Skip to content ↓

View entry

Back to search results

Name: HUGHES, John Joseph 'J.J.'

image of individual

Birth Date: 24 July 1895 Armagh

Death Date: 20 Oct 1971 Nairobi

First Date: 1920

Profession: Founder of Hughes Ltd - Kenya's Ford Agent.

Area: Nairobi, Eldoret, 1930 Nakuru

Married: In Kenya 1932 Eugenie Dorothy Ullman b. 29 June 1910 Willesden, d. 16 Aug 1987 Tunbridge Wells - a teacher at Greensteds/architect - see her entry

Children: Peter Jeffries Connor (27 Jan 1935 Elham, Kent-12 Sep 2012 Nairobi); Maeve; Zelda (11 Apr 1938-27 Mar 1955, killed in car accident); Geraldine; Grania; Sharon

Book Reference: Eldoret, Golf, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Macmillan, Year Book, Red 22, Rift Valley, Web, Barnes

General Information:

Eldoret - arrived here in a new Model T Ford on secondment to the Agricultural Department but later resigned to join forces with T.J. O'Shea, trader in Fords, hides and skins. Fords were bartered for standing and harvested crops, hides and skins and even a disabled steam roller. To realise on these, he had to export them by ox wagon to the nearest station. John Hughes personally loaded the first consignment of wheat to leave Eldoret station. Today [1967] Hughes Ltd. Kenya's Ford Agent, has branches in all the main towns.
Macmillan - 1930 - Hughes & Co., Automobile Engineers, Nakuru - The business was originally a branch of the Service Company of Nairobi, and was taken over in 1928 as a separate and distinct undertaking by Mr J.J. Hughes, who is its sole owner.
Year Book - 1953 - Vice-President of Nairobi Chamber of Commerce
President of Nakuru Golf Club in 1936.
Contact, March 1978 - The History of Hughes Ltd. - …… The man who more than any other 'Forded' Kenya, was John Joseph Hughes. "JJ", as he was popularly known, and Henry Ford possessed remarkably similar qualities and personalities. Both were resourceful individualists with a zest for work; both had the gift of foresight, a kind of sixth sense which may have been inherited from their Irish ancestors. John Hughes was 25 years old when he came to Kenya in April 1920 as a buyer for the well-known London firm of fibre merchants, Robinson, Flemming & Co. Ltd. In his work he travelled extensively among the European settler community, getting to know particularly well the plateau area of the Trans Nzoia and Uasin Gishu districts. Though automobiles were a rarity and roads were still very much in their infancy, his mode of conveyance was Henry Ford's wonderful Model T.
Mechanically uncanny, the T differed from other vehicles seen in British East Africa before. It was heroic, an ideal 'bundu gari', and it often seemed to transmit this quality to persons who rode in it. To reach places where neither road nor track existed, "JJ" stripped down his T to a chassis and petrol box seat only. It would go anywhere and when he did get stuck he was always able to pick up the rear end and drag the T out on his own. John Hughes blazed the first trail from the railhead at Kisumu to Kitale. Remote farmers and Kakamega gold prospectors were often surprised but always delighted to receive regular calls from "JJ", for he was forever fetching and carrying their badly needed supplies. "JJ" would often meet their children returning from boarding school at the Londiani railway station and deliver them safely home. No wonder then, that his remarkable T was dubbed "The Pride of the Plateau".
It wasn't long before the Model T Ford became the envy of a growing settler community. John Hughes foresaw a potential awaiting farmer or businessman who changed to mechanised transportation deciding it was time for him to join forces with a close friend, Tom O'Shea who had just acquired the Ford franchise and had excellent service outlets at Eldoret and Kitale. ………. The early 20's were difficult years for the Kenya farmer, years of constant hard work with little financial reward. Produce was hard to market, disease and pests took their toll. It was in these conditions that John Hughes had an inspiration; one that was to play no small part in the rapid development of farming in North West Kenya, and one that laid the foundations of a great Company. In return for a new Model T Ford as well as credit for petrol and spares; a farmer would agree to lease 100 acres of good arable land for one year - to plough it, cultivate it and plant mixed crops as directed. "JJ" took the risks of a good harvest or otherwise and the responsibility of marketing the produce. In addition "JJ" would accept other kinds of goods in trade to make a sale.
These barter schemes worked well and within two years over 250 Model T's were sold. ………… It wasn't long before "JJ", himself a keen and able sportsman, became involved in motor sport. Henry Ford had always acknowledged the value of competition motoring in improving product and "JJ" considered it an excellent means of further demonstrating Ford's tough and dependable qualities to prospective customers. "JJ" helped organise the first ever event on record - a high speed trial between Nairobi and Nakuru which was won, not be an Irishman but a wily Scot, Kenneth McIvor driving a Model T Ford. In a 'dry' race he covered the distance which was  then approximately 113 miles, in 3 hours, 56 minutes and 58 seconds and finished over half an hour ahead of other rival makes which included Rolls Royce Overland, Dodge and Hupmobile. To give an idea of the conditions, you have to imagine a cross-country route on raods which were little better than game paths, running approximately 20 miles to the south of the existing road. Some part of the success might well be attributed to his co-driver, Henry Tarlton, a distinguished jockey who apparently had no trouble sitting astride the T's bonnet pouring water into the radiator while on the move. Henry was also an expert navigator, his particular forte being an ability to distinguish between farm tracks and the so-called main road.
Rift Valley - Member of the Rift Valley Sports Club - Jan 1929 - Elected - 21 Aug 1928 - J.J. Hughes
Web - President of Nairobi Rotary Club - 1952-53
KAD 1922 - Flax Officer, Agriculture Dept., Eldoret
Barnes Nairobi St Austin's cem - "JJ" Hughes / 24.7.1895 - 20.10.1971. Also his wife and son Peter

Back to search results