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Name: HARRISON, Arthur Frederick

Nee: bro of Bernard John Harrison

Birth Date: 2 Oct 1870 West Lexham, Norfolk

Death Date: 24 Jan 1917 Morogoro

First Date: 1898

Profession: Engine driver

Area: Nairobi

Book Reference: Drumkey, CWGC, Globe, North, EAHB 1907

War Service: E Af Pioneers

General Information:

CWGC - Morogoro Cemetery - Pioneer Arthur Frederick Harrison, 3119. East African Pioneers. 24th January 1917. Age 47. Son of Harris Harrison and J.C. Harrison, of West Lexham, Norfolk. VIII.E.2
The Globe Trotter - 6th March 1907 - An Engine Driver's story - written by one "A.F.H." which is probably Harrison - very amusing article on traction engine driving - " Nothing is sacred to an engineer" there is certainly something about the performances of a traction engine that gives that impression and the driver perhaps a like nature. On the construction of the Uganda Railway it was like hard Jew of the road throwing out all other traffic with its big gauge, and cutting up the road so that the mules to follow had a bad time of it. Negotiating river beds was like a good hunter on the Athi plains with no road, like a ship at sea, steering by the Kikuyu hills. No good talking about the dust, I suppose, no one has sampled it like the traction drivers, sometimes half an inch thick on the foot-plate, flakes of mica are not nice to carry in the eye. There were a good many varieties of dust and they are only to be compared with the various samples of water at the camping grounds. Traction driving is not a gentleman's job perhaps though it might do some good to go through the mill. Useful job to an employer, he can have the driver at gate, and stile any time he likes. "Mount a traction engine and you are any man's servant," is a driver's saying. Anyone can find fault with the work, it is like a cook's job. On the Uganda Railway we were left severely alone and the work was done. The Railway reached Nairobi with an advantage of 50 miles through traction engine transport. ……….{much on daily life} ….
On 16th May 1899, I had the honour of driving the first steam engine into Nairobi. We camped where the town refuse heap now wastes its sweetness …… I left the Railway at Eburru, I had fever, they put up an Indian driver to drive my engine. He travelled about 5 miles and ran over a native, cutting off his leg. They put up another, he blew the cylinder cover off before he had gone 20 yards. Then "the band played and I came away," The Engineer said he considered me a free-lance. North - Traction Engine Driver working for Railway Oct 1899. Had left Railway & shooting lions with his brother (also an ex traction engine driver with the Railway, name unknown [Bernard John]) on the Athi River Jan/Feb 1901; In England applying for position with EAP 12-6-1902
EAHB 1907 - Steam Roller driver, PWD, Nairobi
Drumkey 1909 - Public Works Dept. - Steam Roller Driver, Nairobi

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