Skip to content ↓

View entry

Back to search results

Name: EDWARDS, Oswald John 'Daddy'

Nee: bro of Mrs May McDonald

Birth Date: 21.4.1874 Queenstown, S. Africa

Death Date: 20.6.1920 Sergoit, fever

First Date: 1904

Last Date: 1920

Profession: Farmer. Early Settler in the Uasin Gishu District. Carnelley map shows Edwards owning Farm 25, Naivasha, 5000 acres, later bought by Gilbert Colvile as part of Ndabibi Estate

Area: Uasin Gishu District, SE - Naivasha July 1907, 1930 'Illula' Sergoit, 1914 Sergoit

Married: In Nairobi 22 July 1912 Ina Frances Harries b. 5.7.1883 Thaba Nchu, Free State, S. Africa, d. 23 Mar 1963 Nairobi, arrived EA 1904 (dau. of Allen Charles Harries)

Children: Lorna Maud (Duncan) (20 July 1913 Naivasha-26 Sep 1998 Somerset West, S. Africa); James Allan (24 June 1914 Eldoret-18 Apr 1959 Nairobi); Mavis May (19 July 1916 Sergoit-20 May 1998 Perth, W. Australia)

Book Reference: Gillett, SE, Barnes, Eldoret, Red 31, Hut, Playne, Harries, Pioneers, Land, North, Leader14, Red Book 1912, Gazette

General Information:

SE - O.J. Edwards - Naivasha - July 1907
Eldoret - letter from C.V. Cloete - "At the end of 1904 Dad and I came up, but the war with the Nandi was on. I stayed in Naivasha with O.J. Edwards, Brunell and McDonald brothers, Allfield and later Hoey and his brother. …"
Playne - Endabibi Farm - Mr N.M. Gibbs and Mr C. O'N. Chaplin bought Endabibi Farm from Messrs O. Edwards and H.W. Dobbin, and started operations in November 1908. The property, 11000 acres in extent, is 22 miles from Naivasha, and has about 1.5 miles of lake frontage. Mr Gibbs came to BEA in 1906 and Mr Chaplin in 1904. The latter was at the Govt. Farm, Naivasha, for nearly 4 years. The two partners run the farm without other European help and at present are engaged in breaking in oxen for work. The estate is surrounded by hills and plains covered with Bermuda grass, and the labour employed is Swahili, Masai and Lumbwa. The homestead is about 3 miles from the lake, but a new house is to be built in the centre of the farm with sun-dried bricks and ruberoid roof.
Land - 1907 - O.J. Edwards - Grazing, 5000 acres, Rift Valley, 23-8-04, Registered 30-3-07
Land - 1906 - O.J. Edwards - Building, 5 acres - N'gara Rd., Nairobi - 25 years lease from 1/1/1905 - Registered 25/4/1906
Land - 1911 - O.J. Edwards - Grazing and agricultural, 3660 acres (Farm No. 193) - Uasin Gishu - 15/12/10 - Under Occupation Licence for 2 to 99 years from 1/2/11 - Registered 10/4/11
Land - 1912 - O.J. Edwards - Buildings, 7662 sq.ft. and 7661.2 sq.ft. Nairobi - 21/7/11 - Leasehold for 99 years from 1/8/11 - Registered 30/1/12
North - Land Grant application, Kikuyu Road, Nairobi 21/6/1904; Settlers' Game Licence 3/8/1904; arr. Mombasa from SA via Lourenço Marques 19/4/1905; Firearm registered at Nairobi, April-June 1905; Bird Licence Naivasha Dist. 21/8/1905; Sheep farming at Naivasha on land owned by H.A. Walmisley Dec 1905
Red Book 1912 - O.J. Edwards - Nairobi and Naivasha
Gazette 25/8/1920 - Probate and Administration in respect of the estate of Oswald John Edwards late of Farm 193 (known as Springfield) Uasin Gishu who died at Uasin Gishu on 20/6/1920. Applied for by John Clifton Shaw and Eric Wallace Fraser McDonald of Farm 100 Uasin Gishu.
Gazette - 29/10/1919 - Register of Voters - Plateau North - Oswald John Edwards - Farmer, Sergoit
Barnes Eldoret cem. in / loving memory of / "Dad" / Oswald John Edwards / born 12th April 1873 / died 20th June 1920
Gazette 21 May 1963 wife's probate

Back to search results