Sitrep 2 - 'He called the farm Miwani, which in Swahili means "spectacles". The Swahili word for sugar cane is "Miwa" - Grandpa had had a language problem! However, in  his speech at the factory opening he covered up by saying "Miwani means that the eyes of the world are upon us". Miwani is now a name on the map, a station between Londiani and Kisumu. The "Mayers Brothers" all seven of them - started their lives in Kenya in Miwani - working on the estate. They also had to do "mess duty". On one occasion, when it was Cyril's turn to organise the meal, not having any meat, he had the cook prepare a python that had been killed in the field - everyone went out and threw up when they found out! Eric and Aubrey bought land in Nandi - just a few miles from Miwani up the escarpment - they planted tea and some coffee. Nandi tea is now world-famous. Grandpa also had a coffee estate in Kiambu - "Kimara" - still going today. Both Grandpa and Grandma are buried on Taito in Nandi overlooking Miwani.                                                                                                  

Seventy - due to recurrent malaria with the children they moved to the edge of the Nandi escarpment and experimented with 80 acres of tea in the mid 20's ............ Despite Depression years they had a wonderful sporting and social life at their home, 'Taito', and always had new tennis balkls when all else was on the bread line.                                                                                           

Letter from Leda Farrant - 'G.R. Mayers went to New Zealand from Reading at the end of the last century to make his fortune when he was 17 years old. No fortune in New Zealand, so moved to Brisbane in Australia. Opened a hardware store and did make a fortune. Brought out his brother Marsden Mayers, handed over the store, moved to Cairns in Queensland and there made another fortune in sugar. Known as the sugar King of Queensland. Married Penelope Smith (daughter of the 1st padre in Canberra). Had 12 children (1 died). In 1919 when the Socialist Govt. got into Queensland then aged 52/3 left Australia with 3 sons - Eric, Cyril and Roy. George and 3 sons toured India etc. looking for opportunities, but actually were headed for South America when they docked at Mombasa. As the ship was there for 3 days, George and 3 sons went up to Kisumu by KUR&H, and when George saw the Nyando Valley (20 miles from Lake Victoria), between Nandi and Kericho (there wasn't a soul there then, the Kavirondo's were round Lake Victoria) he thought that was a wonderful place to grow sugar. Hot and humid like Cairns in Western Australia, so he told his sons "We won't go to South America, we'll grow sugar here." Bought 10,000 acres, brought all the machinery from England, layed a railway system with steam engines, taught the Africans how to plant, cut etc. Had built the enormous factory. Put down a cricket pitch, built house for family, tennis courts, brought family over from Australia. All sons went to school in England. Brought white Australians to operate factories etc. etc. etc. He STARTED the sugar industry in Kenya. He died of cancer in 1930 but his sons carried on the industry. The estate was known as the Miwani Sugar Estate. His sons later bought coffee farms etc. The Miwani was eventually sold to indians who milked it. The Kenya Govt. eventually took it over.'

Red 25 has G.H. Mayers, Miwani