Abraham Lazarus Block, born in 1883 to Samwel and Ettel Block is among the founding fathers of Nairobi’s rich architectural heritage. He arrived in Kenya in 1903 and went ahead to establish an empire that stands firm to date.
The Lithuanian Jew’s business empire once comprised high-end hospitality facilities in the country such as the Stanley and Nairobi’s Norfork hotels, and food manufacturers Farmers Choice and East African Industries.
Just like many jews at the time, Abraham fled his home country of Lithuania for England. He worked as a parcel delivery boy to earn a living.
He was an ambitious fellow and he felt his job could take him nowhere, neither could he save enough money to marry the girl of his dreams, Rosie Daniels.
Abraham’s father had fled to South Africa and he decided to join him. To pay for his travel cost, he worked in the ship’s engine room. The year was 1901, when he was just 18 years old.
After reuniting with his father and even fighting in the anglo-boar war, Abraham intended to buy land in South Africa but a statement from a friend – Eli Levy – made him consider relocating to Kenya.
Kenya had been described as a new Zionist colony that would solve the Jewish problem.
Abraham Lazarus Blockattended a meeting in Cape Town where British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain narrated his visit to Kenya, painting a picture of zion to Jewish Youth seeking a place to settle.
He boarded a German ship and docked in Mombasa. In his possession were a Basuto ponies, 20 pounds savings, a gold watch from his father, and a bag with his other personal belongings.
New Challenge
When Abraham arrived in Nairobi, everything was at all easy. Racism existed and some Europeans were opposed to the Jewish. Lands Commissions officers worked whenever they felt like it and did not have a clear understanding of the country’s interior.
The British colonial government was also not willing to support all white settlers.
Despite the mosquito-infested swamp that Nairobi was, Abraham Lazarus Block and his newly found British friend Tommy Woods were determined to succeed.
Breakthrough
One morning Abraham was having breakfast at Tommy’s Victoria Hotel when he overhead that there was prime land for sale in Parklands. He approached the seller Mr Jeevanjee and agreed on a price of 75 pounds.
He made a downpayment of 20 pounds, all the money he had and went after the young men who he had overheard discussing the land and sold it to them for 100 pounds. He made a profit of 25 pounds.
With time, Abraham would earn the nickname, ‘the prophet’ because of his ability to make money.
At one time Stanley Hotel owner Mayence Bent wanted mattresses and Abraham swooped in for the deal. Funny enough, he did not know where to get the mattresses.
He sought mattress covers and hired unemployed Africans to cut the grass that grew along the railway, stuffed the mattress covers and sewed them. He then supplied them to Stanley.
When Mayence Bent retired, she sold Stanley Hotel to Abraham Lazarus Block.
In 1908, he made yet another audacious deal by going into Uganda and importing 200 long-horned Ankole cows.
Prior to Uganda, he had began trading cattle with the Maasai and with the help of Lord Delamere, Abraham opened Victoria Butchery in Nairobi.
After World War I, Abraham ventured into Dairy farming, selling furniture, real estate, tourism, hotel industry, and supplying products to big game hunting and safari teams.
Abraham would soon be the proprietor and owner of Block hotels, East Africa industries, and Block Estates. His company managed Nyali Beach Hotel, Lake Baringo Hotel, Lake Naivasha Country Club, Keekorock Lodge, Samburu Lodge, Outspan and Treetops Hotel.
Other Business Interests
Abraham Lazarus Block owned vast land in Rift Valley and Nairobi through Block Estates. He also owned Afro-Swiss Engineering and Business Machines Limited.
He later bought the 640-acre Njuna Farm in Kiambu County and invited his father and sister from Johannesburg. The extra set of hands helped get the work done around the farm.
Marriage
Abraham’s first love Rosie Daniels chose the life in Leeds. His second choice Rachel could not be married until her elder sister Sarah was married. So, Abraham married Sarah.
Sarah and Abraham had four children; Rita (born 1915), Jack (1916), Eddie (1919), and Ruth (1927).
Abraham retired in 1958 and left the businesses to his children. He died on April 18, 1965. Sarah died 15 years later on the eve of Christmas 1980. She lived at a cottage at the Norfolk Hotel.
Memoir
The book Abraham’s People written by Jane Clare Barsby details the life of Abraham Lazarus Block by interviewing history, biography, and fiction.
The book can be found at Text Book Centre, book Stop, Bana Box, The Souk (Karen), and Safari Kit (Fairview Hotel).
