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Name: MacDOUGALL, Kenneth

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Nee: bro of Donald MacDougall

Birth Date: 5.12.1862 Isle of Mull (North has 1869) (Playne 1862)

Death Date: 14.8.1918

First Date: 1889

Profession: IBEA Co, District Superintendent Lamu 1891, Collector EAP 1895, 24 yrs Admin Acting Sub Commissioner Tanaland 1898, 'Registrar of Slaves'.

Area: HBEA 1912 - Registrar of Slaves; 1894 - Chuyu. Red 25 - Left Provincial Administration 1907

Book Reference: Gillett, HBEA, Hobley, Moyse, Fitzgerald, EAHB 1905, Red 25, EAS, Hut, North, Playne, EA Diary 1903, Drumkey, IBEA, EAHB 1906, Gazette, EA Diary 1902, EAHB 1904, EAHB 1907, Chandler, Web, Red Book 1912

General Information:

Hobley - 'the late Kenneth MacDougall was fired at from the street one night as he was sitting in his house in the Ndia Kuu, luckily the shot was badly aimed.' with reference to Mohamedanism and friction between elements of Mombasa society.  
Moyse - 1901 - MacDougall, the sub-commissioner of the Province, was due to leave Kismayu in 1902, and Major Harrison had been told to take over his duties ......... MacDougall moved to Lamu
EAHB 1905 - IBEA Co. General Africa Staff - appointed 13th February 1889. District Superintendent, Lamu, Nov. 1891-92; Operations against Somalis 1892; Mazrui rebellion, 1894, (medal); Collector, EAP, July 1st 1895; 2nd class order of the Star of Zanzibar; Acting Sub-Commissioner, Tanaland 1898; Ogaden medal; Acting Sub-Commissioner, Seyidie; Sub-Commissioner, Jubaland, 1901; Sub-Commissioner, Tanaland, 1902; IBEA Co. Medal.
The African Standard - 26-2-1903 - Invited to the wedding of H.R. Phelips & Miss Jacquette Edith Lambe in Mombasa
North - IBEA Co. 3 year appt. 13/2/1889; District Supt. Lamu 1891; Lamu 18/6/1892; in temporary charge of Kismayu June, Oct. 1893; Gobwen July 1893; sent to Mombasa from Wasin May 1894 ill; Malindi Aug. 1894, Feb 1895; Takaungu 9/5/1895; appt. direct as Collector EAP 1/7/1895, Takaungu & Malindi; District Officer Malindi May 1896; Acting Sub-Commissioner for Tanaland 1898; home leave 1899; Malindi District Feb 1901; Appt. Sub-Comm. Kismayu 8/5/1901; Appt. Sub-Comm. of Tanaland Province, Lamu 12/4/1902; on leave 1903; "a low bred, uneducated, cunning Scot, who spits at table" (H.H. Horne, RH); 'He is a very hot tempered man, a warm friend, and a bitter enemy' (Hardinge, FO 2)
Playne - Mr MacDougall has been in EA over 20 years (since March 10, 1889). He was born in the Isle of Mull on December 5, 1862, and educated at Glasgow. His present position is Registering Officer Slavery Compensation (claims) or Recorder of Slaves - a post to which he was appointed on Sept. 1, 1907. His previous services in BEA were as follows: Chief Storekeeper, IBEA Co. 1889-90; District Superintendent, Lamu 1891-92; Kismayu 1892-93, Vanga 1893-94, Malindi 1894-96; Acting Sub-Commissioner, Lamu 1897-98, Mombasa 1898-99; District Superintendent, Malindi 1899-1900; Acting Sub-Commissioner, Kismayu, 1901; Sub-Commissioner, 1901-02; Sub-Commissioner, Tanaland, 1902-07. That Mr MacDougall has had a very active career in Africa may be seen by the following record of his military service and decorations: IBEA Co's medal; Juba River operations against Somalis, 1893 (medal with clasp); mentioned in despatches; Mazrui Arab Rebellion, 1895-96, medal; African General Service medal, operations against Somalis, 1898; Ogaden punitive force (medal); received the second class of the Zanzibar Star for services rendered beyond His Majesty's dominions; succeeded in inducing the two powerful slave strongholds of Fulodoyo and Makongeni to throw in their lot with Govt. against the rebels at the outbreak of hostilities with the Mazrui Arabs, 1895-96.
Drumkey 1909 - Slavery - Registering Officer to investigate claims
IBEA Co. - Nominal List of British Born Subjects resident in IBEA Territories within the Sultans Domain, 30 April 1891 - K. MacDougal, Scotland, In charge lighters
Gazette - 29/3/16 - Probate & Admin. - John MacDougall of Ensay, Argyllshire who died at Ensay 22/3/15. Applied for by Kenneth MacDougall
EA Diary 1902 - Listed as at present employed as Sub-Commissioner in Kismayu
EA Diary 1903 - Imperial British East Africa Co. 1889; District Superintendent Lamu Nov 1891-2; Operations against Somalis 1892; Mazrui rebellion 1894, medal; Collector EA Protectorate July 1 1895; 2nd Class Order of the Star of Zanzibar; Acting Sub-Commissioner, Lamu 1898; Ogaden medal, Kismayu 1901; Ogaden medal; Sub-Commissioner, Tanaland 1902; Imperial British East Africa Company medal
EAHB 1907 - Sub-Commissioner - Tanaland
EAHB 1907 - Lamu A. Allen - In 1893, as a travelling District Officer, he found himself stranded in the Company's shallow-draft stern-wheel steamer Kenia, which broke down on the Juba River at Gobwen. The ship's skipper was Captain Tritton. As related in the footnote to the latter's medal, both men were rescued by Lieutenant Lewes RN, and, once the Kenia had been repaired, sailed up river and participated in the bombardment of the villages of Magarada and Majawen. As already discussed, the only surviving roll for the ‘Juba River 1893’ operations is for naval personnel. But the existence of the correctly impressed issues to both MacDougall and Tritton establishes beyond doubt that some civilian staff were similarly rewarded.
By 1895 MacDougall appears to have been acting as a Collector for the East African Protectorate, and, over the next year or so, became embroiled in operations against Kenya’s coastal Arabs, the Mazrui tribe, under the rebel Mbaruk, whose stronghold was at Mwele. As revealed by Foreign Office files, he was often under fire and served with distinction: ‘Mr. MacDougall’s case would indeed seem to come within the regulations. He has, I think, certainly when in command, though only a civilian, of Zanzibari troops, performed active, and, in a sense, distinguished service before the enemy. He was in charge of Takaungu when the town was surprised at night by the rebels last July, and took a conspicuous part in its defence during the fight in which Captain Raikes was wounded and two of the Sultan’s Officers killed.
During the seven succeeding months he has been almost incessantly on active service, leading attacks against the rebels in every portion of his district, and has taken part in a great number of engagements, the last being in the fight at Gabina, in which he commanded one section of the Government forces and Captain Harrison the other, and which led to the enemy’s final retreat from Giriama.’ (From recommendation that MacDougall be allowed to accept the 2nd class order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar.)
CO…. Further mention of MacDougall may be found in assorted despatches and correspondence from Sir Arthur Hardinge, in addition to the Acting Administrator, J. W. Pigott, and Captain A. E. Raikes. MacDougall’s services was also recognised by the Sultan of Zanzibar by his appointment to the Order of the Brilliant Star, 2nd class. He was given appropriate British authority to accept the insignia in September 1896, a licence being sent to him in Malindi country, where he was then employed as a District Officer. Once again, in the troubles of 1898, MacDougall took to the field, this time against the Ogaden Somalis, and was issued with the East and Central Africa Medal with appropriate clasp in November 1901, in which latter year he was also appointed a Sub. Commissioner. And in the Jubaland operations of 1900-01, when the Ogaden Somalis returned to the fray, he undoubtedly had just cause for willing involvement - it had been the brutal murder of a fellow Sub. Commissioner, Mr. A. C. W. Jenner, that had sparked off the troubles in the first place. MacDougall is recorded on the appropriate medal roll as having been attached to the East African Rifles.
He was latterly employed as a Registration Officer in connection with slave compensation claims (Colonial Office List 1915 refers). MacDougall was not highly regarded amongst his colleagues, being described thus by H.H.Horne:- “ ‘He is a low bred, uneducated, cunning Scot, who spits at table, and I am doubtful if I can handle him…If  I can catch him tripping, I’ll soon twist his tail and will have him… He is an offensive beast but is now inclined to gush- told me not to call him ‘Sir’, call him ‘Mac’.This in front of my clerk. I informed him that I expected in the office that the formalities will always be gone through; otherwise underlings might fail in respect to me. He is chewing on this…He is a hard drinker. He gets on your nerves so horribly by pretending that he is a real gent that you want to kick him…His chief aim is to draw Traveling Allowance.’
There was a frightful row, and an official enquiry, because MacDougall caused to be flogged three private enemies of one of his Arab cronies. Horne reported the proceedings: ‘MacDougall has confessed to what amounts to forgery, lying and other crimes…But I expect they will overlook his fault. They always do, with these old company men. He has been assessed to pay 1200 damages. I don’t think he can pay it. What a fool a man is not to be honest.’
Macdougall was not sacked. He settled for 850 damages and was transferred. After the murder of MacDougall’s colleague, Jenner, a fine of 30,000 cattle was imposed on the Ogaden, who refused to pay. This was reduced to 5,000, a concession which they treated with contempt. However the last thing the Foreign Office wanted was a war in Jubaland while the army was fighting the Boers and the Mad Mullah.  The expedition was withdrawn. The Ogaden seemed to have got away with it. K MacDougall, PC Jubaland found this intolerable. He waited until the dry season and then with only 200 men, marched swiftly on the wells at Afmadu where thousands of Ogaden stock was watering. When with much yelling and waving of turbans the herdsmen tried to drive the animals at a gallop into the bush, they were far too thirsty to gallop anywhere. So there was nothing the Ogaden could do but look pleasant while Macdougall returned to Kismayu with 4,000 captured cattle. He had never, he reported, ‘seen the Ogaden so loyal and peaceably inclined’ From the Foreign Office, Sir Clement Hill roundly condemned ‘a very provocative action’.   It is against the Foreign Office policy, against the views of Sir Charles Elliot… and against the warnings laid down in previous dispatches.” (Men who ruled Kenya. Charles Chenevix Trench pp. 29-30,51)
Chandler - A provincial commissioner in Kenya from 1891-1907. As PC Tanaland, MacDougall was fined the enormous sum of £850 and transferred for having 3 Arabs - personal enemies of one of his drinking buddies - tied up and flogged. His district commissioner at Lamu, H.H. 'Long' Horne, described MacDougall in a journal as a "low bred, uneducated, cunning Scot, who spits at table …….. An offensive beast ….. He is a hard drinker. He gets on your nerves so horribly by pretending to be a gent that you want to kick him …. His chief aim is to draw travelling allowance" (Chenevix Trench, 1993). In the great literary tradition of bad-mouthing your boss, that's pretty good.
Red Book 1912 - K. MacDougal - Mombasa
Gazette 13/11/1918 - Obituary - His Excellency the Acting Governor deeply regrets to announce that information has been received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies of the death of Mr K. MacDougall, late Chairman of the Arbitration Board Coast Land Settlement, and formerly a Provincial Commissioner, which occurred on 14/8/1918.
Fitzgerald - Meteorological observations at Malindi in 1895.
EAHB 1905 - Sub-Commissioner, Lamu

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