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Name: GURNEY, Henry Lovell Goldsworthy 'Jimmy' KCMG, KB, KStJ, Sir
Birth Date: 27 June 1898 Poughill, Bude
Death Date: 6 Oct 1951 Pahang Darul Makmur, murdered by terrorists in Malaya
First Date: 1913
Profession: DO
Area: Eldoret, KAD 1922 Nyeri, 1930 Secretariat, Nairobi
Married: In Stratton, Cornwall 1924 Isobel Lowther Weir b. 19 June 1904 Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA, d. 17 Nov 1987 Wilton, Salisbury
Children: Peter Lovell (8 May 1925-2012); John Michael (1928)
Book Reference: Golf, Staff 39, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Karen 50, Hut, Colonial, Red 22, Dominion, Gazette, Gillett, O&C, Golf, Gethin
War Service: Military service 1917-19, Lieut.
School: Winchester College and University College Oxford
General Information:
Golf - "Marathons and Moonlighters" - An interesting match was played at "Scott's" in August 1936, when H.L.G. Gurney and J.D. Melhuish accepted a challenge that they would not play 100 holes in a day, and that further, Gurney would not do ten rounds (of 9 holes) in under 400.
They arrived at "Scott's" at about 6.30 am and played one round before breakfast (which they had brought with them), two more rounds and then a break. Two further rounds before luncheon left the players a little weary. However, regaled by luncheon, which kind friends had brought for them, and half an hour's rest, they then played three more rounds before tea, and finished the next three shortly after 6.00 pm. They proceeded to play the first and ninth holes, making 101 holes altogether. There was just enough light for Melhuish to take a photograph of Gurney putting on the 100th green. Gurney won his bet, doing ten rounds in 372.
A month later, on 9th September, "Scott's" was the scene of another triumph for Gurney, who made a bet that he would go round that course in 40 or under by moonlight! He scored 40 and won the bet. Melhuish also scored 40 at the same time.
Golf Captain at Kiambu Club 1937. Men's Champion Kiambu GC 1939. Winner of Amateur Golf Championship of EA in 1929. Runner-up in Amateur Golf Championship of EA in 1930, 1934. DC
Staff 39 - Sec. to Conference of EA Governors & Sec. to the High Commissioner for Transport in 1939, appointed 1938. Originally District Officer 1936. Transferred from the Government of Kenya.
Karen 50 - H.L.G. Gurney, with a handicap of 2 at the age of 20, had captained the Oxford University team and won the Kenya Championship in 1929. He left for Jamaica in 1935, but returned later as Secretary of the EA Governors' Conference.
Karen 50 - One of the original members of Karen Club in 1937 (Mr & Mrs)
Colonial - Asst. DC Kenya 1921; DO 1923; Asst. Col. Sec. Jamaica 1935; Resigned 1935; Temp. Asst. Prin. CO 1935; Dist Officer and Asst. Sec. Kenya 1936; Sec. EAGC 1938; Ch. Sec. EAGC and sec to High Commsnr for Transport 1941; Col. Sec. Gold Coast 1944; Ch. Sec. Palestine 1946; High Commissioner Malaya 1948
Red 22 - H.L.G. Gurney, ADC, Nyeri
Dominion - District Officer - 1930
Gazette 27/7/1921 - Arrived on 1st Appointment - Asst. District Commissioner - 18/7/1921
KAD 1922 - Administration Cadet, Nyeri
Gazette - Voters List 1936 - Nairobi South - Henry Lovell Goldsworthy Gurney, Civil Servant, Secretariat, Nbi. And Jane W Gurney, Westlands Ave., Westlands
A member of the EA Administration, he transferred, on promotion to the Far East, but was murdered by terrorists when High Commissioner of Malaya. President of the Oxford & Cambridge Society - 1942
Golf - The late Sir Henry Gurney, who was murdered by terrorists in Malaya, was posted to Nyeri as his first station when coming out as a Cadet to the Kenya Administration. He was straight out from Oxford, where he had been a prominent member of the famous 1920 team led by R.H. Wethered and C.J.H. Tolley. The old course, which went round by the present dukas, presented no difficulties for him and he showed the local enthusiasts what a fine player he was.
Wife was Ladies' Champion, Kiambu Golf Club, 1937
1939 England and Wales Register living in Bude with wife, as colonial civil servant