Kenya and Uganda, 1920s-1930s

The Cavendish-Bentinck family were prominent in Kenya in the 1920s and 1930s, both in the administrative and social scenes. This family album contains some superb portraits of native people and provides an excellent insight into the upper echelons of colonial life in East Africa.

The Hon. Ferdinand Cavendish-Bentinck (1889-1980), known as ‘C.B.’, went to East Africa in 1925 where he served as private secretary to the Governor of Uganda until 1927. He then moved settled in Kenya where he lived for over fifty years. In addition to farming, he was always active in colonial politics and a strong proponent of the concept of Kenya as a ‘white man’s country’. He represented the constituency of Nairobi North on the Legislative Council until 1945, when the Colony’s Governor introduced and substituted a nominative system. He then became the first settler Minister, his portfolio being Agriculture, Forests and Water Development. From 1955 to 1960 he was the Speaker of the Kenya Legislative Council. He resigned in order to work for the protection of European interests which, he felt, had been betrayed by the British government’s decision to grant independence to Kenya. In 1977 he succeeded his cousin to become the 8th Duke of Portland.