Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers

Several photos on this website were kindly provided by Virginia McKenna.
Virginia starred with her husband Bill Travers in the movie Born Free.
She and Bill became very close friends with George Adamson.
Virginia is an extremely kind and dedicated person and works tirelessly to help wildlife.

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Virginia McKenna
Virginia McKenna received the OBE Honors 2004
"for services to art and to animal conservation" and
received her OBE from Her Majesty the Queen on 9th June 2004.
Virginia stated: "Above all, I accept it, in retrospect, on behalf of
my husband, Bill Travers. We walked the same path and still do."
Congratulations to Virginia (and Bill).

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Virginia McKenna on Mughwango HiIl, Elsa's Kopje in Meru.
Elsa the Lioness is buried in Meru and people
still visit her grave to pay their respect. Photos

Virginia McKenna with one of her sons.

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Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers
Husband and Wife AND Kindred Spirits.

Virginia McKenna received a HSUS award presented by Sean Astin
during the Humane Society of the US(HSUS) 2004 'Genesis Awards'.
Given Virginia's endearing commitment to animal welfare, not to mention her stirring speech,
it was little wonder that writer Chuck Austen was awestruck to share the same stage with the legend.
After accepting the Genesis Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement for his work on X-Men Unlimited,
Austen commented, "To be on the same stage as Virginia McKenna, whose film was such an inspiration
in my youth, is beyond words."

McKenna's two-decade role in animal welfare is not a job, not even a vocation, said her son in an
essay in the Genesis Awards program. It is a "mission, passionately delivered with every ounce of [her] being."

On October 18th Virginia Mckenna travelled to Kenya and Virginia took a copy
of Craig Roberts GIRL(The Lioness) print for permanent residance at Elsa's Kopje,
Meru National park, Kenya-East Africa. Article

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Virginia McKenna and her dog Jonnie with a fawn.
Jonnie the springer spaniel starred in the movie, "Ring of Bright Water" with the
human stars, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna. When the filming was over,
Bill and Virginia brought him back home to live with them in Surry.
Virginia and Bill 'rescued' Jonnie from a miserable life living in a kennel.
They instead provided him with a wonderful home where he was loved!
NOTE About Jonnie: You can see Jonnie at the beginning of the film
An Elephant Called Slowly, also Christian the Lion and of course Ring of Bright Water.

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A web page about Virginia would not be complete
without including her husband and best friend Bill Travers.

In 1964, the 30th of August Joy wrote to a close acquaintance the following:
(Excerpt is from actual copy of letter written by Joy Adamson.)
READ Joy Adamson's comments about Virginia and Bill....

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To read this entire letter and many others and gain insight into the life and thoughts of
Joy Adamson, see the "Joy Adamson's Letters" web page on this site.