Galbraith Lowry Egerton Cole facts for kids
Galbraith Lowry Egerton Cole (1881–1929) was an early settler and farmer in what is now Kenya, East Africa. He moved there in 1905. Part of his large farm, called Kekopey Ranch, was located near Lake Elementaita. Today, a part of this land is preserved as the Lake Elementaita Lodge. He is also buried there.
Early Life and Military Service
Galbraith Cole was born in Ireland in 1881. His family was part of the old Anglo-Irish noble families. He was the third son of the 4th Earl of Enniskillen and his wealthy Scottish wife. His younger brother was Reginald Berkeley Cole.
At age 19, Galbraith Cole joined the army as a second lieutenant in the 10th Royal Hussars in 1900. He went to South Africa to serve in the Second Boer War. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1901. After the war ended in 1902, he returned home due to an injury.
Life in Kenya
After leaving the army, Galbraith Cole traveled to Kenya. His sister, Florence, had married a well-known settler named Lord Delamere there.
Cole first tried farming near Thomson's Falls in 1905. Later, he moved to the Lake Elementaita area. His brother-in-law, Lord Delamere, gave him about 30,000 acres (120 km2) of land. This land was next to Delamere's own large farm, Soysambu. Cole's farm was located between Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru.
He named his farm "Kekopey Ranch." The name is thought to come from a Masaai word. It means "place where green turns white." This refers to the white soda and diatomite found around the hot springs near the lake.
In 1917, Galbraith Cole married Lady Eleanor Balfour. She was the niece of Arthur Balfour, who used to be the British Prime Minister.
Cole faced challenges during his time in Kenya. He was sent away to German East Africa after a serious incident involving a farm worker. He later returned to Kekopey secretly, dressed as a Somali. His mother, the Countess of Enniskillen, spoke to the British government on his behalf.
Galbraith Cole's health declined in his later years. He was blind in one eye and used a wheelchair. He suffered from constant pain due to rheumatoid arthritis. He passed away in 1929 at the age of 48.
His Lasting Impact
- A large stone monument, shaped like an obelisk, was built by Cole's wife. It stands on his favorite spot overlooking Lake Elementaita, near the old farmhouse. It is believed his remains are buried close by. His family visits this spot every year on October 10th to remember him.
- Twenty years after his death, Cole's wife built a stone chapel. It was called the "Church of Goodwill." This chapel was built on the Old Nakuru Road, on what was part of the Kekopey Estate. It was a memorial to her husband. It also showed her thanks for the safe return of their two sons from the Second World War. Their sons were David Lowry Cole (1918-1989) and Arthur Gerald Cole (born 1920).
- Arthur Cole farmed at Kekopey for some years. His brother, Captain David Cole, farmed at Solio Ranch near Naro Moru. Captain Cole was also involved in politics in Colony of Kenya in the early 1960s. In 1963, David became the 6th Lord Enniskillen in Ireland.
- In 1977, the Kekopey Estate was sold to a group of people. The land was then divided into smaller plots for individual owners. The main brick farmhouse of Kekopey Ranch, built in 1917–18, is still preserved today. It is now known as the Lake Elementaita Lodge.
