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Jim was an interesting man, I have all his books and often pick one up to have another read.

Have a first edition copy of his last book written in Kenya, he signed off the 30 page book on the 6th April 1955 and died suddenly on the 19th April. This book documented the visit by Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh in February 1952 to the old original Tree Tops lodge where she spent the night in the tree top building observing game visiting the water hole at the base of the large ficus tree on which the lodge was built. The Princess specifically requested that Jim, who lived nearby, accompany her party for the visit to Tree Tops. Elizabeth's father, the King, died back in England during the night so as Jim wrote in the visitor’s book, she ascended Tree Tops as a Princess and descended as a Queen.
When seating for their evening meal in Tree Tops, Elizabeth asked Jim to sit between her and the Duke and as Jim wrote in his book he sat on the cushioned seat set for the Duke beside his wife while the Duke was relegated to the hard wooden bench. I have seen a very old short movie clip of the Princess and party sitting down to their evening meal and you can see Jim there too.

Interestingly my book which I purchased second hand has an ink handwritten inscription inside the front page
“To Olive From Elizabeth With Love Xmas 1955”

I’ve done a little research and the Royal Lodge, Sagana, where the Princess and Duke were staying during their visit to Kenya was then owned by Lord and Lady Bowden-Powell, Lady Powell’s name was Olave. Princess Elizabeth was a Girl Guide and they even had a special troop set up at Buckingham Palace, her mother, the Queen Mother, was patron or similar of the Girl Guides.
Real long shot but the handwritten ‘Elizabeth’ looks very similar to the early Princess’s and now Queen’s writing style. The ‘Olive’ is a little indistinct and could well be Clive or Olave!

Anyway good little book recording what was a highlight in Gentleman Jim’s life.

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