Chairman of Kericho Golf Club in 1947.

EA & Rhodesia - 2/1/58 - CMG

Habari 21 - Tony Swann was Minister of Defence in Kenya at the time of the country's transfer to self government in 1963. After studying at Eton and New College Oxford, Swann joined the Kenya Administration in 1936 and it soon became clear that he was a very promising officer. In 1939 the policy of the government was that district officers could not be released for service in the forces, but the traumas of the spring of 1940 caused this policy to be changed and a few were allowed to go. Swann played the card of "nuisance value" to ensure that he was one of those included. He joined the King's African Rifles and rendered very good service in general Cunningham's campaign in Ethiopia. He was present at Gondar at the end of this campaign. At that time all district officers in the army were immediately despatched to join OETA (Occupied Eenemy Territory Administration) in Somalia after the Italians gave up the country in 1941. Swann again played the card of nuisance value and escaped this fate.

When he rejoined the administration he was first of all district officer and later district commissioner Kericho. His astringent wit and general attitude to life endeared him to the Kipsigis people and his forceful and attractive personality gained him the respect of all from the great tea barons to his fellow government officers and the Sotik farmers. Later he transferred to Kikuyu, first of all as District Commissioner Nyeri. While on leave from this post he was summoned to explain the dangers of the incipient Mau Mau rebellion to the incoming governor Sir Evelyn Baring and left him in no doubt of what was to come. He assumed the toughest task of all in the emergency, that of DC Kiambu, where he had to deal with such matters as the Lari massacre, in which 70 people were killed. His handling of these affairs gained him promotion to Provincial Commissioner in 1959 and, in the difficult days of independence, to Minister of Defence, one of the few European officials ministers among many African political ones. He came through this with great credit.

Later when he retired he was for a number of years the secretary of the Distressed Gentlefolks Aid Association. Tony Swann was notable for a great love of sport. In his Oxford days he wrote a heading about University sport in the magazine Isis, a great improvement on the pretentious political nonsense normally to be found in that paper. He was splendidly partisan. In any contest with Cambridge he would never agree to the doctrine of "may the best man win". He hated to see Wales beat England at rugby just as much as a Welshman would hate the reverse. He was frequently seen in the Lords pavilion and I feel that his last days may have been saddened by the non-success of our cricketers in Australia.

Racing was his greatest love. He and Jean owned horses in Kenya. They never missed Royal Ascot and the claims of the Distressed Gentlefolk seldom caused them to miss a day at Sandown and Newbury even in midweek. Tony will be missed in the Members Enclosure and everywhere else. He was a very good friend and his wit kept the table in a roar" - R.A. Wilkinson.

Colonial - Senior DC 1955; PC 1955; Min. of Internal security and defence and defence sec. 1959, retd. 1963

UK Foreign and Overseas Registers for wife's birth