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Name: BENBOW, Arthur Reginald
Birth Date: 2 Dec 1905 Fulham
Death Date: 16 Apr 1989 North Walsham, Norfolk
First Date: 1949
Last Date: 1972
Profession: Served with RAF in Nairobi and after WW2 returned to the Hotel business. 1950 New Arusha Hotel. 1955/56 Nairobi to run Torrs Hotel, 1960 returned to Arusha to Safari Hotel, 1964 Nairobi, New Avenue and Ambassador Hotel
Area: Arusha, Nairobi
Married: In Westminster 25 June 1931 Dorothy Laura Matters, b. 4 May 1910 Bere Ferrers, Devon, d. 2 Sep 1980 Depwade, Norfolk
Children: Michael C. (1935 Hendon-1937); Valerie (Letham) (1932); Susan (20.1.1939-2003); Patricia (MacLennan, Evans, Mayhew) (1942)
Book Reference: EAWL, Kingsley-Heath
War Service: Served in RAF in UK, Malta and Nairobi
General Information:
Left Kenya in 1972 mainly due to the ill health of Dorothy and they settled first in Exmouth, Devon, owning a restaurant called Clapps, then up to Fenny Drayton in Warwickshire to run the Royal Haven and finally to the Doric in Norfolk which thy had until the death of Dorothy in 1980. Subsequently he lived in Norwich until his death. Source: Mrs Valerie Letham
Kingsley-Heath - 'Ben' Benbow - Long-time very successful hotel operator in East Africa. A friend to all in the safari business and most helpful at all times. The Safari Hotel in Arusha, Tanganyika was owned by him and hosted the film crew on 'Hatari'.
Valerie Letham: He decided to return to the hotel business after serving in the RAF and in April 1950 moved to the new Arusha Hotel in Arusha, where the younger girls attended Arusha School. They stayed in Arusha until 1955 when they moved to Nairobi to take over Torrs Hotel and stayed there until 1960 when they returned to Arusha to run the Safari Hotel until 1964 when again they went back to Nairobi and ran the New Avenue and Ambassadors Hotels until they left Kenya in 1972. They were first in Exmouth owning a restaurant called Clapps then went to Fenny Drayton in Warwickshire to run the Royal Haven and finally to the Doric in Norfolk which they had until the death of Benbow in 1980.
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