A little Scottish boy; that is how Jock saw himself - although born in Scotland he came to Kenya at the age of three years and spent the rest of his life in the counrty he loved.

His Great-Uncle was the first of the family to come to Kenya in 1888 - "Trader" Dick - who was killed by Massai in 1895 after a battle in which Trader Dick showed great courage and was ever revered by the Massai. Then in 1903 land became available for European settlement in Kenya and Trader Dick's sister and husband bought land - four farms - on the high Kinangop plateau. Jock's direct Uncle came out to run these farms but, during the 1st World War when serving with the East African Mounted Rifles against the Germans of Tanganyika (as Tanzania was then known) he was killed.

In 1920 Jock's father came from Scotland to run the farms, to be followed by Jock, his elder brother and their mother in 1922. It was tough farming on the Kinangop. The family made cheese with milk from a Shorthorn herd of cattle. At eight years old Jock was expected to rise early and bring the cattle in for milking. Also at this age he gained his .22 rifle - given to him by his mother when he learned a special Scottish dance - and from then on was expected to go out and shoot the family's meat every week. Since his father gave him only one bullet he soon learnt to get close to the prey.

Jock's tough father allowed him only Primary schooling and after time spent at home making cheese Jock at 16, was given Shs 40:00 and told that a job had been found for him and he was never to ask for more money. Starting at a Creamery, Jock graduated to work at a mixed farm in Tanganyika but in 1938 he was engaged by a retired British Colonel to manage a farm called "Drinmore" not far from Naivasha. This was to be his home for 40 years.

Jock served in the King's African Rifles during the 2nd World War going to Abyssinia, and during the war met his first wife. Hostilities over he returned to Drinmore that had, by now, established a fine herd of Ayrshire cattle. He became a Polce Reserve Officer - a position he held for 20 years and in which he served during the Mau Mau uprising. All this time he was still hunting and, already an excellent fisherman., he had three miles of trout fishing to enjoy on the farm. In 1950 he caught Kenya's record river trout. By this time he was a legendary fisherman as well as a legendary shot.

A family was growing and the children became involved in showing Jock's famous Ayshires at the Kenya Agricultural Shows, but in 1958 a change occurred. Jock's employer died, leaving the farm to Jock. Suddenly from being a rich man's manager, when expense was no object, Jock had to make the farm pay, and pay well enough to educate his growing family to a higher standard than he had been educated - he was determined.

Hard work won, but he was later persuaded to turn Professional Hunter and joined the East African Professional Hunter's Association as he had been hunting privately all these years. His safaris were a far cry from the glamorous-famous-people-heavy-drinking- safaris depicted in films. He was a thorough professional - booze and guns do not mix, he said, and his clients were mainly dedicated wildlife men, and though his safaris were carefully controlled they were also great fun, Jock having a deep sense of humour and a wicked grin.

By the 1970's Kenya was now several years into independence and Jock had elected to become a Kenya citizen. His family were now grown and his marriage had disintegrated. Continuing hunting, his world was turned turtle when in 1977, without warning, hunting was banned in Kenya. He had also put the farm up for sale. Suddenly he had no profession and no home and a new life had to start. With typical courage he faced this with stoicism.

As happens to so many hunters he moved into conservation. Luckily his second wife was a Zoology graduate and, after a spell in the famous Masai Mara, together they became the first wardens of Elsamere, the home of the late Joy Adamson - the famous lady of the lion Rlsa. This place, beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Naivasha, was to be opened as a Conservation Centre and Jock enjoyed this very much. At the same time he was instrumental in setting up Hells' Gate National park - a development made possible by funds from the Elsa Trust. All his life he maintained a close interest in this Park and was on its management Committee until he died.

With Elsamere up and running he moved back into ranching for a while - to run a big ranch with its own Private Game Reserve for the American, Alec Wildenstein, an interlude he loved. In 1987 he was head-hunted by Count Maurice Coreth, the flamboyant Chairman of the new Rhino Rescue Trust that had been set up to save the plight of Kenya's diminishing rhino population. Jock - the quiet Scot with a twinkle in his eye - and Count Maurice Coreth - the outgoing enthusiast - made a great partnership. Lake Nakuru National Park, in Kenya's lovely Rift Valley, was chosen as the first Government Rhino Sanctuary and Rhino Rescue Trust was given the task of setting up the Park as a Sanctuary with all the impedimenta needed - electric fencing, radio communications, fresh water supplies, surveillance teams, transport, security, holding pens and a lot more. Some of this was already in the hands of contractors but Jock set about the rest with enthusiasm. Rhinos from reserves or from isolated areas were brought together to start the nucleous of a breeding unit and from the start the project was a great success.

This was a very high-profile project with a very low-profile man in charge - to the surprise of some people. But it was typical of Jock not to notice the Press, T.V. and film people who arrived. He totally failed to notice that he was undertaking one T.V. interview in the Park, being only concerned with the issues under discussion. Happily the irrepressible twinkle in the eye that was uniquely Jock's came accross successfully.

In a few years' time, when everything was set up, the project was handed back to the Wildlife Department to run, but Jock, on behalf of Rhino Rescue Trust, kept a watching brief on the place and was invited back again to the Park by Dr. Richard Leakey when he took over the Wildlife Service for the second time. This time Jock and his wife did not live full time in the Park, but spent half time in the Park and half time in their home near Mt. Kenya. Jock was nearing his eighties by now but had his usual energy, interest and total command of the situation. His fluent Kikuyu language was a great asset. He held the record as an Honorary Game Warden - 42 years of Service for Kenya and was rewarded by the President with an honour for his work.

Jock retired at the age of 83 - a quiet legend in his own lifetime for the cognoscenti in Kenya but little known overseas. He had no time for the prima donna conservationists or many researchers whose aim seemed to be their own advancement rather than finding biological truths. But he had all the time in the world for the people who really understood about wildlife and who cared for its future. A gentleman in the true sense of the word and loved by many, he had an astonishing group of young people who saw him as the "father-figure" and a role-model for their lives. Upright and forthright he was respected by all who knew him. At his death, at the age of 84 and a half, tributes came in from a wide variety of people - from a humble African widow to a British Duke, both of which he would have enjoyed.

Despite his varied and interesting life he said that he was happiest in his last 16 years of connection with Rhino Rescue Trust - helping CONSERVATION.

- Enid Dawson