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I have a copy of two pages from the East African Standard on Friday March 31 1950. This edition celebrates 50 years of Nairobi, and includes a full-page spread on a few of the more prominent mayors of the city, including James Riddell and my great-grandfather, Charles Udall. Here is the verbatim text pertinent to James Riddell (including a spelling mistake towards the end) - I hope it helps:
East African Standard
Friday March 31 1950
The City of Nairobi 1900-1950
Mayors - Past and Present - Tell How the City Grew
Plain speaker who got his way about roads
Mr. James Riddell
1925-6-7 1931-32-33
In 1935, after having lived in Kenya for some 22 years, Mr. James Riddell, Mayor in 1925-26-27 and again in 1931-32-33, threatened to leave the country forever.
He intended to settle down in Glasgow as "competition in Kenya had become so fierce that it was an impossible country to live in for the non-official European." But Mr. Riddell is still living in Kenya - on the outskirts of Nairobi.
He has a reputation for plain speaking and in his earlier days was the driving force behind many schemes designed to improve working conditions, particularly among Europeans.
In 1919 he was instrumental in inaugurating and organising the Workers' Federation at a time when he considered there was a threat to reduce wages and salaries; some years later he advocated an insurance scheme, by which all Europeans might have regular leave, and a land bank to assist soldier-settler farmers.
Mr. Riddell served on the Municipal Council for 15 years. On six occasions, he recalled to an East African Standard reporter a few days ago, he was "ordered out" of meetings "for resenting rude remarks."
"One occasion was when I objected to the Tender Board having executive powers," he said. "As I was not a member of the Board apparently I had no right to criticise its expenditure.
"Another time I used the words 'damned wangle' in the Council - and the next day the Press had it in large letters in the headlines.
"During my 15 years we had three very bad periods of unemployment. In the first instance there were some 350 workless; in the second period unemployed made concrete blocks for the Council, while in 1933 some 200 people - mostly farmers - had their fares paid to other countries."
Mr. Riddell recalled that right from the start he had urged Council to erect its own building; formerly the Council rented a number of buildings. "Now we have a very worthy building in the City Square," he added.
When the first elected Council - with 16 elected members and a Goan member nominated by Government - took over from the Committee it was faced with the formidable task of meeting public demands for vast improvements in sanitation, water supplies, better roads and a new slaughter-house and Native location. The first loan, he said, was for some £15,000 to install water-borne sanitation.
In 1927 Mr. Riddell was a member of a committee which included Lord Delamere, General Rhodes, Sir Christian Felling, and a town planning expert from South Africa, which sat for six months to frame a report to Government on the orderly development of Nairobi.
"Among the recommendations was the realignment of the railway which has now taken place after all these years," said Mr. Riddell.
"The Duke Street area was also dealt with and factory sites allocated near the railway. Roads formed an important part of the discussions and had the recommendations beeen carried out we would not have had the awful conditions that prevail today."
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