled in Kiambu, but after a couple of years there he joined forces with Major Grogan at Naivasha, where as a partner in "Longonot Ltd." he widened his activities to embrace sheep farming. Cattle however, still held the first place in his vision for Kenya, and in 1906 he exchanged a large tract of sheep farming land, granted to him in Laikipia, for land at Mteitei Valley, in Songhor, which he chose as an ideal spot in which to concentrate on the development and improvement of his Shorthorn herd. His first expedition to inspect this valley took place during the Nandi rebellion, and he had many interesting tales to tell of those early days, and of that safari, when many times, his camp at night was surrounded by curious and truculent Nandi warriors. 1913 saw him definitely settled at Mteitei, having by then disposed of his interests in Longonot Ltd., but the outbreak of War gave him only a short time to lay his plans for developing his interest in stock farming there, and until 1927 he served with the EA Transport Column, when he was invalided out, and then only was able to return to his farm to carry on his interrupted work. During the following years he devoted all his energies and knowledge to the breeding up, and the improvement of his very fine herd of grade Shorthorn cattle, and it was as an authoritative cattle judge that he became best known to a wide circle of people, for he officiated as judge of Shorthorn classes at most of the early shows. In that year misfortune overtook him, when an outbreak of East Coast fever swept through his herd, and within a few months it was completely wiped out. Utterly disheartened at the annihilation of his life's work, he left Songhor and retired to Naivasha, where he had many friends and other interests. He was a keen fisherman, and was one of the foundation members of the Naivasha Yacht Club, in which he maintained active interest until the last few months of his life. "Bosun", as he was affectionately called by his Naivasha friends, will not soon be forgotten. A less widely known side of his diversity of interests, at least to present day Kenyans, was his keen interest in racing: Mr Clarke bred three of the first winners of the "Produce Stakes", all foals out of a mare called "Desert Queen". ............ (burial at Songhor alongside his wife) ....... Mr Clarke is survived by his only child, Mrs I.C. "Tommy" Dansie, the wife of Major I.C. Dansie, of Mteitei, and their three sons.

Playne - Longonot Ltd. - The splendid prospects of the wool industry in BEA brought about the formation of Longonot Ltd., all the shareholders of which are in the country. The Longonot Estate consists of open plains, and at the back of the property is an extinct volcano, "Longonot", from which the farm and company get their name. There are 6 miles of lake frontage, and wells (3 or 4) are being sunk on the back of the farm ........ The farm, 9 miles from Naivasha, is 20000 acres in extent. The managing director and local manager is Mr F.S. Clarke, who was born in New Zealand and came to BEA in 1905. He is assisted by Mr J.A. Sutherland. ........... The farm is essentially a sheep one, and several concrete sheep-dips have been built. Lions have caused some anxiety. .......... Mr Clarke has every confidence in the country, and especially the wool industry, and has a farm of 7500 acres (his own property) in the Nandi country, to which place he intends moving later on. The farm has water and timber in abundance, and the climate is perfect.

Drumkey - Member of Land Board

Land - F.S. Clarke leased 7518 acres at Nandi

Land 1909 - F.S. Clarke - Grazing and agricultural, 3908 acres - Nandi - 14/1/05 - Leasehold for 99 years from 1/1/09 - Registered 6/8/09

Advertiser - 12/6/1908 - Appointments - To be unofficial members of the Road Board in their respective Provinces - Naivasha - F.S. Clarke, A.H. James

Advertiser - 13/11/08 - Notice - Trespassers with dog or gun on Longonot Estate will be prosecuted. Ostrich hunters also please take notice. - Fred S. Clarke, Manager

Red Book 1912 - F.S. Clarke - Naivasha

Red Book 1912 - Vice-President - Naivasha & District Farmers' Association

London Gazette - 23 Feb 1917 - granted temporary rank for service with the Forces in East Africa - as Lieutenant

Gazette - 12/11/1919 - Register of Voters - Lake Area - Frederick Samuel Clarke - Farmer - Songhor and Mrs Margaret Amy Innes Clarke - Married Songhor and Mrs Mary Cecilia Clarke - Married - Songhor

Hut has F.S. Clarke 1900 Mgr Longonot Estate Naivasha.

Playne - Manager - Longonot Ltd. (Sheep farm, Naivasha)