Thomas Meikle (4 December 1861 – 8 February 1939), 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.
He died at Hillside, Bulawayo on 8 February 1939 after a long illness, and was survived by his widow and four daughters.
References
- "Thomas Meikle (1862 - 1939) - Genealogy". geni.com. 4 December 1862. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
- "Deaths". The Times. No. 48225. London. 9 February 1939. col 2, p. 1. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
- Peter Anthony Bridger (1973). Encyclopaedia Rhodesia. College Press. (a scan of the entry can be seen here)
- The Times Bulawayo Correspondent (9 February 1939). "Mr. Tom Meikle". Obituary. The Times. No. 48225. London. col 3, p. 19.
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