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Name: MUGGERIDGE, Dorothea Rhoda 'Muggs', Miss

Birth Date: 16 Sep 1899 Glasgow

Death Date: 1994

First Date: 1937

Last Date: 1994

Profession: Shell Co., PA to General Manager

Area: Nairobi

Book Reference: Karen 50, Women in Kenya

School: Haberdasher Aske's

General Information:

Women in Kenya - Dorothea Rhoda Muggeridge (known as "Muggs", Dodo or Dorothy) was born in Glasgow on September 16, 1899. She was educated at Haberdasher Aske's School in Ealing and at a Convent School in Belgium until the war broke out in 1914. She was proud to talk of her dramatic escape from the advancing German cavalry. She and her sister Gladys, with several others, made a dash for Ostende where she caught the last boat out to Dover. Muggs worked for several years in the Admiralty and later for Shell where she was respected by many.
It must have been an enormous adventure for her when in the late 20s she was transferred to Kenya by the Shell Company to set up an office in Nairobi. She arrived by ship in Mombasa and spent her first night in Africa in the Mombasa Club and often related this experience which must have been quite traumatic for an unchaperoned young girl. Muggs became Personal Assistant to the then General Manager of Shell and saw many others through her hands until she retired in the early 50's.
At the time she lived in the famous Torr's Hotel and on retirement built her lovely house in Limuru known as the "Muggery". Situated in 5 acres of garden with a sweeping lawn in a very sought after location, she spent many happy years there. Many of the old-timers will recall Muggs' Gossip column in the Sunday Post "Miranda's Merrier Moments" we will all remember her letters with postscripts written round the edges and her signature of a drawing of a mug! Regrettably she did not enjoy good health and suffered much throughout her life, although she never complained about it. In recent years she had great difficulty in seeing, hearing, eating and walking, but was cheerful to the end. Although known to be "frugal" by nature, Muggs was most generous to people in need and helped many financially behind the scenes. She was a wonderful woman who should have written a book but never got around to it.
Karen 50 - One of the original members of Karen Club in 1937

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