Juliet's Kenya Days blog

Letter from Judy to Grandma & Grandad 2 Mar 1977 –

We have just sold the minibus and now see it driving between here and Nairobi being used as a ‘matatu’ (a local bus service) crammed with anything up to 30 people. We have bought our neighbour’s car – a Ford Escort Estate – to see us through until July. They left for England on Sunday and sold it to us very cheaply. We managed to sell the minibus at about 3 or 4 times the price we could get for it in England even though the men buying it felt they were getting a very good bargain (as indeed they were) so altogether it has worked out satisfactorily. With only a cheap vehicle to dispose of when we leave, we should be able to take most of the money we have in this country back to England. It is increasingly difficult to get even one’s official end of contract salary and gratuity out of Kenya let alone money accruing from selling one’s possessions.

Letter from Judy to Caroline & Martin 8 Mar 1977 –

We have taken over the Meyers Ford Escort which is quite a pleasant, nippy little car but we miss the van’s reliability on rough ground. We are expecting to return at the end of July but nothing has been said by anyone yet and Graham holds by his original plan to do nothing about our departure himself so we’ll see. Certainly the Meyers and Kinshotts experience didn’t lead us to have any faith in the value of getting the departure procedure started early. Poor Philip Chesterton still hadn’t sorted exchange control, tax clearance or final money payment the day before he left in spite of constant attendance at the Ministry. However, surprise, surprise, at the last minute everything was miraculously cleared up and he left on schedule with everything in order. I think Graham expects that Kenya will be so glad to be rid of him that he will have no trouble. We are toying with the idea of coming home by boat but have no definite plans yet.

Letter from Judy to BOS Shipping (E.Africa) Ltd 8 Mar 1977 –

Dear Sir, Please could you tell me if it is possible to travel as passengers with your line. We wish to travel between Mombasa and Avonmouth (UK) at the end of July 1977. We have three children aged 7, 10 and 14 years.

Letter from Judy to Nanny & Grandad 14 Mar 1977 –

We have now sold our van for about £1300 to a group of local men who are using it as a ‘matatu’. We are keeping our fingers crossed that it will survive until the end of the month when we can officially transfer the ownership without incurring the £200 or so customs duty payable before then.

Letter from Judy to Jane & Malcolm 16 Mar 1977 –

We are beginning to think about getting organised for coming home again – our two and a half years seem to have rushed by – unfortunately it is very difficult to get out of the country, especially with all one’s money and it means weeks of standing in queues and trying to get forms filled in and the whole business rather spoils one’s last few months.

Letter from Graham to Valerie & Graham 21 Mar 1977 –

My contract will end in July so we will probably return to the UK in early August. I have written letters to a couple of schools regarding jobs and I wonder if you would let Mr Hellier know I am ready and willing to start work in September? For preference I would seek a job near home in a comprehensive school, though I will also write to the technical colleges. The Times Ed Supplement is no longer readily available in Nairobi though it was at this time last year.

Letter from Judy to Jo 23 Mar 1977 –

Goodness knows how we are going to react to English temperatures when we return as we start feeling cold here if it gets below 70°F, however at least we will be coming back in the summer. We have no idea of the actual date yet.

Letter from Judy to Elaine & Rod 28 Apr 1977 –

We were wondering if you could go round to 199 Wells Rd and see what’s going on as we haven’t heard from the tenants recently. They know we expect to return in July but it may be that they want to leave before then and it would be very convenient if they could leave the key with you if that’s the case. We expect the place to be pretty tatty but I shall be able to get it cleared up quite quickly when I return – I can always get someone to help clean if necessary. We haven’t had much rent recently so maybe there are not many of them left there. We are not worried about getting rent from them, just about knowing when they are leaving and that someone has the key. We’d be very grateful if you could find out. We’ve sold the minibus and now have a cheap Ford Escort Estate which at least has the advantage that it’s convinced us that we need a bigger car than that when we get home. Graham is rather hoping he will be unemployed when he gets home so that he can redecorate the house – we get three months paid leave and have saved quite a lot while out here. But of course if a job did turn up he’d be silly not to take it. Anyway, he’s not worried one way or the other. We’ll try and bring some coffee back – we never buy instant here as it’s much dearer than ground coffee and perhaps tea as well

Letter from Graham to Grandma & Grandad 1 May 1977 –

We had tentatively planned to go climbing at Lukenya today but decided not to because it was so wet this morning. I am not disappointed because I wanted to write to you and now I have plenty of time. I have written several business letters, including one applying for a job in Bristol. A friend has just sent me details of 7 jobs which I can apply for – it seems that Maths teachers are still in short supply. Writing letters of application takes ages because I have to give details of all my jobs in the past and I have rather a lot. It is fairly urgent that I should write more letters for a job as schools are already planning for next September. When I return I might find it extremely useful to buy your Honda, Dad, especially as it might be some weeks before I can buy a suitable car.

Letter from Graham to Beverley, Lesley & Angela 1 May 1977 –

Thank you for your letter bringing me up to date with the situation at 199 Wells Rd. I am pleased that the house is being used rather than standing empty. However it is worrying me a little that you are unable to pay any rent. What will become of you when you have to leave if you can’t pay for accommodation? Will you be forced by circumstances to remain in the house when I return and need it myself? I expect to return, with my family, at the end of July. You may have already had a visit from Elaine Lee, our friend, enquiring about the house because we wrote to her before we got your letter. Eventually when you leave you can give the keys to the house to her. I would be pleased to hear from you about your future plans.

Letter from Graham to Valerie & Graham 6 May 1977 –

Many thanks for sending details of jobs. I wrote to Avon Education Committee some while ago and they took the trouble to reply. Unfortunately they were not positively helpful; just pointing out that I could find their vacancies advertised in the Times Ed and The Teacher. I think we may stop at Istanbul or Athens on our way home. These are a bit too far to visit from England so it would be a shame to miss the chance.

Letter from Graham to Diane & Sydney 7 May 1977 –

I may be lucky and find a suitable job for September. If not I can get a lot of work done in the house; perhaps building a staircase up to the loft and making a store-room up there. Some people find it hard to adjust when they return to Britain after a long time away and perhaps I would be sensible to avoid teaching straight away and get settled in first. Especially since teaching at this school has been easier than in most schools in Bristol. It will be like time-travelling when we come back and see you all. May all our shocks be pleasant ones ! I still have long hair but now I have a beard as well. It’s quite tidy so I don’t look wild. Another change is my lighter hair colour: the sun has bleached it as it used to do in those wonderful summers when we were young and went for holidays at Cliftonville.

Letter from Judy 18 May –

Dear Sir, We will be returning to Bristol in August 77 after being in Kenya for two and a half years. We hope our two younger daughters, Helen (aged 10) and Fiona (aged 7) will be able to start at Knowle School, School Road in September. Helen was in the first year of the Junior School before we left in Jan 1975. Our home address will be 199 Wells Rd, Bristol, BS4 2DB.

Letter from Judy 18 May –

Dear Sir, We will be returning to Bristol in August 77 after being in Kenya for two and a half years and would like to make arrangements for our daughter Juliet’s schooling. She will be due to enter her fourth year of secondary school in September. While in Kenya she has been attending a convent school in Nairobi where she has been in the O level stream. We want her to continue with O level work. We would like her to attend a co-educational school.

Letter from Judy to Nanny & Grandad 20 May –

We are looking forward to seeing English countryside again. Now I do a fair amount of driving I expect I shall enjoy the drive over to Littlehampton especially as I shall be able to choose my own time. Since we have been out here we think nothing of driving much longer distances though I’m sure we’ll find the heavier traffic takes a bit of getting used to. I have been re-covering our big cushions with the local kitenge pattern cotton ready to bring them home. We shall take all the foam out and use it as packing material. We have to pack our own crates (and make them) here as the cost of having it done is prohibitive and for some strange reason we only get transport costs paid when travelling from UK to Kenya. Can you ask Jo if there is anything she would like us to bring home in the way of presents for the children, also if she is interested in any of the locally made Safari boots?

Letter from Graham 26 May 1977 –

Dear Sir, My contract to teach here will end in two months time. Can you please send me information about the various things I should be doing before leaving? Also can I have confirmation of the date of finishing (23rd July) and leave entitlement, and the amount of leave pay and gratuity due to me.

Letter from Graham 30 May 1977 –

Dear Sir, I wish to make arrangements for sending some of my personal effects to Britain in July. I am a teacher under the OSAS scheme and my contract ends on 23 July 1977. It would be most convenient for the consignment to be sent to Avonmouth as my home is near there.

Letter from Graham to Malcolm, Frances, Stephen & Jane 30 May 1977 –

We have been planning our departure and wondering about having a bit of a holiday before returning. In fact we will probably spend a couple of weeks at the coast, going down as soon as term ends. This means we would get back to England in the second week of August and have time to settle down a bit before the children have to start school. My salary for this job will continue until the 5th October so I won’t be worried if I don’t get work until the January term. Some friends have confirmed that the house is now empty. It’s going to be fun to get back and set up house again – just as good as a real move but not so much trouble because we will know what is needed and where to get things. Today I have been putting together a packing case – I bought three used ones for sending home some heavy baggage by sea.

Letter from Judy to Tony & Muriel 9 June.

The actual date of our return depends on which way we come home. We think we might stop off at Athens and Istanbul or alternatively Cairo and Moscow. The kids are all thriving but looking forward to getting home and meeting all their friends again.

Letter from Judy to Valerie & Graham 9 June 1977 –

Please could you send us the name and address of one or two clearing agents that operate for Avonmouth? We have to give the name of the clearing agent of our choice on the forms about our shipping stuff and only know London ones. As most boats from Mombasa call at Avonmouth we might as well arrange for our stuff to go there. Pickfords dealt with our stuff coming out to Kenya but I don’t know if they will deal with incoming stuff.

Letter from Judy to Tony & Barbara 9 June 1977 –

We’ll certainly bring you back a kanga and some coffee beans. I think all our baggage will be coffee at this rate!

Letter from Judy to Grandma & Grandad 9 June 1977 –

We often think of when we will be able to visit you this autumn and wonder how you will like your growing-up grandaughters, and Graham’s beard, and Juliet’s and my short hair; we’ve both had it cut so now Helen’s is the only long hair in the family. We are beginning to get organised for our departure – clearing out rubbish and deciding what to sell and what to pack. I wonder how you enjoyed your Jubilee festivities ? It has been interesting to hear about all the street parties and celebrations going on. We didn’t hear of anything going on here except a special service in the Cathedral in Nairobi. All the other expatriate nationalities – Swedes, Norwegians etc have big celebrations organised by their Embassies on their National Days but the British never do. I suppose there are far too many British people out here to make anything like that practical. We have been very busy recently – it seems the ‘done thing’ for people leaving the country to be invited out to dinner with all kinds of friends and aquaintances some of whom we’ve hardly exchanged a dozen words with in the last six months ! However, I’m not complaining – I always enjoy having my meals cooked for me ! And it is usually a pleasant social occasion. Often the children come too and they always think that’s a grand occasion. Next week their best friends on the compound are going on leave so the children are rather sad at the thought that they may never see each other again, but still, they are looking forward to meeting their old friends in Bristol and their cousins as well.

In fact, we did see each other again – Catherine Stevenson came to stay with us in Bristol in 1978 and we’ve remained firm friends.

Letter from Judy to Caroline & Martin 22 June 1977 –

We are beginning to get organised for leaving in a fairly leisurely kind of way. So far Graham has managed to avoid the Ministry and by some miracle they seem to be coping efficiently by post – however I have no doubt worse is to come in that respect. Our contract ends 23 July and the Ministry don’t know that in fact we’re staying on until August 7th or so. We’re trying to wangle a trip home via Moscow with Aeroflot and have innocently (!!) sent in our forms demanding payment to be able to go to the agent handling the journey for it to be altered from British Airways and are keeping our fingers crossed that they are inefficient enough to comply ! If that fails we’ll stop off in Athens and Istanbul with British Airways so either way we’ll be in the UK mid-August. We’re planning to spend the fortnight or so before we leave down at Mombasa using the Lewis’ Combi while they are away on holiday in the UK. We had a piece of extraordinary luck with our car. We put a notice in the back window on Monday evening. On Tuesday morning we did some shopping in Nairobi and when we got back to the meter found an Asian waiting for us who offered to buy the car there and then. We pointed out that the engine mounting was bent and broken (Graham had just bought a replacement, 864/-), the engine vibrating madly, the prop shaft about to collapse (replacement 1300/-), 2 new tyres needed and the tax running out in a week not to mention a few optional extras like shock absorbers needing replacing (500/- each) etc. However, he was not deterred and took Graham into the bank to get the cash so we dropped the car off at his workshop and were driven home to Kikuyu with one pocket burning with unexpected largesse. As we sold it for considerably more than we bought it for (not to mention the 800/- odd back on the engine mounting we didn’t, after all, need), we felt quite pleased ! No doubt when his mechanics have done it all up he will make quite a profit on it too. As Graham is up to his eyes in school work (30 periods of 5th and 6th formers is no sinecure), exams etc he will be glad to be relieved of keeping an ailing car in going condition. We hope to borrow a friend’s third car for the remaining weeks of term. We took our waterbed down to the Mowats yesterday. Poor Celia has caught the local flu bug with violent rheumatism as an unpleasant accompaniment so perhaps the waterbed will help alleviate it. They seem to have been provided with a double bed but no mattress.

Letter from Juliet to Grandma & Grandad 30 June 1977 –

We have sold most of the things we wished to sell but are keeping most of it until the last minute. Today we packed all of our ornaments in a small chest of drawers packed in with foam chips from our large floor cushions. it makes going home seem ever closer and I suppose it is ! The Tuesday before last we sold our Ford Escort to a dealer who thought he could refurbish it and sell it at great profit (good luck to him!) so we are now using Jack Charity’s Citroen. It is a super car but very well used and cracked up. Dad has mended a faulty clutch, broken hooter, messed-up lights and yet it still needs a lot done to it. It has several peculiarities eg the car needs to be run for a while before starting to allow the hydraulic action to lift the car body up!! I enjoy helping Dad mend the car but I seem to make a habit of passing, for example, a spanner when he asks for a screwdriver. It’s not as if I don’t know the difference; I do, but something makes me pick up the wrong thing.

Letter from Juliet to Grandma & Grandad 30 June 1977 –

Thank you very much for the letter and the £1 note which has already gone to our savings for on the way home presuming we will stop off somewhere. If we don’t we shall buy something special at the coast or in Nairobi before we leave. We have packed all three crates that Dad made and painted them but have to write their destination on them now. It was very exciting packing all our things but it will be even more exciting unpacking and it will seem like Christmas for I am sure we will have forgotten a lot of what we put in. We haven’t quite finished packing one of the crates yet but it is ready. All the rooms look terribly bare but everyone who visits us knows we are leaving so they don’t expect anything else. My room has my bed, a crate and a pair of curtains so it is pretty bare ! I am glad we are coming home in the summer so that we can get used to the cold as slowly as it comes, and also the rain. When it rains here we often go without coats but just umbrellas because it’s usually warm enough. I hope at Christmas or in January it snows, even if only a tiny bit, because it will be three years since we’ve seen any.

Letter from Judy to Nanny & Grandad 17 July 1977 –

Just a brief note to say that I’m enclosing a cheque for £1500 for you. It may be that we could get a 2nd hand car while with you at Littlehampton and it would be convenient to have the cash available so if you could pay the cheque into your account, then we can have cash to draw on at need, as there would be some delay in getting any considerable sum from either Giro or the Building Society. All is going reasonably well here – we are about to send off our crates. Graham hopes to get most of the administration done this week so that we can go to the coast at the end of the week. Our actual date of return is still not finalised but will let you know as soon as possible – it’s still likely to be about 10-12 August. Excuse the brief note but I have plenty to do as you can imagine ! Have just written out 6 copies of the value of every item in our three crates in my best printing ! PS. Friends are collecting our post and bringing it to the coast on 30 July so we can keep in touch.

Letter from Juliet to Nanny & Grandad 18 July 1977 –

We have given up weeding and grass cutting in the garden because we no longer have any garden tools and it soon won’t be our garden anyway! Our crates are ready so that all that has to be done now is for them to be looked at by a Customs man, nailed down and sent off. My bike was taken to pieces and put in a crate so now I have to walk everywhere which takes much longer than bicycling. We have got rid of most of our books now and cannot get any library books because the tickets have expired so we will have to borrow books now. The Charitys are coming to the coast with us again so we will be able to read some of theirs.