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Name: CONSTANTINE, Alfred Kingsley
Birth Date: 18 Jan 1874 Handsworth, Staffs.
Death Date: 6 Sep 1957 Nairobi
First Date: 1909
Profession: Initially he was employed by Messrs Child, Parr & Joseph, but later joined J. Pollock in his engineering concern. From 1922-27 he was the General Manager of Unga Ltd., Njoro and subsequently he became Manager of Timsales, Nairobi
Area: Njoro, Nairobi, 1930 Elmenteita, 1922 Keringet Molo, 1937 No 11 Estate Ruiru
Married: In King's Norton 1900 Lillian Eliza Summerfield b. 27 Sep 1869 Birmingham, arrived EA 1909, d. Nairobi 13.9.1959
Children: Lillian Enid (9.7.1906 London) (m. William George Howell); Lorna who worked with the same motor firm for over 40 years
Book Reference: Gillett, HBEA, KFA, White Man, KAD, Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Red 22, EA & Rhodesia, Barnes, Medals, Leader14, Rift Valley, Red Book 1912
War Service: WW1 in England
General Information:
After WW1 he was for some time Financial Adviser to the Forest Department in EA.
HBEA 1912 shows him at Messrs Childs, Parr & Joseph, Mombasa.
KFA - Appointed manager of Unga Ltd in November 1921. In 1923 all the European staff departed except for Mr Constantine and a youth of about 20, Mr C. Aubury Hall. Mr Constantine's experience of the grain trade had lain on the business side and he had no technical knowledge of milling. Somehow or other, the two of them managed to run the mill for 24 hours a day, with a small staff of untrained Africans, while Mrs Constantine did all the clerical and accountancy work without pay. ...... (more) ........... When Unga Ltd was reconstructed in 1928 he resigned. To him and to his family, and to their happy relations with Lord Delamere, the building up of Unga's growth and success was very largely due. As a miller he was self-taught; as a manager he was astute, long-sighted and scrupulously fair. To him, Unga had been not a commercial enterprise but a cause. Questions of hours of work and pay had never bothered him, any more than they had bothered his master. His going was a great loss.
EA & Rhodesia - 29/1/59 - Manager of Unga - Mr A. K. Constantine, an excellent choice for the vacancy, was greatly helped by his wife and daughter; she gave up her home leave to study milling in England, and on her return took charge of the technical work.
Nairobi Forest Road Cemetery - Alfred Bingsley [sic] Constantine, British, age 83, died 6/8/57 and Lilian Eliza Constantine, British, age 89, died 13/9/59 {Nat Probate Calendar says 6.9.57]
Medals - Mombasa Defence Force - No. 9320, Private
Rift Valley - Member of the Rift Valley Sports Club - Jan 1929 - Elected - 19 Apr 1928 - A.K. Constantine
Red Book 1912 - A.K. Constantine - Mombasa
Gazette - 23/1/1918 - Mombasa Motor Boat Co.- The Mombasa Motor Boat Co. has been wound up and all known liabilities have been paid. Should any persons consider they have claims against the Company they must submit same to A.K. Constantine, Molo, BEA, before 15 Feb 1918.
Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - A.K. Constantine - Business Manager - Molo and Lilian Elizabeth Constantine - Married Molo
Gazette - Voters List 1936 - Alfred Kingsley Constantine, Company Manager, Box 86, Nbi. And Lilian Eliza Constantine, Married woman, Box 86, Nbi and Lorna Constantine, Company Secretary, Box 129, Nbi.
Gazette 21 Jan 1958 probate says he died 6 Sep 1957
Gazette 29 Dec 1959 wife's probate
1939 England and Wales Register living with wife in Oxbridge as 'commercial manager retired timber merchant'
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