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Name: GIBBONS, W.

First Date: 1898

Last Date: 1903

Profession: Trader - Transport Contractor Nandi 1898; Mombasa Nov 1898 due to dep with John Boyes and large caravan to Uganda; ill in Uganda 1899; operating in Kikuyu with a man called George Findlay in late 1899, attacked by natives, Findlay killed.

Area: Nandi, Uganda, Kikuyu, Lado Enclave, Fort Portal

Book Reference: North, Drumkey, Red 22, Gazette, Kenya Diary, Boyes, Adventurers, Chandler

General Information:

Boyes - Trader in Mombasa. Travelled to Ravine with John Boyes in 1898; then Gibbons left Boyes and went on to Uganda and stayed. Later returned from Uganda with a partner, Findlay. Trading with Kikuyu who attacked them.
Boyes - After being attacked by Kikuyu they were rescued by troops at the last minute - Findlay died of his wounds.  
Adventurers - 'One of the most remarkable characters of all the pioneers was Gibbons, my old partner at Mombasa in my earliest EA days. When that business came to an end, Gibbons went west until he reached the Congo, where he set up as a hunter. He also took up land in Uganda, where he remained until a year or so ago, being probably the oldest hunter and coffee farmer in the country, and the leading settler at Fort Portal. Previously he had been in S. Africa, and had never been out of Africa since he first landed in the Continent until he came home recently, only to die in the land of his birth. His happy disposition doubtless accounts to a large extent for his longevity and success in acclimatising himself to tropical conditions; for he was a man of the most even and placid temperament, who never allowed himself to get excited over the irritating incidents of life amongst natives.' ........ (more)
Chandler - John Boyes once had a partner named Gibbons, who arrived in South Africa sometime before 1890 and eventually wandered up to Kenya. There he worked with Boyes as a trader at Liombasa and later led a 50 man ivory-trading safari into Kikuyu territory. When a price had been agreed upon, Gibbons sent 10 askaris to pick up the ivory. They were ambushed and massacred, and then the Kikuyu attacked the main body. After a long fight Gibbons and a few others escaped. The rest, including a white partner named Findlay, were killed. Gibbons then established himself as an elephant hunter in Uganda and the Belgian Congo, and in later years he also grew coffee near Fort Portal. Boyes (1927) considered him an adequate hunter but too easygoing and relaxed to exert himself much. Gibbons remained in Uganda until the mid-1920s, then returned to England and died a short time later. It is possible that this was the same Gibbons who later went on to set himself up among the Embu tribe southeast of Mount Kenya. He had a retinue of about 30 armed Swahili askaris and a harem of 14 native girls. He collected ivory and food from the Embu as 'taxes' but the British authorities soon got wind of this and sent Richard Meinertzhagen to deal with him. On 14 November 1903 Mainertzhagen and his troops surprised Gibbons and his men and took them captive. The local Embu chieftains were shocked because they had believed Gibbons to be a Government representative. Meinertzhagen released the 14 young concubines near the Tana River and none too gently brought Gibbons in to Fort Hall.
North - Issued with Trader's Game Licence 29/11/1901; arrested for operating in Kikuyuland as bogus Government official Nov 1903; deported to SA
Red 22 - W. Gibbons, Fort Portal, Uganda
Gazette - 15/1/1902 - Settler's Licenses - No 2/39 Mr W. Gibbons - Trader Nov. 29th 1901
North - at Mombasa enquiring about Game Laws around Lake Rudolf 21-3-1898; Transport contractor in Nandi area 1898; dep. Mombasa for GEA via Entebbe with W. Wallace 6-2-1904; Member of Uganda Volunteer Reserve 28-9-1905; 'a low class man' (Meinertzhagen, RH)
Kenya Diary - Nov. 1903 - Fort Hall - Hinde told me that he was worried by information to the effect that a low-class man called Gibbons with some 30 armed Swahilis had installed himself in the Embu country south east of Mt. Kenya and was collecting hut tax and extorting ivory from the natives. He had hoisted the Union Jack to give Govt. protection to his nefarious actions. I volunteered to start at once for his camp, arrest him, and bring him back to Fort Hall to answer for his sins. .... we reached the vicinity of Gibbons camp about 2 hours before daylight, which gave me plenty of time to reconnoitre the place and see what sentries he had on his zariba. The enclosure was large, surrounded by a stiff thorn zariba with 3 large tents inside, and with but one sentry on the door of the zariba ...... taken completely by surprise and surrendered without any show of resistance. ....... I proceeded to pack up his ivory and boxes, which were considerable. I also pulled down the Union Jack. I now helped myself to breakfast off Gibbons stores and gave Gibbons his portion. He was now very sulky, refused tro answer questions, and used the most provoking language to me and my men. When I began to move his ivory he grew frantic, and I had to threaten to bind his hands if he went on with his threatening language ...... Within Gibbons camp were some 14 girls, all local inhabitants: Apparently Gibbons had compelled the local chiefs each to supply him with a concubine and here they were. ........ Gibbons talking to sentry ....... bound and tied to tree .... At dawn I released Gibbons and gave him his breakfast in my tent. He continually swore vengeance on my head ........ he goes to Nairobi for trial tomorrow.
 

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