Obituaries

January 1940 - March 2021Colin Edward Church OBE

Colin Church was born in Nairobi in 1940, the second son of Elisabeth and the Rev. Howard Church, who came to Kenya in 1932 as a member of the Church Missionary Society. Much of Colin’s early life was spent in Kigare, on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya, where his father did missionary work, and where his passion for fly fishing began in the mountain streams above Embu, which he pursued throughout his life all over the world.

Colin was educated at Kenton College preparatory school and the Prince of Wales School, both in Nairobi. He finished his education at King Edward’s School, Birmingham.

After school in the UK, Colin travelled in South America and Europe. It was during these years that he developed his skills in writing and Public Relations. He became a journalist in the early 1960s, starting at the Surrey Advertiser before moving to Reuters as a parliamentary correspondent. After a few years he returned to Kenya, where he joined the Nation Media Group and became editor of the Kenya Farmer.

In 1967 he moved into Public Relations, and in 1970 joined Ian Raitt and co-founded the highly successful Church Raitt. In 1975 this merged with another business to become Church Orr & Associates, East Africa’s largest PR consultancy.

In 1971 Colin helped to form the Public Relations Society of Kenya to improve the professionalism of the PR sector in Kenya. Today it has some 5,000 members. In 1996 he was elected President of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the first and only Kenyan to have led that global body.

Colin was happiest when on safari or fishing, and when he retired in the late 1990s, Colin devoted the rest of his life to protecting Kenya’s wildlife and mountain forests, becoming one of East Africa’s most renowned conservationists. Fittingly, what was to be his final project, was the creation of the Chemususu Fly Fishers’ Organisation together with brother Tony, in the forests north of Eldama Ravine.

Colin’s dedication to wildlife conservation came to the fore in the Aberdare National Park when, as Chairman of the Management Committee from 2000 to 2012, he led the Rhino Ark with the enormous task of fencing and protecting the Water Tower and the endangered species living there. Together with Ken Khule he conceived the Rhino Charge, the annual off-road motor race that raises funds for conservation and has developed into a Kenyan institution. The $1 million a year raised by the Rhino Charge has paid for the 250-mile-long electrified fence surrounding the Aberdare mountain range, to keep poachers out and animals in, and to protect the vital water sources.

After the completion of the fence in the Aberdares Colin became involved in other projects to protect important areas of mountain forest, including fencing off the whole of Mount Kenya, Eburru Forest and the Mau complex and co-founding Eburru Rafiki with his brother Tony.

In 2018 he was elected Chairman of the Mara Elephant Project, and he became a key advisor to Big Life Foundation and the Bongo Surveillance Project, in all of which he mentored and encouraged young conservationists. Colin also served as the Chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) responsible for all wildlife and National Parks in Kenya. During his tenure he implemented new and innovative programmes by developing inter-agency partnerships and creating communication and marketing strategies to bring wildlife conservation into the national consciousness. Colin’s work for and contributions towards conservation, the environment and the community in Kenya, was recognised in 2017 when he was awarded an OBE by HM Queen Elizabeth.

Colin was a keen golfer and an accomplished hockey and tennis player. He threw himself into the annual tennis matches against the British High Commission playing for the “Shamba Plate” held one year in Karen, the next at MCC. Other social occasions included the “Fish & Fowl” Balls at the Club and playing cricket and snooker matches for MCC against Ruiru, Gilgil and Karen Clubs.

Colin was a great party man thoroughly enjoying every social occasion but most particularly the times he shared with his children and grandchildren.

For those who knew him, memories of Colin are mainly full of joy and laughter. He was a stalwart in everything he did and a great friend to have. Warm, generous, and considerate, he excelled in so many fields, and in 2019 he published ‘Mel-elLek’s Mountain’, a book about his cherished Aberdares.

He is survived by his wife Nicole and their son Marcus, and his three daughters Antonia Glen, Julie Johnstone, Tanya CarrHartley and six grandchildren.

Colin took up Membership of the Club in 1970. He sat on the Club’s Main Committee from 1991-2009; he was ViceChairman from 2009-2011 and Club Chairman from 20112013.

December 1934 - May 2021Hugh Petre Barclay

Petre was born in Nakuru. At an early age, having just put an airgun pellet into a hive of bees, and bringing the local train to a standstill by placing grease on the tracks; his parents thought it wise to send him off to St Mary’s School in Nairobi. When the time for departure arrived at the beginning of each term, he was often found at the top of some tall tree, sometimes not until the following day; earning him the local name “Wibari”, meaning hyrax. Once at school however, the Irish priests not only taught him how to box, but also instilled a life-long respect for the Catholic Church. Combined with the fact that he had a strong Irish Catholic pedigree through his mother, this lead him on to eventually donating some of his farm to a local priest Training Centre, as well as to other local schools.

Next came Wellington College in UK, where he caused a considerable stir by mounting a lion skin, with its head attached, onto his cubicle wall. He was rather proud of this trophy, as it was a notorious man-eater that he had shot with George Adamson up at Isiolo; and not many of the young UK kids could match that. On the same trip, Elsa (the lioness) jumped on his tent in the middle of the night, and he also stood on the head of an enormous puff adder whilst tracking the lion; providing him with several exciting adventures in the space of 24-hours.

Back at Wellington, despite one of his reports reading: “Idle, able and a bloody nuisance to all,” he somehow managed to get a Mathematics scholarship up to Cambridge; where he represented the University on both the athletics track and the polo pitch. He learnt to fly light aircraft with the University Air Squadron, a pursuit he continued with for the rest of his life. He also thoroughly enjoyed stalking streams for trout, woods for pigeons and hedges for partridge.

He joined The Irish Guards shortly afterwards, but his Commission was delayed by a few months while the authorities reviewed a police abstract detailing a certain explosion of a thunderflash on a double decker bus in London, on Guy Fawkes Day. Luckily this didn’t hold him back for long, and he had fond memories of these formative years in the military.

He then married a beautiful Scottish lass, Carolyn Macleod, and they headed off to Argentina for three years. Having produced two children, and developed a chicken processing business from scratch, he returned to Kenya to purchase the farm near Nakuru from his father. He changed the focus from dairy to crops, had two more children and settled down to becoming a leading farmer in the district. His opinion was generally highly valued, and he was active on numerous Agricultural, Tax, Government, Education and Hospital Boards. He possessed the skill of putting his thoughts across in such a manner, that it generally left everyone feeling totally comfortable, and usually in agreement. He naturally commanded tremendous respect and had enormous ‘presence’; you always knew when he was in the room.

In addition to these various engagements, he became Chairman of The Kenya Meat Commission and also an Honorary Game Warden. All these roles earned him a Moran of The Burning Spear (MBS) award in 1984 Honours list, a suitable accolade to reflect his selfless work and passion for Kenya.

Petre was a most special man, who could always be relied upon. Above all, he was totally devoted to his children and grandchildren and took them on numerous magical excursions. His kindness, generosity, humour, intellect and general approach to life won him many, many friends and an adoring family.

Petre is survived by his children Edward, Karen RobertsonMacleod, Jonti and Camilla and his seven grandchildren.

He was a Member of MCC for 57 years.

DEATHS

The Club regrets to announce the deaths of the following Members

ALWYN SMITH on 18 May 2021 HUGH PETRE BARCLAY on 23 May 2021 ANNETTE MUTHONI KEMOLI on 7 June 2021 MAUREEN BARRETT on 9 June 2021 CHRISTOPHER KIRUBI on 14 June 2021 JOHN ROLAND MINNS on 21 June 2021 JOHN ANTHONY HOBBS on 21 June 2021 MANSUKH PATEL on 29 June 2021 CAROL JAYNE MANJI on 7 July 2021-08-02 PATRICK WALKER on 15 July 2021-08-02 JOANNAH STUTCHBURY on 15 July 2021

If anyone would like to publish an obituary for a Member who has died recently, please send a tribute and photograph of the deceased to the secretariat@mcc.co.ke

CANDIDATES BEING CONSIDERED FOR MEMBERSHIP 1ST MONTH ON BOARD

Proposer Candidate Category

Ashwin Gidoomal Krish Kishinani Full (18-29) Resident

Peter Mathenge Afamefuna Onyebadi Full (18-29) Resident Rashesh Patel Nheel Patel Full (18-29) Resident

Roop Pandit Vivek Pandit Full Town

Gladys Mboya Lilian Mbindyo Full Town

Jairus Nyaoga Michael Kariuki Full Town - Catherine Njuguna Full Town - Shawn Kariuki Junior Family Town

Jairus Nyaoga Michelle Kariuki Full (18-29) Resident Jairus Nyaoga Joshua Kariuki Full (18-29) Resident Jairus Nyaoga Katricia Kariuki Full (18-29) Resident

Jane Ngene Mary Kimingi Full Town Jane Ngene Samantha Wanjiru Full (18-29) Resident Sandie Bhachu Amanda Cotterman Full Town - Brian Kelly Full Town

Diane Prettejohn Anthea Christian Full Country

SWEEPSTAKES JULY 2021

Prize Member Name

1st Wangari Murugu 2nd Frank K. Mwongera 3rd Robert C. Cork

4th Caroline Thouless

5th Brian C. S. Allen

6th Michael C. Lee

7th Nathaniel Kangéthe 8th Vijoo Rattansi 9th Simon N.C. Herd Amount

65,366.00 32,683.00 18,676.00 18,676.00 14,007.00 9,338.00 9,338.00 9,338.00 9,338.00

SWEEPSTAKES AUGUST 2021

Prize Member Name Amount

1st Dinesh Kapila

65,341.50 2nd Hugo J. Levitt Johnstone 32,670.75 3rd Susan Wakhungu Githuku 18,669.00 4th Robert Charles Cork 18,669.00 5th Wangari Murugu 14,001.75 6th Piers G. Bastard 9,334.50 7th Richard Kimenyi 9,334.50 8th Vinod Boolell 9,334.50 9th Mathew John Barton 9,334.50

CANDIDATES BEING CONSIDERED FOR MEMBERSHIP 2ND MONTH ON BOARD

Proposer Candidate Category

Manisha Gidoomal Samara McTough Full (18-29) Resident Christopher Kinyanjui Shem Bosire Full Country - Jeremy Nyakundi Under 7 Ethan Nyakundi Under 7

Bruin Stutchbury Yoann Copreaux Full Town - Disha Patel Full Town - Shanta Copreaux Under 7 Amani Copreaux Under 7

Jane Craig Devin Powell Non Resident Joy Odera Arnolda Shiundu Full Town

Bhavnish Chandaria Nikhil Dodhia Full (18-29) Resident

Mary Beckmann Eunice Nyala Full Town

Kimenyi Waruhiu Kamau Gachigi Full Town - Wanjiku Gachigi Full Town - Issa Kamau Under 7 Imani Kamau Under 7

Stanley Mumo June Rienye Full Town - Rienye Nyika Full Town - Nyika Rienye Junior Family Town Liam Rienye Under 7

Brian Kiai Solomon Wangwe Full Town - Pendo Wangwe Junior Family Town Solomon Wangwe Under 7

Answers to Bird Quiz

Top Row: Black-chested Snake-Eagle; Squacco Heron Bottom Row: Black-winged Stilt; White-bellied Bustard and a Black-bellied Bustard. These two different species are very unlikely to be found together.

MCC reciprocates with 114 Clubs in 24 countries around the world. The Reciprocity Committee invests a great deal of time ensuring that these Clubs are worthy of our association and Members are encouraged to submit brief reports if they visit or stay at any one of them. These reports will be published for the benefit and interest of other Members who may be planning to travel overseas. For more information and contact details of reciprocating Clubs please contact the Secretary’s office. AUSTRALIA Adelaide Club Adelaide Athenaeum Club Melbourne Australian Club Melbourne Melbourne Commonwealth Club Canberra Melbourne Club Melbourne Melbourne Savage Club Melbourne Naval Military and Airforce of South Australia Adelaide Royal Automobile Club of Australia Sydney Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Melbourne Tattersall’s Club Brisbane Tasmanian Club Hobart Union, University & Schools Club Sydney United Service Club Brisbane Weld Club Perth Western Australian Club Perth AUSTRIA St. Johanns Club Vienna BOLIVIA Circulo de La Union La Paz BELGIUM International Club Chateau Sainte-Anne Brussels CANADA Cypress Club Medicine Hat Granite Club Toronto The Hamilton Club Hamilton The National Club Toronto The Ranchmen’s Club Calgary Terminal City Club Vancouver Union Club of British Columbia Victoria University Club of Montreal Montreal University Club of Toronto Toronto Vancouver Club Vancouver CHILE Club De La Union Santiago FRANCE Cercle de l’Union Interalliee Paris The Travellers Club Paris GERMANY Anglo-German Club E.V Hamburg Union International Club Frankfurt HONG KONG The Hong Kong Club Hong Kong INDIA Tollygunge Club Ltd Kolkata Umed Club Jodhpur Ootacamund Club Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu INDIA continued Secunderabad Club Secunderabad Bangalore Club Bangalore IRELAND Kildare Street and University Club Dublin The Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club Dublin JAPAN Tokyo American Club Tokyo LUXEMBOURG Cercle Munster Luxembourg MALAWI Mulika Blantyre NETHERLANDS The Nieuwe of Littéraire Sociëteit De WitteThe Hague NEW ZEALAND Christchurch Club Christchurch The Canterbury Club Inc. Christchurch Hawke’s Bay Club Napier The Northern Club Auckland The Wellington Club Wellington SINGAPORE Tanglin Club Singapore SOUTH AFRICA Cape Town Club Cape Town The Country Club Johannesburg Johannesburg Durban Club Durban Inanda Club Johannesburg Kelvin Grove Club Cape Town Port Elizabeth St. Georges Club Port Elizabeth The Pretoria Country Club Pretoria Rand Club Johannesburg SPAIN Circulo Ecuestre Barcelona Real Gran Peña Madrid SRI LANKA The Hill Club Nuwara Eliya THAILAND The British Club, Bangkok Bangkok

MCC reciprocates with 114 Clubs in 24 countries around the world. The Reciprocity Committee invests a great deal of time ensuring that these Clubs are worthy of our association and Members are encouraged to submit brief reports if they visit or stay at any one of them. These reports will be published for the benefit and interest of other Members who may be planning to travel overseas. For more information and contact details of reciprocating Clubs please contact the Secretary’s office. AUSTRALIA Adelaide Club Adelaide Athenaeum Club Melbourne Australian Club Melbourne Melbourne Commonwealth Club Canberra Melbourne Club Melbourne Queensland Club Brisbane Royal Automobile Club of Australia Sydney UK Royal Automobile Club of Victoria Melbourne Army & Navy Club London Tattersall’s Club Brisbane Boodle’s London Tasmanian Club Hobart Buck’s London Union, University & Schools Club Sydney Cardiff & County Club Cardiff Weld Club Perth Carlton Club London City of London Club London AUSTRIA Farmer’s Club London St. Johanns Club Vienna Hurlingham Club London Ipswich & Suffolk Club Ipswich Lansdowne Club London BOLIVIA Leander Henley-on-Thames, Circulo de La Union La Paz Naval Club London Northern Counties Club Newcastle BELGIUM Nottingham & Notts United Services Nottingham The Oriental London International Club Chateau Sainte-Anne Brussels Oxford & Cambridge Club London Phyllis Court Club Henley-on-Thames, CANADA The Reform Club London Granite Club Toronto Royal Air Force Club London Rideau Club Ottawa Royal Automobile Club London Royal Canadian Military Institute Toronto Royal Over-Seas League London Saint James’s Club of Montreal Montreal Savile Club London The Forest & Stream Club Quebec The Athenaeum Liverpool The Hamilton Club Hamilton The Caledonian Club London The National Club Toronto The Cavalry & Guards London The Ranchmen’s Club Union Club of British Columbia Calgary Victoria The Clifton Club Bristol The East India Club London The New Club Cheltenham University Club of Toronto Toronto The New Club EdinburghVancouver Club Vancouver The Norfolk Club Norwich The Royal Northern & University Club Aberdeen CARIBBEAN The Royal Scots Club Edinburgh West Indies Yacht Club Caribbean The Sloane Club London The St James Club Manchester CHILE The Travellers Club London The Western Club Glasgow Club De La Union Santiago The Turf Club London Ulster Reform Club Belfast FRANCE Vincent’s Club Oxford Cercle de l’Union Interalliee Paris USA The Travellers Club Paris The Army & Navy Club Washington DC GERMANY Colony Club New York Cosmos Club Washington DC Anglo-German Club E.V Hamburg The Princeton Club New York Union International Club Frankfurt The Saturn Club Buffalo City, NY State The Standard Club Chicago HONG KONG Union Club of Boston Boston The University Club The Hong Kong Club Hong Kong of Washington Washington DC The Yale Club of New York City New York ITALY ZIMBABWE Bulawayo Bulawayo Harare Club Harare

INDIA Tollygunge Club Ltd Kolkata Umed Club Jodhpur Ootacamund Club Ooty, Tamil Nadu Secunderabad Club Secunderabad Bangalore Club Bangalore IRELAND Kildare Street and University Club Dublin The Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club Dublin JAPAN Tokyo American Club Tokyo LUXEMBOURG Cercle Munster Luxembourg MALAYSIA The Royal Lake Club Kuala Lumpur NETHERLANDS The Nieuwe of Littéraire Sociëteit De Witte The Hague Royal Industrieele Groote Club Amsterdam NEW ZEALAND Christchurch Club Christchurch The Canterbury Club Inc. Christchurch Hawke’s Bay Club Napier The Northern Club Auckland The Wellington Club Wellington PAKISTAN Sind Club Karachi PORTUGAL Grémio Literário Club Lisbon SINGAPORE Tanglin Club Singapore SOUTH AFRICA The Country Club Johannesburg Johannesburg Durban Club Durban Inanda Club Johannesburg Kelvin Grove Club Cape Town Port Elizabeth St. Georges Club Port Elizabeth The Pretoria Country Club Pretoria Rand Club Johannesburg SPAIN Circulo Ecuestre Barcelona Real Club de Polo de Barcelona Barcelona Real Gran Peña Madrid SRI LANKA THAILAND The British Club, Bangkok Bangkok TURKEY Buyuk Kulup Cercle d’Orient Istanbul UK Army & Navy Club London Buck’s Club London Cardiff & County Club Cardiff Carlton Club London Farmer’s Club London Garrick Club London Hurlingham Club London Lansdowne Club London Leander Club Henley-on-Thames, Norfolk Club Norwich Northern Counties Club Newcastle Oriental Club London Oxford & Cambridge Club London Phyllis Court Club Henley-on-Thames, Reform Club London Royal Air Force Club London Royal Automobile Club London Royal Over-Seas League London Savile Club London The Athenaeum Liverpool The Boodle’s London The Caledonian Club London The Cavalry & Guards Club London The Clifton Club Bristol The East India Club London The In & Out Naval & Military Club London The New Club Cheltenham The New Club Edinburgh The Norfolk Club Norwich The Royal Northern & University Club Aberdeen The Royal Scots Club Edinburgh The Sloane Club London The St. James Club Manchester The Western Club Glasgow Travellers Club London Turf Club London Ulster Reform Club Belfast USA The Army & Navy Club Washington DC Cosmos Club Washington DC Harvard Club of New York City New York The Explorers Club New York The Princeton Club New York The Saturn Club Buffalo City, NY State The Standard Club Chicago Toledo Club Toledo, Ohio Union Club of Boston Boston Union League of Philadelphia Philadelphia University Club of Cincinnati Cincinnati The University Club Washington DC The Yale Club of New York City New York

Circolo Antico Tiro a Volo Rome The Hill Club Nuwara Eliya

SWEDEN

Club Sällskapet Stockholm ZIMBABWE

Bulawayo Bulawayo Harare Club Harare

MUTHAIGA COUNTRY CLUB