Trace and Tell your Family's Empire Stories
Introduction
David Steel was Leader of the Liberal Party between 1976 and 1988, steering their merger with the Social Democratic party. He was knighted in 1990 and was elevated to the House of Lords in 1997. A strong advocate of devolution, David became the first speaker of the new Scottish Parliament in 1999 before he retired from politics in 2003.
Born in Scotland, David's life changed dramatically when he was 11 years old. His father, a Church of Scotland Minister, announced they were to move to Africa, to the British colony of Kenya. After four years, with the situation in Kenya becoming increasingly violent the family returned to Scotland.
However, David's father made the journey back to Kenya to continue his work. It was only after his father's death in 2002 that David discovered a briefcase full of documents belonging to the Reverend Steel. They revealed that he played a significant part in the political turmoil that accompanied the birth of the new Kenya.
Browser by chapterMembers of Reverend David Steel's own church were among those detained without trial. Files in the National Archive show that members of the church, including David's father, lobbied the government for the release of these innocent people.
Reverend Wanjau, a former colleague of the Reverend Steel and now a senior figure in the Presbyterian church of East Africa, had to endure his own father being detained for three years without charge. His mother was also held. Through the Reverend Gatu, David was also able to meet Habili, another innocent detainee, who was released as a result of his father's campaign.
Early in 1957, the last Mau Mau leader was caught and executed. The rising was effectively at an end, although the state of emergency remained in force until 1960. Peace came at a bloody cost: it has been officially estimated that over 11,000 Mau Mau and 2,000 African loyalists had been killed by 1956. By contrast there were 32 British deaths.
