Skip to content ↓

View entry

Back to search results

Name: PIGOTT, John Robert Wilson

image of individualimage of individual

Birth Date: 29.11.1850 Hughenden, Bucks

Death Date: 6.2.1928 Smallburgh, Norfolk

Nationality: British

First Date: 1888

Last Date: 1896

Profession: Official in charge of IBEA Co. expedition exploring Tana Valley in 1889, later appointed to EA Admin. Gave great assistance to Gregory's expedition in 1892 and a peak on Mt. Kenya is named after him

Area: Mombasa

Married: In Mombasa 28.11.1893 Louisa Bazett b. 29 Nov 1855Reading, arrived EA 1892, d. 14.5.1949 Loughton, Essex

Book Reference: Gillett, Hobley, Permanent Way, Watt, Orde Browne, Fitzgerald, Roosevelt, EAHB 1905, Hall, North, Curtis, EA Diary, IBEA, Kiewiet, EAHB 1906, Nicholls, EAHB 1904, Foster

General Information:

Hobley - 1890 - Sir George Mackenzie, the Administrator was leaving for England very shortly and Pigott was taking over his duties.  Last Administrator of the Company and the first Commissioner of the coastal portion of the country, when Government succeeded. The senior member of the Company's African staff, and a man who had had the longest experience of coast affairs. He was widely respected by both his colleagues and the Arabs, who, however, during the last year or two of his regime in the Protectorate service claimed that he had identified himself too actively with the Protestant missionary movement at the coast, and eventually he was promoted to another sphere.
Fitzgerald - 1891 - Co's Acting Administrator at Mombasa
EAHB 1905 - Acting Administrator for IBEA Co. 1891 and 1892-95. IBEA Co. General Africa Staff - appointed 1st September 1888
North - IBEA Co. - On Expedn. up Tana River 1889; Acting Company Administrator at Mombasa 1891, 1892-1895; Appt. direct to EAP Administration, 1/7/1895 as Sub-Comm. Sultan's Coast District; Appt. H.M. Consul in Palermo March 1896 Curtis - 'Mombasa in th 1890s' - Pigott of the IBEA Company was with the expedition that travelled up the Tana to find out if the river provided a practicable route of access to the interior, and concluded that it did not. The other Bazett sister became his wife. He is commemorated by Pigott Place in the Old Town.
IBEA Co. - Nominal List of British Born Subjects resident in IBEA Territories within the Sultans Domain, 30 April 1891 - J.R.W. Pigott, England, Asst. to Administrator General
Kiewiet - 1888 - British Company Agents - Pigott and Sandys - making treaties like mad around Witu!
Nicholls - 'a strict and zealous English Churchman' - [Hardinge - 'A Diplomatist in the East'.] - he married a devout missionary lady.
Orde Browne - Acting DC Embu 1909 - 'The Hawk Shooter'

Back to search results