1969 Tanzania Safari

[AfricaHunting.com]

I know Keith Cormack he is my dad. He owned a few farms in Arusha. He was PH and my grandfather owned farms in Chimala Mbeya.

welcome to AH William! Would you mind sharing pictures or tales to with all of us!

 

[Wheels]

William

It is good to hear from you.

I responded to your pm. If you have photos of your father, grandparents and aunt it would be great.

All photos of your fathers hunts would be fantastic.

Do you have any siblings?

If you want, I could probably dig up a couple photos from your grandfathers farms. I can also probably tell you where mentions of your father and grandfather are in a couple of books.

All the best

 

[Wheels]

In a pm, William asked me to post some photos of his grandfathers farms. I decided to post here for others to see if they wanted to.

Major Cormack had three farms that I am aware of in the Chimala area.

The Chosi farm was great land. Partially irrigated. It could grow multiple crops per year. It was on the North side of the Great North Road. Most of the land was between the Chimala and the Chosi Rivers. Major Cormack sold it to the Church of Christ Mission around 1953-55. Here are some photos of the farm in the late 1960's. Keith Cormack lived in a house on this farm when I was a kid. Unfortunately I can't find a photo of the house Keith lived in.

From my understanding, the farm was nationalized in the 1970's during "Ujamma". Their are hundreds of small farmers utilizing the land now.

Crossing the Chosi river to or from the farm.

William. Not sure if this tractor was your grandfathers at one time.

Osbert was the farm supervisor when we left Tanzania in 1970.

Papayas

This lioness was part of a pride that killed cattle at the Chosi farm and neighbors farms. Photo is taken about 200 meters from the Hotel that Major Cormack owned. Maybe a couple miles from the site it was shot.

This elephant was raiding crops on the Chosi farm. It was shot on the farm by the farm manager. The rifle looks like my father's FN made Browning 458wm.

Papayas

This is ruins of the old farm headquarters area that I took in 2016. There are some of the old fruit trees still around. Some coffee bushes have grown into coffee trees.

William, if you are ever in the Chimala area and want to see this farm, let me know. I can hook you up with a couple of mzee's that can show it to you. I am not sure what your father's main crops were, but I remember a tobacco drying barn that dated to when he owned the farm.

I will try to get some photos of the other farms later.

 

[Wheels]

This is Japanese De Villers. A good friend of Major Cormack and Keith Cormack.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Fantastic, thx for sharing.

 

[Wheels]

Fantastic, thx for sharing.

Jerome,

In a conversation we had, you mentioned that one of your goals for AH is to be a repository of hunting and Africana for future generations. That is why I am posting these photos here instead of sending them directly to William.

At some point the days we are living in now will be the "good old days" to a future generation. Fifty years from now people will find it incredible and exciting the things we are doing today.

With that in mind, I hope AH and the stories that all the members post live on for centuries to benefit others.

All the best.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

Jerome,

In a conversation we had, you mentioned that one of your goals for AH is to be a repository of hunting and Africana for future generations. That is why I am posting these photos here instead of sending them directly to William.

At some point the days we are living in now will be the "good old days" to a future generation. Fifty years from now people will find it incredible and exciting the things we are doing today.

With that in mind, I hope AH and the stories that all the members post live on for centuries to benefit others.

All the best.

@Wheels

All very true and this is indeed one of my goal for AH. Later this year AH will celebrate it's 10 year anniversary of going live, hard to believe... and I can only imagine what it will be 10 years from now, AH will undoubtedly be the greatest searchable archive on the internet for hunting in Africa.

 

[CAustin]

This is a very interesting thread. Thank you to everyone who has shared pictures. @Wheels I think you are correct..... In a few years the things we are doing now will be the good old days to another generation. Taking my son on two hunts to Africa, so far, will be the stories he tells his children.

 

[Ridgewalker]

What great experiences and pictures!
Thanks!

 

[tim416]

I know Keith Cormack he is my dad. He owned a few farms in Arusha. He was PH and my grandfather owned farms in Chimala Mbeya.

Great to see the thread brought back to life. I could PM you the name of the hunter in the black and whites to see if there is any recollection of his safari.
My neighbor who provided me with these photos would love any info he can find as his dad has passed.

 

[cpr0312]

Wow! Some great pics and stories here. Thanks all for sharing!

 

[Wheels]

The Ailsa farm the Cormack's owned from around 1930-55.

This farm was started by Germans. I believe there is a reference to 1906 somewhere. The Germans lost this farm with the Treaty of Versailles. Major Cormack bought this farm from the Crown around 1930.

When sailing back to Scotland, Cormack knew he was getting close to home when he could see Ailsa's Craig. There is a geological feature near this farm that is visible for miles out on the Usangu Flats. Metaphorically he knew he was getting close to home when he saw this feature and named the farm Ailsa.

Ailsa is on the Eldon Plateau near Kitulo National Park. It sets around 2,000 meters elevation on top of the rift valley. There were a number of farm buildings on the property. It was a hog farm along with pyrethrum, wheat and potatoes.

This home was built by the Germans. The Cormacks lived here at one point as they were developing the farm. These photos are from the 1960's after the Cormacks sold the farm.

The farm was either abandoned or taken over by the government in the 1970's, depending on the story you hear. It fell into a state of disrepair.

House that is now on the site of the above house. Looking from the back side.

View of the Poroto Mountains from the farm. Area is a rolling plateau.

Tree Nursery

 

[Wheels]

Great to see the thread brought back to life. I could PM you the name of the hunter in the black and whites to see if there is any recollection of his safari.
My neighbor who provided me with these photos would love any info he can find as his dad has passed.

Tim

Sorry to hear that your friends father passed away.

William told me that his uncle, Keith's brother, Ian Cormack wrote a book. Your friend might be interested in it.

"The Great Ruwaha"

http://books.google.com/books/about...okC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button

I have just ordered the book myself.

 

[Pondoro]

Very interesting Bob...indeed Old Africa...

 

[cpr0312]

Thanks for sharing the pics and stories @Wheels! Love looking at old pics and stories

 

[William Cormack]

Thank you for the pics. Its the first time I have seen pictures of the house and parts of the farm. I have some pictures my brother is digging up at home that are very interesting. His hunting safaris in Sudan, Zambia, kenya and Zimbabwe. I am current in the US for college but as soon as I get the photos I will post them.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

I am current in the US for college but as soon as I get the photos I will post them.

That would be great!

 

[William Cormack]

Keith Cormack

 

[William Cormack]

Ian Cormack

 

[William Cormack]

Roma Cormack