View entry
Name: BLACKLAWS, John Berry 'Jackie'
Nee: son of John Berry Blacklaws
Birth Date: 5 Apr 1925 Scotland
Death Date: 6 Oct 1965 sleeping sickness, Livingstone Hospital, Zambia
First Date: 1908
Profession: White hunter, photographer
Married: In Nairobi 18 Dec 1954 Wendy Patricia Rosemary Dewar b. 1930 Mombasa, d. 1974 Fish Hoek, S. Africa (dau. of Robert Menzies Dewar)
Children: John; Alan - both born in Nairobi
Author: Joyce Smith, 'Sunrise over Crumpled Hills'
Book Reference: EAWL, Rundgren, Morkel, Kingsley-Heath
General Information:
Known as 'Jackie', he was a white hunter and photographer. The hunter in charge when the movie 'Mogambo' was being filmed. At the end of the production Clark Gable presented Jack with a pearl handled revolver. Died of sleeping sickness while on safari.
He accompanied many Hollywood stars on different safaris ie. Roy Rogers and James Stewart who became a good friend of Jack's. In the late 60s Rowland Ward, a well known gift shop in Nairobi, had a display of David Shepherd's elephant pictures which had been painted from 35mm stills taken by Jack while on safari. The charging bull shot was taken from behind an ant hill, Jack only being armed with a camera at the time. It was some time before he and his gun bearer were able to move to safety. Jack eventually gained a hunting concession in Bechuanaland and used to fly his parties down in his Cessna plane. He was taken ill on safari and later died in the Livingstone Hospital in Zambia of sleeping sickness. Source: Mrs Joyce Smith (sister)
Rundgren - Jack Blacklaws was on safari with Myles Turner and Eric Rundgren and 6 Mexicans when Rundgren was badly mauled by a wounded leopard. Blacklaws bound up the wounds and left for Narok, 90 miles away for help. Rundgren survived.
Morkel - late good friend and colleague of Bill Morkel
Source: Roy Douglas Dewar
Kingsley-Heath - Early Professional Hunter after 1939-45 war. Skilled bush pilot addicted to exploring Africa. Fine friend and most successful man. Contracted sleeping sickness in Botswana and died at Victoria Falls
Gazette 9 Nov 1965 probate