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Name: BELLASIS, Richard Fauconberg
Photo Source: Imperial War Museum
Nee: bro of William Joseph and John Henry Bellasis
Birth Date: 23 Aug 1886 Kensington, London
Death Date: 9 Sept 1963 Marylebone, London
First Date: 1929
Last Date: 1963
Profession: Coffee planter
Area: Kiambu - Rioki Estate, 1925 Doonda Plantation, Kiambu, 1930 Waitangi Estate, Kiambu
Married: In Kensington 25 Mar 1934 Mona Florita Frame-Thomson b. 26 Feb 1909 London, d. 29 Feb 1984 London
Children: William Thomson Joseph (1935 Kiambu); Mary Susan (1936 Kiambu); Anne Margaret Mary (Firmin) (30 Jan 1942 Kiambu); Agnes Mary Theresa (1944 Kiambu); John Philip Joseph (1946 Kiambu)
Book Reference: EAWL, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, EAMR, Red 22, Gazette, Red 19
War Service: WW1 with EAMR - A Sqdn 6/11/15 - To KAR
School: Downside
General Information:
In 1914, he enlisted in the East African Mounted Rifles to fight in the 1st World War as a munitions supplier taking ammunition to the front line with bullock and cart. Upon completing his deliveries, he was required to join in the fighting. He helped to chase the Germans out of East Africa down to Mozambique. He was twice mentioned in despatches and promoted to Second Lieutenant.
For a while, Dick took up Bill's role running the Doondu coffee estate as a working partner for the Dormers. On dissolution of the partnership, he bought 500 acres of scrub land at Rioki and started his own coffee farm from scratch in 1924. He had to fight off lions and other game and re-plant the entire plantation three times due to various deseases affecting the trees. By 1941, he had 150 acres under coffee.
The neighbouring Lioki mission was established by Italian missionaries and Dick gave them several more acres to develop a school, a clinic and a convent. The Holy Ghost Fathers took over the mission, which is deemed to be one of the most successful in Kenya. The St Anne's School for girls is doing very well and still growing. There is also a strong Roman Catholic youth movement there.
Despite the distance from and slow travel to England, Dick kept in touch with friends and family back 'home', eventually marrying at the age of 48 his bride of 25.
The farm was sold after Dick's death to a co-operative of 3,000 local people for two thirds of the asking price. This was the right thing to do for those Kikuyus who defended the family against their own kind during the Mau Mau Rebellion of 1952. The Rioki Estate has been replacing trees by grafting onto the original root stock, and the trees now have an immunity to the diseases against which Dick had to spray. The farm is organic.