All in a Day’s Work
All in a Day’s Work
A typical week at Melrose Farm for Tim Hughes started with a cup of tea from his ‘cookboy’ Mark before daylight. After pulling on his khaki shirt, shorts, boots and hat, he’d hurry to the workshop to beat the simbi (metal plough disc) to summon the workers, just as the sun popped over the horizon. He’d mark their attendance cards and detail them to their various jobs.
Getting Reacquainted
Getting Reacquainted
The next morning at Giraffe Farm Philip appeared. He nearly dropped the early morning teatray— teapot, and hot water jug, cups and saucers, milk jug, sugar bowl and plate of biscuits. Tim “Ah! Ah! Ah! Sakabona Nkos, wena pendugili!” (I see you sir, you have returned!) Philip had worked for Gervas since before Tim was born. Long before dawn, he was in the kitchen preparing food and often there late at night, taking a few hours off in the afternoon.
Homecoming
Homecoming
Heading homeward on the BOAC plane to Salisbury on August 1961, Tim Hughes chatted to an English doctor seated next to him who had been back to England for a month to recruit doctors for immigration to Rhodesia.
Experiencing the Best of Africa
Experiencing the Best of Africa
On return to Ketembelion Farm from the seaside David Read, on a neighboring Ol Molog farm, invited Tim to spend a few days with him. He and his wife, Pat, also owned Keru Farm, in the Rift Valley, where they grew papaws (papaya) for papain production. Pat’s African cook, loaded David’s Willys Jeep station wagon with equipment. He acted as Tim’s guide as they made the long trek south-west of Arusha while David, Pat and his niece flew in their Piper Cruiser.
A Wonderful Welcome Back to Africa
A Wonderful Welcome Back to Africa.
The SS Iberia from Sydney docked in Mombasa on 19th July, 1961. Two of the ship’s gangways were lowered to the wharf: one for transit passengers, going on to Europe. Only Tim Hughes and one other passenger were disembarking.
Going Abroad
Going Abroad
Tim Hughes took up his father’s offer to attend Kingston Mauward Agricultural College near Dorchester, a palatial manor house and estate.
