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Name: McLEAN, William Esler 'Mac' MC
Birth Date: 25.9.1892 Belfast
Death Date: 18.7.1948 Kampi ya Moto
First Date: 1921
Last Date: 1948
Profession: Farmer
Area: Blackscythe Rongai, 1930 Kipligot, Kericho
Married: In Nakuru 1923 Doris Vera Cope b. 1898 Penn, Staffs., d. 31 Jan 1981 Kerikeri, New Zealand (div.; she m. Sam Longley 1959)
Children: Mary Esler (29 Oct 1924 Kenya-1999); Beryl Wheatcroft (1926-2014); Paula Scott (1929)
Book Reference: Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Barnes
War Service: Guards Regt., wounded, then to RFC
General Information:
Gazette 6 Dec 1938, Rift Valley Voters List
Hut - Coffee Kipteget ex BEADOC; 1929 Coffee Berry disease destroyed crop; Engineer to Alphega Rongai; Manager for G. Sneyd at Kampi ya Moto
Hut - He was badly injured in a crash, and while in hospital recovering, developed a plan with a friend to emigrate to British East Africa. On 7 May 1921 Mac, aged 28, sailed from London on the Union Castle Garth Castle. In October 1923 Miss Doris Cope, aged 23, sailed on the Union castle Llanstephan Castle for Mombasa. They were married in St. Christopher's Church, Nakuru. They lived on Alphega Estate, Kampi ya Moto, where Mac was the engineer.
In 1925 Mary Esler was born. In 1926 they returned to England for a holiday. Beryl was born in the UK in the latter part of 1926. On 26 Jan 1927 the family sailed back to East Africa on the Union Castle Llandaff Castle. Mac had been offered a farm on the Itare River called Kipteget, and Kipligot. He had been advised to grow coffee. However, as a result of the very heavy rains in 1929-30 Coffee Berry Disease destroyed the crop.
They then moved to Kampi ya Moto where Mac managed a farm for G. Sneyd. He also operated a converted lorry as a mobile shop. In 1929 Paula Scott was born in Kenya, and in 1931 Beryl suffered an attack of polio. In order to get better treatment for her Doris moved back to the UK in 1938 with the 3 daughters. Mac and Doris were divorced, and he died 1948. Doris remarried Sam Longley in 1959 and moved to New Zealand where she died in 1981.
Barnes - Nakuru North Cemetery - William Esler MacLean, born 25/9/1892, died 18/7/1948 of Kampi ya Moto