H.W. Sear

C.C. MONCKTON & CO.,

COFFEE & GENERAL PRODUCE SPECIALISTS.

AGENTS FOR T. H. ALLAN & CO., LONDON.

MOSHI, BOX 20.

ARUSHA. BOX 39

HEADOFFICE: NAIROBI.

Representing:

CERTAINTEED PRODUCTS CORPORATION.

Beaver, Plaster and Insulating Boards, Floortex, Roofing Felt, etc.

A. & F. PARKES & CO., LTD., BIRMINGHAM.

Plantation Tools.

RICHARD WHEEN & SONS, LONDON.

Soaps.

RUBBER COMPANY OF SCOTLAND.

Forthvale Belting.

Agents for:

THE UNION CASTLE STEAMSHIP COMPANY.

H. W. Sear, LTD., NAIROBI.

John Deere Tractors and Implements.

Stockists of:

Coffee Pulpers, Coffee Machinery, Agricultural Machinery, Arms and Ammunition, Beaver Boards, etc.. Sanitary-ware, Belting, Coffee Tray Wire, Corrugated Iron Sheets, Gunny Bags, Plantation Requisites, Timber, etc.

YOUR ENQUIRIES ARE INVITED.

Extract ID: 3414

Incredible

For some unknown reason or another today, I just decided to enter my grandfather's name into Google search, and low and behold I found an entry in your system under the heading C.C. Monckton & Co. for H.W. Sear Ltd.

My grandfather was H.W. Sear, Henry William Sear. I believe that he died about 1936 in England, having left his farm at Lumuru (excuse me if the spelling is incorrect) just prior to that as he was suffering from a form of cancer. I know that he had 6 children, and that his wife (Constance Mary) left Africa when he passed away. I believe that one of his sons (Paul, Henry, or Oliver) may have stayed on to look after his business after he passed away. My mother was born just outside Nairobi in 1923, and told me a number of stories about her father including that he imported John Deere tractors into Kenya. I�m also aware that he was an avid pilot and flew a Gypsy Moth into and around that area. I in fact have the clock from his last plane.

But unfortunately I know little else.

Do you, by any stroke of luck, have any other information or photographs of anything connected to him that you would be able to forward to me.

Please can you help, or point me in the direction of someone who might be able to.

Yours faithfully

Roderick MacInnes

Roderick

Glad to have been able to provide a tiny bit of the puzzle of your grandfather's life.

The entry you found was a copy of an advert in a little booklet published in 1929 to promote Arusha town. Advert obviously by a firm called CC Monckton who were agents for HW Sear.

Unfortunately I think that will be all I know. My focus is mainly on Northern Tanzania, and I don�t have many books relating to Kenya. I�ve just looked in a 1927 East African Handbook, but can�t see any adverts or other information about HW Sear. You would need to find people who specialise more in Kenyan history.

For example there is:

Europeans in British Administered East Africa, A provisional List 1889 - 1903

Stephen J North

ISBN 0 9524754 2 1

First ed 1995

Second ed (with illustrations) 2000

pub privately (I think) by

Stephen J North

22 Belmont

Wantage

OX12 9AS

Good luck in your search

Extract ID: 5125