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Agnes Ramsay Shaw OBE (née Cree; 1903-1978), was an early European settler in Sotik in the West of Kenya. In 1951, she was selected as a European member on the Legislative Council of Kenya 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, Shaw defeated Noel Irwin by 632 votes to 317.

In the 1956-57 Kenyan general election, Shaw again defeated Irwin of the Independent Group (Kenya) by 468 votes to 314. 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, together with Michael Blundell as a representative of the multi-racial New Kenya Party.

In 1960, Shaw was appointed to the Order of the British Empire.

Bibliography

• Shaw, Agnes (2020). Kenya Kaleidoscope. Independently Published.

References

1. http://www.eamemorials.co.uk/EAMemorials/KENYA/Karen,%20St%20Francis/StFrancis45.htm Accessed 6/2/2022
2. "Nominations for the General Election in Kenya", East Africa and Rhodesia, 20 August 1956, p1866
3. "Results of the General Election in Kenya", East Africa and Rhodesia, 4 October 1956, p150
4. "General Election in Kenya: Comments in the Press", East Africa and Rhodesia, 11 October 1956, p186
5. Sang, Godfrey, Women and the Parliament of Kenya: Historical Reflections (1917-1974) (July 23, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4134411 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4134411
6. "Kenya Gazette, Nairobi 1960

• 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