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Name: WILLS, Robert Bryce Darby
Nee: son of George Rennie Wills
Birth Date: 20 Apr 1878 Bengal, India
Death Date: 16 Jan 1973 Nairobi
First Date: 1901 arriving from India
Profession: Farmer. Bought land at Naivasha and tried ostrich farming which did not prove very successful. Then purchased land on the Kinangop and went in for cattle farming. 1908 he bought Crescent Island at Naivasha and lived there for some 42 years.
Area: Willsdale, Naivasha, 1925 Crescent Isle, Naivasha
Married: Nestle Mary Axle Anderson d. Nairobi 1 June 1958
Book Reference: Gillett, SE, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, North, Playne, Drumkey, Red 22, Land, Advertiser, Gazette, EAHB 1907, SKP, Carnelley, Leader14, Red Book 1912
War Service: East African units
General Information:
Later his Headquarters were in Nairobi, although he travelled a good deal. Eventually moved to Durban
SE - R.B. Wills - Willsdale - Naivasha - Sept 1908
Playne - Willsdale Farm and Crescent Island Farm - Ostriches and Angora Goats are being made specialities by Mr R.B. Wills, of the Willsdale and Crescent Island farms. The former is 1000 acres freehold and the latter 200 acres. Mr Wills came to BEA in 1901 from India and took up the present land. He was then one of the very early settlers. He went back to India, returning in 1907, and established the present enterprise. Willsdale has a lake frontage of about 1.75 miles. Crescent Island is nearly 2 miles long, and is to be irrigated with windmills for the purpose of putting down about 150 acres of lucerne. The house and stables are built of stone; there is also a well in the yard with pump - stone-built - and a garden is attached. .......... Ostriches and Angora goats are to be the principal thing of the future, and are to be kept on the island farm, which is situated about 1500 yards from the mainland. Mr Wills also intends to go in for horses. Lions have been a great source of trouble on the estate.
Land - 1907 - J. Rostron and R.B. Wills - Building, 15000 sq.ft., Naivasha, 14-7-06, Registered 30-3-07
Land - 1907 - R.B. Wills - Grazing, 1000 acres, Rift Valley, Registered 30-3-07
Land - 1906 - R.B. Wills - Ostrich farming, 1,000 acres - Naivasha Lake - Lease - Mar. 1902 - Registered 31/3/1906
Land - 1912 - R.B. Wills - Grazing and agricultural, 4344.6 acres - Kinangop - 28/9/08 - Under Occupation Licence for 2 to 99 years from 1/6/11 - Registered 22/1/12
Advertiser - 28/8/1908 - Naivasha - Mr Wills, of beautiful Wilsdale Estate has just placed the first and only light and buoyant skiff upon the lake.
Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Naivasha - R.B. Wills (British), Settler, Naivasha
SKP - 1938 - Society of Kenya Pioneers - over 30 years in Colony - arrived 1906 - Fort Hall
Red Book 1912 - R.B. Wills - Naivasha
Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - R.B. Wills - Farmer - Naivasha and Nestle Mary Axle Wills - Married - Naivasha and Miss Wills - Naivasha
Gazette 3 Feb 1959 wife's probate
Gazette 5 July 1974 probate