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FLEMMER George (Ludvig) and family

Flemmer Ludvig 'George' LUDVIG 'GEORGE' CHRISTIAN7 FLEMMER (JOHN DISTIN6, CHRISTIAN LUDVIG5) was born 15 January 1905 in Bechuanaland, and died 20 May 1984 in Hunua Papakura New Zealand. He married MILDRED KATE SMITH 6 August 1933 in Nakuru Kenya Colony. She was born 2 October 1902 in Harrowgate Yorkshire, and died 8 April 1986 in Hunua Papakura New Zealand.

Notes on What I Know by Beryl Pickford (Flemmer) New Zealand , January 2003

Ludvig Christian Flemmer twin son of John and Maude Flemmer (nee Croxford) arrived in Kenya about 1927 and stated working for William Prentice who named him George, commenting that he would never remember his real name and couldn't pronounce it anyway. So George he remained to everyone except his family for the rest of his life.

Ludvig remained in the Nakuru area until 1933, when he decided to try his hand at gold prospecting, without very much success. This same year he was married to Mildred Kate Smith, Nursing Sister at the Nakuru War Memorial Hospital. Mildred was born in Harrogate, Yorkshire England in 1902 and stated her nurses training in 1920 in Hope Hospital in Manchester. She remained there until 1929 when she left for Kenya. Mildred left Hope hospital as a very highly trained nurse being Senior Sister in charge of surgery. Ludvig and Mildred were married on 6 August 1933 and moved to the Kakamega, in the Nyanza Province of Western Kenya. Ludvig was at that time employed by Brooke Bond Tea Company recruiting labour to work on the big tea estates which were being established in Kericho. This entailed a lot of travelling. Ludvig then bought his own garage business and bought an old hotel which he transported to a new site and modified it into a house. It was a lovely, big old house with so much character. We lived there all our lives and the house was eventually sold in 1980.

In 1935 Ludvig volunteered for war service with the Kenya Regiment which saw him serve in Abyssinya until the end of hostilities and then transferred to the Burma Campaign where he remained and did not return home until 1946 when he decommissioned with the substantive rank of Major.

Ludvig and Mildred had three children - Beryl Mildred born 18th March 1935- Eric Ludvig born 10th December 1936- Avril Jennifer born 24th January 1939.

Beryl Mildred married Sterndale (Dale) Todd Matthew Pickford - 22nd February 1958. We have three children and have lived in New Zealand since 1963.

Sarah Yvonne b 5th September 1960 m Geoffrey Ross Taylor. Both are accountants and together with Geoff's brother and sister in law own a cosmetic manufacturing company. They have four children Marie Katrina b 11th June 1990- Lucienne Amy b 16th December 1992- Sophie Jacqueline b 4th May 1994 - Matthew Alan b 8th March 1998.

William Andrew Sterndale b 26th July 1962- m Megan Davies now divorced. Andrew is an airline pilot for Cathay Pacific based in Hong Kong. He has one son James Todd b 11th January 1994

Murray Christian b 18th January 1965 m Jennifer Huston. Murray is a Master builder and Jenny a nursing sister. They live in the Brisbane area in Australia and have just finished building their own magnificent home. They have two children - Lara Jayne b 30th October 1993 - Seth Alexander b 9th February 1996.

Marius and Salvator Flemmer lived and farmed in Kenya near Nakuru, Rift Valley Province in the Great Rift Valley at the foot of Mt. Menangai an extinct volcano. Dry stock and arable. Married into the Hopley family. Buried in Nakuru. Were still living there when Neville Distin Flemmer youngest son of John and Maude Flemmer arrived in Kenya about 1925/6.

Neville (Nick) Flemmer started farming on arrival, but in what capacity I do not know. He eventually purchased his own farm in Linette, near Nakuru where he lived with his wife Daisy Flemmer nee Alison. Her family ere connected with the Nolan Neylans. Being a reservist in the Kenya Regiment Neville volunteered for war duties. And served for a while in Abassinya but was recalled to civilian duties to work his farm. He was given two Italian P.O.W.'s to help him. They also built a nice stone farmhouse for him. Although the Italians were housed in the POW camp many of them were given licence to travel to work in vehicles provided and trusted to return at night. Monies earned were given to the Red Cross. I understand that for the period of the war there was only one attempt to escape. On being repatriated at the end of the war many of them immigrated to Kenya and made very good citizens. In 1954 Nick and Daisy sold their farm and moved to 'Rhodesia" for a while and then on to Durban where they lived out their lives.

 

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