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Name: HILL-WILLIAMS, John 'Jack' (Lieut.)

Birth Date: 1864 Plymouth

Death Date: 3.3.1917 Molo, cerebral malaria on active service

First Date: 1908

Last Date: 1917

Profession: Farmer, took in pupils for instruction. Originally arrived as partner of E. Powys-Cobb but the partnership soon broke up.

Area: 'Marindas', Molo. HBEA 1912 Keringet Farm, Molo

Married: In Kensington 1903 Gertrude Mary Eddowes, arrived EA 1908, b. 1872 Shrewsbury, Shropshire, d. 22 Aug 1953 Nanyuki

Children: Hilda Gladys (Furse) (10.9.1904 Fulham-1997 Alton, Hants.); Kathleen Anna (8.7.1906 Fulham, London-2004 Westminster, London)

Book Reference: Gillett, SE, HBEA, Midday Sun, Gethin, Red 25, Hut, Curtis, Playne, CWGC, Land, AJ, Medals, Leader14

War Service: Political Dept., Indian Army, 2nd Boer War; E.Af. UL

General Information:

SE - J. Hill-Williams - Molo - May 1910
Barnes, War Grave in Nakuru Cemetery says - 'Political Department, Indian Army. Buried at Molo. A pioneer of British East Africa in 1907. He loved this land and made it his home.'
Midday Sun - 'Gertrude Hill-Williams had surrounded their cosy little thatched house made of rough-cut cedar planks from the forest with a garden full of English flowers - roses, extra-tall delphiniums, phlox, peonies, larkspur, tiger-lilies were there as well as daffodils and narcissi, and other bulbs of the English spring. ............ Despite his age and the aftermath of a serious injury - he had fallen into the blades of a mower, been gashed to the bone and stitched together by Powys Cobb - Jack Hill-Williams re-joined the Army in 1915 and, 2 years later, died of cerebro-spinal meningitis contracted in Dar es Salaam. Hilda and Tuppence were then at school in Nairobi. They stayed for half a term. They were old enough to help their mother on the farm, and there was no money for school fees. ....... Not until 1921, when they were 19 and 17 years old did they leave Africa for an introduction to the civilization of Egypt, as a start, and then of Europe.   
Gethin - 'A Company was formed including all the property allocated to Cobb, which was known as Powysland Ltd., with Cobb as Director, John Drury as adviser, and Hill-Williams as Manager. Some months later Cobb acquired from Frank Hobson a further 3000 acres at Loydien, on Lake Naivasha. This land was purchased as a sheep farm.' (quoted in Curtis - p. 86]
Playne - Keringet Farm - Keringet Farm, Powysland Estate, is 12 miles from Molo Station, and Messrs E.P. Cobb, J.H. Williams, and J.M. Drury have each an interest in it. They started farming 5,000 acres in January 1908 ........ Mr J.H. Williams who is now building his own house, has his wife and children with him, and all find the climate excellent. .......... Mr Drury came here in 1904 and took up this farm and went home, coming out later with Mr Cobb, who took up a farm of 35,000 acres. Mr Drury has the management of Keringet. On the coast there is a farm of 2,000 acres at Kilipi [sic], some 6 hours sail north of Mombasa, where there is a good harbour. .............….
CWGC - J. Hill-Williams, Lieutenant, Indian Political Department, who died on Saturday, 3rd March 1917 - Alternative Commemoration - buried at Molo Kenya. Nakuru North Cemetery, Special Memorial.
Land - 1912 - J. Hill-Williams - Agriculture, 2100 acres - Juba River - 30/3/08 - Occupation Licence for 2 to 99 years from 1/10/11 - Registered 13/3/12
Agricultural Journal - Brands Allotted and Registered, September 1908 - J. Hill Williams, Spring Camp, Molo - Naivasha - Medals - East African Political Dept. - John Hill Williams, EA Unattached List, Honorary Captain
KFA - Purchaser of Lease on the Trans Nzoia - 1913.
Red 25 - JP, Molo. An engineer by profession
Travel - July 16 - Juliet Barnes - In 1909 Molo's first white woman arrived; Mrs Hill-Williams, 2 small daughters and an English nanny. They lived in tents until Molo's first stone house was built in 1912. Mr Hill-Williams always wore a kilt, earning hime the nickname Marinda (man in women's clothes) and the area is still called Marindas

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