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Name: LETHAM, Thomas Edward

Birth Date: 16 June 1901 Manor Park, Essex

Death Date: 8 May 1953 Mombasa

First Date: 1927

Last Date: 1953

Profession: Was employed on the Union Castle Line between UK and Africa and left the sea to work in the gold mines in Tanganyika. He then trekked to Nairobi and worked for Mrs Tate at the first Stanley Hotel, later managed by the Waterman family

Area: Tanganyika, Beira, Nairobi, Limuru, Mombasa

Married: In Stratford St John 7 Aug 1926 May Sowter b. 1899 Wilby, Suffolk, d. 1989 Weston super Mare

Children: May Stephanie 'Babs' (1926) m. Fred Hutchinson; Thomas William (31.8.1929 Billericay, Essex -8.2.2014 Cranbrook, Kent); Anne Gwendolen (1935)

Book Reference: EAWL, Red 31, Macmillan, Barnes

War Service: Worked for Rhodesian Railways & managed the Savoy Hotel, Beira

General Information:

Latterly the Stanley Hotel was modernised and became the New Stanley on the present site. TEL returned to Kenya in 1944/45 and worked at both the New Stanley and Norfolk Hotels which were to be owned by the Block family by 1949. TEL also farmed at Limuru - but the altitude did not agree with him and he bought the Sea Breezes Hotel, Mombasa in 1950 with the intention of retiring to the coast but his health was not good and he died in 1953. He was President of Royal Nairobi Golf Club in 1952. Source: Mrs Valerie Letham
Macmillan - 1930 - The New Stanley Hotel ….. The dining room is supervised by Mr T.E. Litham [sic], who has also had many years experience with the Union Castle Line.
Nairobi City Park cemetery - Thomas Edward Letham, died 8 May 1953 aged 52
Mombasa Mbaraki cemetery - Mr Letham, died 8 May 1953, European Hospital - Body taken to Nairobi
Gazette 16 Nov 1936 - Voters' List 1936 - Thomas Edward Letham, Hotel Manager, Box 75, Nbi

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