1938 Death in Kenya

[RedMystic]

Hi Chatters,

This is a long shot. Any assistance determining cause of death & occupation in the 10 years prior to death would be greatly appreciated.

William Basil Copland was the son of my husband's great aunt. He was born in Edinburgh. He departed South Hampton 30th Mar 1928. Last address was 21 Gilmore Place, Edinburgh. A 24 yr old engineer, he was destined for British East Africa.

He died 7 Mar 1938 at Eldoret. It doesn't look like there was a will as there were several public/legal postings during the settlement of the estate. (I haven't got a copy of the final result.)

As Kenya had a difficult period during its move to independence in the 1960s many of the records may have been destroyed. I've had private correspondence with Lydart, a fabulous Chatter, who lived in Kenya for a number of years. She has suggested some contacts that have not yet responded: British Consulate & the court in Nairobi.

The Bayanne family history site for Shetland (where the family was from originally) indicates William's death was accidental. I'd like to find an obit or something similar that would tell me how he died & what he did for the 10 years he was was in Africa.

Thank you in advance for your insight & assistance

[tina morana]

Hi , through Google Books it lists from the Kenya Gazette about letters of Administration
for your William after his death, 7th March 1938.
Sorry, it won't let me copy/paste
Try this link
Tinam
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=mD2zflzR_HsC&pg=PA619&lpg=PA619&dq=william+basil+copeland+died+in+kenya&source=bl&ots=yG0NSaeap_&sig=jwnS80GuMyqcOALbq3TH53llJBQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cMgnT_fEOeOZiAfKqIDeAg&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=william%20basil%20copeland%20died%20in%20kenya&f=false

[RedMystic]

TX very much for your follow-up Tina (& so quickly). 

Those are the notices I mentioned as being posted after his death & before the estate was settled. They don't provide very much other than date & place of death (which is more than we have to go on for some family history sleuthing  ).

It's the start that piqued my interest in finding out more about what happened to this young man.

[tina morana]

Soz mate didn't realise you had all this info.
I wish you all he very best in finding more about his death.
Tinam

[andrew208]

Hi RM
As you can see, our paths cross once again! 
According to my grandmother, (the deceased's sister), he was killed in a car accident. His lung was punctured.
Andrew

[GrahamSimons]

Not much use unless you're in Nairobi, but the National Archives there (whose website isn't correctly linked from the Ministry of National Heritage's website) do hold back copies of the Standard newspaper which would certainly have covered the story.

As an extremely long shot, there may be someone in the UK-based Kenya Society http://www.ekomsites.com/kenyasociety/ who knows someone who knows something.

And I thought of another long shot - and checked - and the paper is there - at the British Library's Newspaper collection at Colindale. www.bl.uk and explore from there - you need the "Explore the British Library" bit then use search for East African Standard

[eregli_gene]

A British police inspector called Douglas Copland was murdered in Kenya in 1952.

[RedMystic]

Hi andrew, Graham & eregli

Thank you very much for your responses. I'm on the road for another week or so. I look forward to getting back to my research on my return home.

In the meantime, I really appreciate your thoughts, finds & direction.

[carolmc]

Hi
Just read your quest. My grandfather was an engineer in kenya from 1920's until his death 1961.My uncle spent time there working for cable and wireless and then 1947 my Dad ( engineering patternmaker)went and worked for Gaily and Roberts as a foundry manager. Gailey and Roberts were major employers, maybe you should try and find their old records.

My Watts family were all model steam train enthusiasts and had railways in the garden.
regards carolmc