Thomas Meikle

Thomas Meikle (4 December 1861^[1] – 8 February 1939^[2]), born in Scotland, was a businessman and pioneer in Southern Rhodesia, the African country now known as Zimbabwe.

He travelled to Durban, Natal (in present-day South Africa), in December 1869 with his parents, his brothers John and Stewart and his sister Jeannie. He worked initially as a transport rider, then as a gold prospector, finally settling as a trader in Mashonaland. In 1894 he set up stores in Bulawayo and Gwelo (present-day Gweru) with his brother John, who pulled out of the venture two years later. He took over his brother Stewart's original idea to set up a chain of hotels, which culminated in the present day Meikles Hotel in Salisbury, today Harare.^[3]

He died at Hillside, Bulawayo on 8 February 1939 after a long illness, and was survived by his widow and four daughters.^[4]

References

1. "Thomas Meikle (1862 - 1939) - Genealogy". geni.com. 4 December 1862. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
2. "Deaths". The Times. No. 48225. London. 9 February 1939. col 2, p. 1. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
3. Peter Anthony Bridger (1973). Encyclopaedia Rhodesia. College Press. (a scan of the entry can be seen here)
4. The Times Bulawayo Correspondent (9 February 1939). "Mr. Tom Meikle". Obituary. The Times. No. 48225. London. col 3, p. 19. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)