KFA - Among the earliest of the settlers in the Thomson's Falls area.

Letter from Phil Sykes - 'Father was allocated a farm in Western Kenya - but discovered it was in a mountainous area from a friend and he had a game leg. To cut a long story short, he ended up with the farm at Thomson's Falls. Doing work (ploughing etc.) for an absentee landlord on aneighbouring farm he ended up owning the farm, finally purchasing a third block of land; he ended up with over 4000 acres of grassland between Ol Joro Orok and Thomson's Falls. As far as I know the only other settler in the area was Major Raynor and his wife on Maji Chemka farm - Ol Joro Orok (1919)

Louis was independent - 'cussed' known by quite a few neighbours as a 'prickly old sod'. His political views (which he had on everything) were quite often different from those of other people in the district. Even though he'd fought against them many of the Afrikaans looked up to him - they had a friend in 'old Capt. Sykes' because of his often very anti-colonial or anti-British views. I think that often the farm suffered - because of his work in Councils - committees etc. he was always trying to improve the lot of his fellow settlers, be it club house - roads hospital or what ever. For instance in the early days he wanted to get an air strip for Thomson's Falls, with the idea of something like the flying doctor service. Getting no support locally for the idea, he built a landing strip on the farm, wind sock and all, and it was used by the likes of General Lewin and Sir Piers Mostyn in the 1930s - till in the '50s the 'airsprays' Noon and Pierce, used it.

Thomson's Falls Cemetery Inscription: to the cherished memory / of / Ella Alder Sykes / the wife of / Louis Sykes / of Tumaini, T Falls / who died on the / 15th May 1961 aged 69 /and of / Margaret Alder Sykes / F.A.N.Y. / who died on service in / Ceylon - S.E.A.C. / on the 13th May 1944 / R.I.P.

Thomson's Falls Cemetery - Louis Sykes, died 21 Aug 1964 aged 84

Soldier Settlement Scheme after WW1 - Class B - Capt. L. Sykes, Bush Camp, Pembroke Dock - Farm 248. 

Ancestry Family Tree A farm was allocated to Louis in Western Kenya but first he had to learn Swahili & farming so he spent 6 months at Kabete doing so. While there he found out that his farm was on a steep mountain side, unsuitable for someone with an injured leg. After representations to the Governor himself, Louis was allocated a farm near Thomson Falls (now Nyahururu). To obtain land it was necessary to have start up money (at least £5k) which Louis had been able to save on some of his remote postings. Farm land ended at forest edge. Neighbours: just south Major & Mrs Raynor. Immediate southern farm Hugh & Nancy Burt, farmers from England. Farm to south east the Dodd family. All arrived in 1920 or early 1920s. Early homestead built. Louis had bought a 4 tonne wagon for farm transport plus the necessary oxen, horses for family to get about on and small herd of dairy cattle. Lions killed all the horses. Louis becomes a successful farmer at Tumaini, Thomson's Falls. Purchase of adjoining farms to the north east expanded the land to just over 4000 acres. Cattle did well - 2 herds Fresian & Shorthorn.Road to Gilgil had changed using an east road instead of high route. Louis promoted railway links and it helped development of Thomson Falls with new shops. Farm could send cream to Kenya Cooperative creameries at Navaisha instead of making butter. Cattle continued to improve & increase. Pigs and chickens also doing well. Bacon pigs sent to Uplands bacon factory, eggs to Nairobi market. Young bullocks kept for meat market locally or sent to Nairobi. Modernisation1934. Louis wanted a dairy in the town & worked with KCC on plans. Work started on water supply & electricity - hydro power from the falls. Factory opened 1934 & farm sent cream there by train. Electricity also supplied Barrys Hotel built 1931. No money to send Peggy & Sheila to school, educated by Ella at home. Eventually went to Nakuru Govt primary school - only a year. Louis involved in politics so away from farm often, Ella did staff welfare, attended to chickens & pigs. Louis built airstrip on east side of farm to benefit community with hope of creating flying doctor service. Louis had to contend with a range of problems on the farm as they arose. Growing crops had halted, flax never started. Wheat crops were wiped out by locusts. Only cattle kept the farm going, pigs & chickens brought in small amount.

HBEA has H.L. Sikes, Nairobi. Pioneer cereal grower in T. Falls area.

Gazette 19 Sep 1961 wife's probate

Gazette 4 May 1965 probate

The farm was purchased for African Settlement in 1964.