tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338719882009-07-12T18:51:36.518-05:00This blog is about the fictional character, Jade del Cameron (www.suzannearruda.com), and the historical time period in which she lives.Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-15702759691943196502009-07-12T18:46:00.003-05:002009-07-12T18:51:36.527-05:00

Last week, we took a look at two of the more popular models of cars available in Nairobi. Surprisingly, American products like the sold very well in the British colony, possibly because so many of the colonists had encountered models such as Ford and Dodge during the Great War and came to trust them. And several stores in Nairobi sold automobiles. But one wasn't limited to what was in stock. More

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-2118880792924459792009-07-05T18:15:00.005-05:002009-07-05T18:18:47.580-05:00

In Jade del Cameron’s first adventure, MARK OF THE LION, most of the colonists took a native-pulled rickshaw to get around in town. Those that had cars, were put together jobs often made up of several cars left over from the Great War. With sides built up of wooden frameworks, these “box-bodied” cars were utilitarian rather than pretty. By the 1920’s that changed.More people came to the Kenya

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-64306548395320892772009-06-29T08:30:00.000-05:002009-06-29T08:35:18.760-05:00

Most businesses do their best to keep the townsfolk from shopping away from home. Convenience is definitely a factor, and that especially held true in 1920 Nairobi. If you didn’t want to shop in town, you needed to take the train down to Mombassa which involved traveling overnight. But still, Mombassa’s shops often claimed to have the latest imported fashions, something the Nairobi stores did

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-28956602659473301812009-06-22T07:33:00.001-05:002009-06-22T07:39:12.185-05:00

If someone reported a death by shaving, one’s first thought would be a straight razor slip to the jugular. In this case, they would be only partly correct. The death of a Goan man in Nairobi, April, 1920 was actually due to a deadly shaving brush.Mr. Pereira lived on River Road in Nairobi, In the Indian District. He took ill and, after a day or two, sought medical attention. He became worse. Dr.

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-68415049159800328242009-06-15T07:24:00.002-05:002009-06-15T18:43:08.916-05:00

The Kenya Colony is in danger of being invaded. No, not hordes of locusts or rampaging wildlife, but by rich Americans. The correspondent to The East African Standard had already written about the large number of wealthy Americans who have come to the British Isles with the aim to purchase works of art and literature. He gave as evidence, a recent book sale “monopolized by Yanks” whose vast

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-82136628544768303242009-06-08T09:06:00.002-05:002009-06-08T09:10:08.012-05:00

The East African Standard frequently featured patterns for women’s and children’s clothing as a service to the working lady or the settler-farmer’s wife under the headline: “Simple Work For Women At Home.” The May 22, 1920 issue offered a bathing costume, proclaiming: “At this time of the year, you will be needing a bathing suit for your holiday at the coast, or week end at The Forest Hotel.”

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-79018133351800208632009-06-01T08:49:00.006-05:002009-06-01T12:23:06.003-05:00

Last week we looked at the unveiling of the War Memorial honoring the glorious dead of Africa who perished in The Great War. This memorial sat in the Muthaiga grounds outside of Nairobi. What we didn’t see was the controversy that preceded the unveiling. People did NOT want to contribute to the memorial. Why? Because it honored BOTH the whites and the blacks that served. On March 6, 1920, a

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-88288351822715434972009-05-25T08:43:00.005-05:002009-05-25T08:46:07.427-05:00

Today, being Memorial Day, it is only fitting that the blog topic focus on those fallen in Wars. It was a thought no less in the minds of the post WWI Nairobi-ites who labored long and hard to erect a War Memorial.The Memorial “erected in memory of the Fallen” on the Muthaiga estate north of Nairobi proper, was officially unveiled by Governor Northey at 4:15 pm on Friday July 23, 1920. By

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-80472717130553825902009-05-18T08:31:00.003-05:002009-05-18T13:19:20.944-05:00

Headmaster Wells took over as headmaster of Nairobi’s European School on June 22, 1920. On Monday, July 5th the school let out for a month’s holiday at the end of the three month term. On Thursday, July 8, student boarder Willie Hall was shot and died of a bullet wound. The shooter was another student boarder, Jack Kirwin. The two boys lived in different dormitories.Headmaster Wells testified

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-73669653563823835332009-05-11T08:00:00.003-05:002009-05-11T08:02:35.343-05:00

If you lived in 1920 Nairobi, you would most likely have attended the recent race week events. You would have placed some wagers, perhaps won some and likely lost more. You’d have gone to some private parties and attended the gala fancy dress ball at the Muthaiga or the New Stanley hotel at the conclusion. By the end of the week you might have felt the strain of the week; headache and backache.

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-34837762821702301492009-05-04T08:53:00.002-05:002009-05-04T08:57:11.885-05:00

Race week was a big event, especially around Nairobi. All of society turned out, especially as many of them had horses in the race. This included Lord Delamere and Beryl Markham’s father, Mr. Clutterbuck, many of whose horses Beryl herself trained. So the races of the July meeting were eagerly watched with special celebration. His Lordship Sir E. Northey (the governor) and his wife Lady Northey

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-41897996678503877472009-04-27T06:53:00.002-05:002009-04-27T06:58:29.794-05:00

NOTE: The cover or The Leopard’s Prey is now an online puzzle. Go to http://www.allstarpuzzles.com/picture/index.html, scroll down, and click on “It’s A Mystery” (if you are reading this as an archived article and the puzzle title doesn’t show, then it has been archived. Go to the bottom of that page and click on puzzle 2221)The Kenya colonists have tried raising a variety of animals from

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-18390436112791988922009-04-20T07:09:00.002-05:002009-04-20T07:15:08.534-05:00

NOTE: The cover or The Leopard’s Prey is now an online puzzle. Go to http://www.allstarpuzzles.com/picture/index.html, scroll down, and click on “It’s A Mystery” (if you are reading this as an archived article and the puzzle title doesn’t show, then it has been archived. Go to the bottom of that page and click on puzzle 2221)My Morocco photo (Moroccan Fortress) is puzzle 2237.1920 FASHION ADSt

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-86335804030305462622009-04-13T07:13:00.001-05:002009-04-13T07:15:30.535-05:00

NOTE: The cover or The Leopard’s Prey is now an online puzzle. Go to http://www.allstarpuzzles.com/picture/index.html, scroll down, and click on “It’s A Mystery” (if you are reading this as an archived article and the puzzle title doesn’t show, then it has been archived. Go to the bottom of that page and click on puzzle 2221)Lady Northey, the Governor’s wife, was a woman of high social standing

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-91267543017476372222009-04-06T08:13:00.001-05:002009-04-06T08:15:08.186-05:00

NOTE: The cover or The Leopard’s Prey is now an online puzzle. Go to http://www.allstarpuzzles.com/picture/index.html and click on “It’s A Mystery” (if you are reading this as an archived article and the puzzle title doesn’t show, then it has been archived. Go to the bottom of that page and click on puzzle 2221)Nairobi justice extended beyond the confines of the city and the bounds of British

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-16130581282988428382009-03-30T07:24:00.003-05:002009-03-30T07:29:50.068-05:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover AND the cover is now an online puzzle. Go to http://www.allstarpuzzles.com/picture/index.html and click on “It’s A Mystery” (if you are reading this as an archived article and the puzzle title doesn’t show, then it has been archived. Go to the bottom of that page and click on puzzle 2221)In Jade’s latest mystery adventure, The Leopard’s Prey,

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-80210816650174268662009-03-23T07:16:00.001-05:002009-03-23T07:16:58.242-05:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.In Jade’s latest mystery adventure, The Leopard’s Prey, Jade is helping to capture 2 leopards for a zoo in order to prevent them from being shot. In the story, the leopard in question had tried to catch a dog in one of Nairobi’s suburbs. The story line had a premise. In May 22, 1920, The Leader of British East Africa ran a short feature on a

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-21970262212572035532009-03-15T07:57:00.000-05:002009-03-15T07:58:18.348-05:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.This blog is appearing on Sunday March 15 as I’ll be on the road on Monday. BOOK TOURThe conclusion of the Ruiru flume murder was hardly satisfactory: no one convicted, charges dropped due to a questionable witness. What happened to examining the murder weapon for prints?Fingerprinting was not only possible in 1920, it was being used in

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-11549303856255596432009-03-09T08:38:00.003-05:002009-03-09T08:42:21.139-05:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.The murder of Ruiru flume gateman Ahmed Bbai at the flumes took place in mid-February, 1920. For the next week, the Nairobi newspapers reported on the crime, the evidence, and the eventual arrests; first of Mr. Moorag and Mr. Kulu Khanzi. Stains like blood had been found on their pants, turbans, on a knife, and on the door of their room. Dr.

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-55173022442485544512009-03-02T10:03:00.003-06:002009-03-02T17:49:52.030-06:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.The Ruiru flumes, as noted in the last entry, was the site of a murder in February, 1920. The victim, an Indian man who worked at the flumes, was found in the water as if he’d fallen, hit his head, and drowned. But blood on the steps and a murder weapon told a different tale. The victim weighed “12 stone” (168 pounds) so it was surmised that

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-45047202365690103572009-02-23T08:24:00.002-06:002009-02-23T08:26:56.383-06:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.The Ruiru flumes, as noted in the last entry, was the source of the electrical power for Nairobi. It was also the source of a murder investigation in February, 1920. An Indian man who worked at the flumes was found dead, and the special correspondent of The Leader of British East Africa wrote of “Stygian darkness” and an “assassin” who was “

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-88802454665590111722009-02-16T07:24:00.003-06:002009-02-16T07:29:53.161-06:00

Nairobi, as capital of the colony, did its best to turn the swampy railroad camp of its early years into a civilized city of theaters, hotels, shops, and clubs. Electricity did a lot to advance that civilizing influence and Nairobi residents and businessmen came to expect that the electricity would always be there when needed. But in mid-February of 1920, the lights went out in Nairobi, not once,

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-37046087699698426432009-02-09T08:23:00.002-06:002009-02-09T08:28:24.093-06:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.Women’s wants, needs, and interests appear in several places in the Nairobi newspapers. For example, in the Situations Wanted column, January 24, 1920, there is an advertisement for a lady in England who desires a position in Nairobi. The lady, a doctor’s widow, claims to be “exceptionally musical” and “able to entertain.” She “can undertake

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-25376994873537987072009-02-02T07:22:00.000-06:002009-02-02T07:23:30.914-06:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.January, 1920: When a phone call to the medical officer led to the discovery of a native lady (bibi) found with her throat cut, people initially attributed it to the native gang that had terrorized the rickshaw drivers. The woman had been missing for four days when she was found on Whitehouse road in the Sixth Avenue vicinity. The medical

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33871988.post-76327603699975310862009-01-26T09:28:00.002-06:002009-01-26T14:36:19.396-06:00

NOTE: The Leopard’s Prey is NOW available in hardcover.If you didn’t own a motorcar, the rickshaw (previously billed as the “love chariot”) was the preferred mode of travel. But in January, 1920, rickshaws were difficult to come by after dark. The reason: a “gang of six” Kikuyu. These six natives had a pattern of watching for rickshaws toting passengers, then waylaying the “driver” as he returned

Suzanne Arrudahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07212547053049401759noreply@blogger.com2