View entry

Back to search results

Name: STEPHEN, Robert 'Bob'

Nee: bro of John Park Stephen

Birth Date: 23 Oct 1883 Boddam, S. of Aberdeen

Death Date: 6 Jan 1951 Nairobi

First Date: 1907 - via S. Africa having worked his passage in 1904

Last Date: 1951

Profession: In partnership with a Mr McDonald started the Mount Blackett Saw Mills at Londiani. Mr McDonald also owned the Londiani Hotel. Stephen was also involved in the timber trade in and around the Escarpment

Area: Londiani, Kedong Valley

Married: In Bridgend, Longside, Scotland 17 Sep 1920 Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Middleton Smith b. 23 Sep 1895 Longside, Aberdeenshire, d. 5 Feb 1978 Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, remains cremated and buried in husband's grave

Children: Margaret 'Meg' Elizabeth (Brodell) (21 June 1921 Londiani-28 June 2001 KwaZulu-Natal); Joan (Jolley) (16 Dec 1922 Londiani-8 Nov 2018 Pietermaritzburg); Robert 'Bob' (28 Apr 1928 Nairobi-5 Nov 1998 Natal); Arthur John (5 Apr 1930 Londiani-16 Feb 1966 Kenya); James 'Jim' Tennyson (23 Oct 1937 Nairobi-23 June 1985 Nakuru)

Book Reference: EAWL, SE, KAD, Red 31, Hut, EAMR, mini-SITREP XIII, Red 22, Gazette, Barnes, R. Jolley, Childhood

War Service: WW1 with EAMR - B Sqdn. 8/8/14 - 28/8/14 - To EASC

General Information:

Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Rift Valley Voters List

After WW1 applied for a Soldier Settlement farm and was eventually offered 5000 acres in the Kedong Valley, part of the Rift Valley. From 1929 until his death he doubled the size of the farm, into a beef and dairy enterprise. Also a T.O.L. in the bamboo forest where he grew pyrethrum, also potatoes for the army during WW2. Source: Ronald Bevan Jolley.

Stephen Ellis's ledger shows R. Stephens (Messrs Kay Mouat Ltd.) Mile 356, Escarpment, Feb 1909

Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Dagoretti

R. Stephen KR 3666 [son]

Nairobi City Park cemetery - Robert Stephen, died 6 Jan 1951 aged 67 AND Elizabeth Middleton Stephen, died 5 Feb 1977 aged 81, buried in same plot. The sons Arthur John and James Tennyson Stephen are also buried there.

Childhood - Joan Jolley née Stephen - "My father Robert Stephen (Bob) arrived in Kenya in 1907 having left a small fishing village south of Aberdeen in 1904 and then spent 3 years in Natal learning farming. Eventually with a Mr MacGregor he opened the Mount Blackett saw mill at Londiani - MacGregor later opened the Londiani Hotel. In about 1920 Bob returned to Scotland and on September 20th 1920 married Elizabeth Smith in the parish church at Bridgend, Scotland, and they spent their honeymoon on a ship travelling to Kenya.

Gazette 9/3/1921 - Dissolution of Partnership between Henry William Sear, Robert Stephen and Archibald MacGregor carrying on business as Sear and Stephen dissolved by mutual consent. Business continues as Sear and Stephen under Robert Stephen and Archibald MacGregor.

Gazette - 3/12/1919 - Register of Voters - Rift Valley Area - R. Stephen - Farmer - Escarpment

Gazette - 20/7/1921 - Register of Voters - Lake Area - Robert Stephen - Saw Miller