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Name: CEARN, George William

Birth Date: 11.11.1871 Eastport, Iowa USA

Death Date: 17.9.1954 Knysna, South Africa

First Date: 1906 from Rhodesia

Last Date: 1920

Profession: He was the proprietor of 'Cearns', a large haberdashery store in Nairobi, a member of Nairobi Municipal Council, at one time Chairman of Nairobi Chamber of Commerce and a visiting Justice to Nairobi Asylum

Area: Box 647, Nairobi

Married: In Bulawayo Nov 1903 Ethel Sarah Blackwell b. 1878 Bradford, d. 29 May 1957 Knysna

Book Reference: Gillett, HBEA, KAD, Red 25, Playne, Drumkey, Red 22, Land, Advertiser, Gazette, Nicholls, Foster, Red Book 1912, North

General Information:

SE - Cearn & Co. - Aug 1907
An Accountant with Matabeleland Trading Association in 1902, he then spent 4 years in Rhodesia before settling in the EAP. In 1920 he returned to SA where he had many other business interests.
Playne - in 1907 the store of Messrs Cearn & Co. was opened as drapers, outfitters, and general importers, by Mr G.W. Cearn, the sole proprietor, who was formerly with Messrs Haddon & Sly of Bulawayo. Messrs Cearn & Co. are importers of ammunition, boots, blankets, clothing, drapery, firearms, hosiery, hats, helmets, household linens, as well as many other useful goods for home and for safari. For their dressmaking and tailoring branch, experienced tailors and cutters are employed, while all the latest styles of goods are kept in stock. Of their 5 tailors, 3 are retained for the gentlemen's department, and 2 for the ladies' department. Messrs Cearn & Co., who originally imported from England a small wood and iron store complete, also act as town agents for W.N. McMillan and the CMS.
Playne - The 'Times of East Africa' - ' ...... in February 1907, Mr D.S. Garvie was appointed manager and continued to act in that capacity until June of the same year, when the company sold the plant to Messrs D.S. Garvie, G.W. Cearn, and R.B. Taylor. The name of the paper was then changed to the 'Advertiser of East Africa', with Mr Garvie as manager and editor. Many alterations were made in the business policy of the new company. .........  In June of 1908 the 'Advertiser' Company was dissolved, and Mr D.S. Garvie, buying out his partners, continued to run the business on the same lines, with Mr MacLellan Wilson, who had been engaged in the preceding month of May, as editor.
Red 22 - Member, Nairobi Municipal Council
Land - 1911 - G.W. Cearn - Buildings, 15000 sq.ft. - Naivasha - 24/1/11 - Leasehold for 99 years from 1/1/11 - Registered 16/12/11
Land - 1912 - G.W Cearn - Buildings, 7500 sq.ft. and 9750 sq.ft. - Londiani - 8/8/10 - Leasehold for 99 years from 1/9/10 - Registered 5/3/12
Advertiser - 10/7/1908 - The partnership between Donald Sutherland Garvie, R.R. Bladen Taylor and George William Cearn as the Advertiser Company is dissolved. D.S. Garvie is now sole proprietor - 26/6/08
Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Nairobi District - G.W. Cearn, Merchant
Foster - Lay Member 1918 Synod of the Diocese of Mombasa. One of the first Church Wardens of All Saint's cathedral
Red Book 1912 - G.W. Cearn - Nairobi
Gazette - 12/11/1919 - Register of Voters - Nairobi, South Area - George William Cearn - 4th Ngong Avenue and Mrs Ethel Sarah Cearn - 4th Ngong Road
KAD 1922 - Committee Member, YMCA
Gazette 28 June 1955 probate says he died 17 Sep 1954

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