Agnes Ramsay Shaw (; 1903-1978), was an early

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

settler in

Sotik Sotik town is an urban centre situated in Sotik Constituency, Sotik Sub-county within Bomet County in the Western region of Kenya and managed by Sotik Town Council. Initially, it was the home of Kipsigis people#Mugenik Barngetuny Araap Sitonik, ...

in the West of Kenya. In 1951, she was selected as a European member on the

Legislative Council of Kenya The Legislative Council of Kenya (LegCo) was the legislature of Kenya between 1907 and 1963. It was modelled on the Westminster system. It began as a nominated, exclusively European institution and evolved into an electable legislature with unive ...

for the Nyanza seat and was the fourth woman to be appointed to that body and later became the last European woman to be elected to it. She sat for twelve years until Kenyan Independence in 1963, attending the Lancaster House Conferences (Kenya).

Biography

Born in Glasgow, Shaw arrived in Kenya in 1927. She married Brian Shaw in 1928 and they had two children Ann and Michael. When she came to Kenya, she became interested in politics and was a founder member of the Electors’ Union. In the

1952 Kenyan general election General elections were held in Kenya in 1952. Electoral system The number of European seats in the Legislative Council was increased from 11 to 14, with two new constituencies in the countryside and one in western Nairobi."Elections In Kenya: ...

, Shaw defeated

Noel Irwin Lieutenant General Noel Mackintosh Stuart Irwin & Two Bars, MC (24 December 1892 – 21 December 1972) was a senior British Army officer, who played a prominent role in the British Army after the Dunkirk evacuation, and in the Burma campaign ...

by 632 votes to 317. In the 1956-57 Kenyan general election, Shaw again defeated Irwin of the

Independent Group (Kenya) The Independent Group of Members of the Legislative Council was a right-wing political party in Kenya. History Led by Llewellyn Briggs Llywelyn, Llewelyn or Llewellyn is a name of Welsh language origins. See Llywelyn (name) for the name's etymol ...

by 468 votes to 314."Results of the General Election in Kenya", ''East Africa and Rhodesia'', 4 October 1956, p150 In winning this election, Shaw became the last European woman to contest and win an election in Kenya. Shaw joined the Lancashire House Conference, chaired by

Iain Macleod Iain Norman Macleod (11 November 1913 – 20 July 1970) was a British Conservative Party politician and government minister. A playboy and professional bridge player in his twenties, after war service Macleod worked for the Conservative Researc ...

, together with

Michael Blundell Sir Michael Blundell (7 April 1907 – 1 February 1993) was a Kenyan farmer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council from 1948 until 1963, and as Minister of Agriculture in two spells between 1955 and 1962. Biography ...

as a representative of the multi-racial

New Kenya Party The New Kenya Party was a political party in Kenya. History With encouragement from Governor Evelyn Baring and Secretary of State for the Colonies Alan Lennox-Boyd, the New Kenya Group was established on 2 April 1959 by Michael Blundell.Robert ...

. In 1960, Shaw was appointed to the Order of the British Empire."Kenya Gazette, Nairobi 1960

Bibliography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaw, Agnes Members of the Legislative Council of Kenya Kenyan farmers Settlers of Kenya 1903 births 1978 deaths Kenyan women in politics Kenyan people of British descent White Kenyan people