Gazette 15 Apr 1947 probate for Elinor Constance Lowe died Hythe, Hants 20 Apr 1946 

Gazette 15 Mar 1930 Rift Valley Voters' list

Letter from Mark Arnold Napier Stark to his bro 26.2.1928 (Stark had just become the Lowe's manager) : Taito is 3000 acres and belongs to Mrs Lowe. She has – or had - plenty of money which a dreamy, finicky architect-engineering husband has wasted for her. He bought this place for her without her seeing it and dragged her up here paying an absurd price for - in those days dash - ungetatable land with no road up the Escarpment. That was 7 years ago, during which time, though he has scarcely ever left the place, he has pottered about and frittered away her money. He never went near the coffee except an occasional walk round on Sundays - he hates natives - but seems to have spent most of his time designing and building an enormous house. £5000 pounds has already been spent on it and it is not nearly finished yet. A few months ago Mrs Lowe decided she couldn’t go on like this and packed her husband off home and told him to look for a job. He used to earn £2000 a year as an engineer in the Argentine. She has had two managers in the last 12 months - neither any good - and now they have got me to come and make the place pay while they go away and economise.[Mrs Lowe's sister and her husband F.O. Ward lived with the Lowes] Lowe is a comfortable, jovial sort of fellow who likes his little stories and jokes (oft repeated) and his wine we invariably have beer, shandy or cider for lunch, sundowners on the tray and wine and port for dinner. Sometimes a gin sling in the middle of the morning which is a most welcome and refreshing drink when buried in the bowels of a tractor out in the sun, and the feeding is the best I have ever had. Mrs Ward is the clever one of the two sisters. She it is who does the housekeeping. She is dark, tubby, untidy and not very prepossessing but makes up for it by her capability. Mrs Lowe on the other hand was the frivolous one (vain, in the past, of her good figure and (possibly) good looks, and slightly neurotic but not by any means a fool. So far I have found her very easy to get on with. It was rather pathetic the nervous tentative way in which at first she talked about the shamba. After all, it is her property, and she’s entitled to know what is going on and to suggest how things might be done!. Indeed, I have found them almost extraordinary kind and helpful. For instance, Ward would take me down the 74 miles to Fort Ternan and and back just to fetch my dog who had had to be left behind and has spent a lot of time helping me do repairs to my car. 

I have been tremendously busy during the month I have been here as the shamba has been rather neglected and labour was out of hand. Things are just beginning to go a bit smoothly but I haven’t started any office work yet. I have been out on the shamba from sunrise to sunset very often. And by the time I have finished discussing various shauris [bothers], and the next day’s work with my headman I have scarcely any time for a sundowner (often not) before rushing off to bath and change for dinner. And by the time that evening ceremony with its 1796 sherry, it’s vintage Burgundy or Bordeaux and port is over about 10:00 pm, I am too sleepy to do anything but roll into bed.

I have just been promoted to the house from a guest house outside and have been busy settling in. I have got splendid quarters - the finished wing of the house -  and they have furnished it most cosily for me. What a comfort it is to have a good house with solid walls and roof and big bath and fireplaces. And then, if I ever want to give a dance, I have the whole of the great centre room and accommodation for a vast assemblage.
1939 England and Wales Register wife living in Halstead, Essex