Midday Sun - He had started his African career as a pharmacist in Nairobi. There he had conceived a great interest in the Masai, and learned their language, which few Europeans spoke in the early 1920's. Then he hired 20 rickshaw boys in Nairobi as porters and spent a fortnight in the Masai reserve. More or less by accident he drifted into teaching, and was employed to start a school for Masai boys on the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro. To get there, pupils, teachers and Mr Whitehouse walked 60 miles from the nearest station to a spot marked with pegs, and built the school themselves from scratch. It was the custom for each Masai pupil to bring 4 or 5 cows with him to provide the needed milk and a female relative to milk them. So Whitehouse found himself managing a dairy herd as well as a school; also doctoring the Masai, which included treating warriors for terrible wounds inflicted by lions. In WW2 he was absorbed into the administration and, when it ended, posted to Lodwar. Here he spent 12 years among the Turkana at his own request, which was granted because he had never encumbered himself with a wife. ..... (more re change in Kenyatta during his imprisonment and influence? of Wouse) ........ Whitehouse said: 'I had a very soft spot for Jomo Kenyatta - I still have. I think in many ways he was a great man. I doubt if Kenya will ever see as great a man again.' At 80 plus Wouse was still serving as senior resident magistrate, appointed by the African government to dispense justice to the Turkana whom he knew so well.

Ex. Christopher Bell - A great Masai expert and fluent Masai speaker. Was afterwards transferred to the NFD, it was said because he was too intimate with the Masai. Such close ties were frowned on by the Govt.

Staff 53 - Senior DC Turkana in 1953     

Dusty - 1950 - 'Whouse' was in his 50's, a charming and witty man, immensely popular, who had been DC Turkana for so long that neither he nor his subjects could imagine, indeed they rather resented, anyone even temporarily replacing him. He was a great builder: on the rock, scattered over the surrounding desert, bungalows and guest-houses, a store, an office, a guard-room, a prison, a boarding-school and a hospital testified to his skill.  

Tignor - 1926 - School opened at Kajiado - run by L.E. Whitehouse. In 1929 this school moved to Loitokitok

Dominion - Education Department - School Principal - 1930

Gazette - 6/2/1924 - Voters Register - Nairobi North - Leslie Edward Whitehouse, Chemist, Sixth Avenue
Mervyn Maciel: Whitehouse was a man of purpose, be it in Maasailand where he worked as a teacher, or in the heat of Turkana where he was DC for years. From the time he landed in Turkana in 1947, he told me his main concern was the welfare of the people at a time other officers were more keen on promotions and the long breaks in England. When he was forced to take overseas leave because of the regulations obtaining at the time, Whitehouse insisted on being posted back to Turkana on his return. Whitehouse was self-educated with not much formal academic qualification but one who could outshine colleagues when it came to dedication to duty. In Turkana Whitehouse was respected and feared by his immediate officers and locals. Despite this seemingly harsh exterior he was a fair minded individual who respected the views and opinions of others. He was a stickler for perfection and did not suffer fools gladly. He was also keen to ensure his juniors did not take advantage of his administrative staff by getting them to undertake personal chores. Though he had a fiery temper he was a gentleman. While the Mau Mau movement was active, several prominent political leaders, among them Jomo Kenyatta, were detained in Lodwar and the substation of Lokitaung. Whitehouse was in charge of Kenyatta. He treated him well and when Kenyatta was President he ensured that Whitehouse was well cared for and even appointed him as resident magistrate in Kitale, a post he held for many years until his death. Because of his desire to remain in the country, Whitehouse became a Kenya citizen. Despite his loyal and dedicated service to the colonial administration he did not qualify for a pension from the British government or the supplementary awards that retired officers were entitled to, as he had changed citizenship. This must have hurt him since his many written appeals to the British government, and even one to Queen Elizabeth, were turned down. By contrast, the independent Kenyatta government never forgot him and made sure he was well cared for in retirement. In retirement Whitehouse led a simple life, being frugal and thinking more of others. He had no attachment to material things and this Christian agnostic left everything he possessed to the Catholic mission in Turkana. Later he became dependent on others and was wheelchair bound and confused. At his own request His funeral was arranged by his Catholic friends and he was buried at Kitale cemetery.

Kitale cemetery - Leslie Edward Whitehouse - born 20 Jan 1901, died 2 Oct 1989