Arusha: Bloom's Hotel

Name ID 1423

See also

Arusha Times
Extract Author: Valentine Marc Nkwame
Page Number: 388a
Extract Date: 24 Sep 2005

"Were there two Arusha Hotels in the early Nineties?"

The Arusha Hotel's family legend confusion 'Blooms' out again

"Were there two Arusha Hotels in the early Nineties?"

The legend behind The Arusha Hotel still goes on, but so is the confusion. This week, the great grand daughter of the person believed to have been the hotel's original owner, appeared in Arusha after traveling all the way from Canada to re-discover the former dwelling place for her earliest family members, tracing the family tree in the process.

Dana Bloom aged 26, is a Toronto-based, practicing lawyer, whose great grand father, Goodall Bloom together with his wife, Mrs Jane Bloom, then hailing from Manchester, England, is said to have owned and operated The Arusha Hotel since it was established in 1894, then standing as a twelve roomed, mud-walled, hut-like Inn, then known as the 'Bloom's Hotel.'

During those days, both Mr and Mrs Bloom used to live at the hotel premises, receiving and catering for their guests just like the old, road-side Inns, that have been immortalized in Charles Dickens' novels, for ages.

The couple's first born, named Jack Bloom, died in 1909 aged only 2 years old and was buried within the hotel grounds. This grave was among the landmarks that Dana managed to discover during her recent visit to The Arusha Hotel, early this week. Her story goes:

" In 1937 my grandfather, Algy Bloom traveled from England to come and visit his uncle, Mr Goodall Bloom who was running a hotel in Arusha town of Tanganyika." Apparently, Dana's grandmother, who was also on the trip, had collected a number of old letters and photographs that were taken in Arusha in the early days and kept them in her chest.

In addition to the hotel, the Blooms, were also said to have bought Selian coffee estate in the 50s. The couple had two sons; Judah and Poli. The former, Captain Judah Bloom was to run the estate until his death in 1957.

These souvenirs were only to be discovered at the turn of the new Millennium, about six years ago when the grandmother, Doris Bloom died. Dana's father, Brian Bloom who had by then already retired in Toronto Canada, flew back to England and collected all his mother's belongings, taking them to Canada.

"So I was going through my late grandmother's things and suddenly I came across those old pictures, some handwritten, mailed letters and I discovered The Arusha Hotel's family legend in which I happen to be part of," said Dana. "After the findings, I went to the Internet and searched for more information and here I am!"

With a compass being its trademark, The Arusha Hotel shouldn't be a difficult place to find, especially being located at the 'center point' between Cape Town and Cairo, but did Dana and her husband, Robert Klein (29) discover the right hotel?

Was there another 'Arusha Hotel?'

Raymond and Marjorie Ulyate, whose families were part of the original settlers that landed in South Africa in 1820 are on the other hand, said to be the original owners of The Arusha Hotel. Marjorie Borissow, who lives in Australia, is yet another grand daughter of this other 'former owner' and she also has her own story to tell as well:

"My grandfather and his family then went on and became some of the first pioneers around Kijabe in Kenya. Grandpa started taking people out on safari in the early 1900's. He worked for Newlands & Tarlton He even gets a mention in Theodore Roosevelt's Book "frican Game Trails" That was on the safari in 1910 ."

Grandpa bought Meru Estate near Lake Duluti after the first world war. When enemy property farms were being sold (German). They had that until one Mr K V Painter who was an American persuaded him to sell the farm and take over the 'New Arusha Hotel!"

According to Marjorie, the original 'Arusha Hotel' was built opposite the "old man Blooms Arusha hotel!" Now her statement indicates that, there should have been two hotels that were located on the same grounds. The Blooms Hotel dates back to 1894. What about the Ray Ulyate's hotel?

"Reading from some of my Mum's notes." Says Marjorie. "She remembers that they had The Prince of Wales (first name in the visitors book) attended the opening ball in 1928. So I guess it was around this time when the hotel opened!"

Extract ID: 5089

See also

Herne, Brian White Hunters: The golden age of African Safaris
Page Number: 046a
Extract Date: 1907

Arusha in 1907

When Kenyon Painter had first arrived at Arusha by ox wagon and mules back in 1907, the town boasted one tiny hotel, known by the name of its Jewish owner. Bloom's. Bloom's was nothing more than a whitewashed, mud-brick building with a roof of corrugated iron sheeting. It had a dozen bedrooms, a chintzy lounge, and a bar cum dining room overlooking a fast snow melt stream called the Themi River. Sunburned German settlers routinely gathered for schnapps and songs on the verandah. The few British residents slouched in for pink gins much as they did in the more sumptuous surroundings of the Norfolk in Nairobi.

Adjacent to the hotel was John Mulholland's Store, which dealt in everything from rhino horn and ivory tusks to trophies of every sort, along with the best groceries in town. He also sold rifles, pistols, likker, vegetables and tinned goods, tents, bedding, mosquito nets, pots and pans, saddles and tack. Arusha was made up of a few modest dwellings, a telegraph office, a couple of rickety Indian-owned mud dukas with false storefronts, a German blacksmith, livery stables, and half a dozen shops owned by Germans, Greeks, and South Africans trading in farm implements, seed beans, cattle, and goatskins. In the town lived several hundred Africans, mostly members of the Wa-Arush, a mixture of intermarried Masai and Meru tribesmen who were sedentary subsistence agriculturalists growing bananas, corn, and cassava. Surrounding the town were German-developed small holdings carved out of nothing and growing everything from cereals to cherries, apples, citrus, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, and rubber.

Extract ID: 3807

See also

nTZ Feedback
Extract Author: Alexandra
Page Number: 2008 11 14
Extract Date: 1920's

Bloom's, Selian History

I am working to document some history on Burka and Selian Coffee Estates. This includes the history of Bloom's Arusha Hotel, as this family went on to purchase part of what now is Burka Estates, The New Arusha Hotel, who had extensive contact with the Bloom family. I am also looking for any information on a Captain J.A. Hewer, who bought Burka originally, The origins of the Arusha Coffee Lodge and anything in between. Any letters, pictures, or just little facts would be of great interest to me.

Thank you for your help,

Extract ID: 5888

See also

Ulyate Family Personal Communications
Extract Author: Marjorie Borissow
Page Number: 101
Extract Date: 11/07/2003

Arusha School

Hi David

Many thanks for your very interesting email.

To answer a couple of your questions yes I am related to Marion Langham. She is my first cousin. Do pass on my email to her if you are in contact.

Our grandparents were Raymond and Marjorie Ulyate (nee Rooken-Smith). Their families were part of the original settlers that landed in South Africa in 1820. My grandfather and his family then went on and became some of the first pioneers around Kajabe in Kenya.

Grandpa started taking people out on safari in the early 1900's. He worked for Newlands & Tarlton He even gets a mention in Theodore Roosevelts Book "frican Game Trails" That was on the safari in 1910 .

Grandpa bought Meru Estate near Lake Duluti after the first world war. When enemy property farms were being sold (German). They had that until a Mr K V Painter - an American persuaded him to sell the farm and take over the New Arusha Hotel (It was built opposite "'old man Blooms Arusha hotel" )

Reading from some of Mums notes she remembers that they had The Prince of Wales (first name in the visitors book) attended the opening ball in 1928. So I guess it was around this time the hotel opened.

See the article I am sending. I have heaps of other bit and pieces.

Following are a couple of photos of the hotel and an original postcard with the sign that my Grandpa wrote. I even have a Coloured letterhead of the hotel written to my mother 26 July 1930 .

Raymond and Marjorie had six children.

Jack,

Vivian (my mother who married Boris Borissow)

Thora (Marions Mother who married Oswald Barratt)

Ken,

Malham &

Ted (William)

I think Malham & Ted went to the school and most of the offspring went to Arusha School at some stage.(About 32 of us)

Ted's Wife - Kay Ulyate ran the Sanitorium for a long time. Many a day was spent there with measles, chicken pox or whatever.

Grandpa sold the New Arusha Hotel to their daughter Thora Barratt and also sold their other hotel the Lion Cub at Moshi to my mother Vivian Borissow.

I am sure Marion knows heaps more of the history than I do. I was one of the babies in the family!

Sorry the photos of the school are not too good. Colour has faded. Bryn Jones is the man sitting down, on mount Meru also in the fancy dress photo. Remember those! The 2 sitting at the top were one of the teachers. I wil try and track down my autograph book and then I will be able to tell you some of the names of the teachers at that time. Mrs Bennett was the art teacher I think.

I am glad to hear all your news about the school. What on earth took you back to Arusha and remind me again where you presently live.

I have just spent an hour hunting around. So time has got away.

Take care and please keep in touch and I dont mind you passing on my email to anyone who may remember me.

Marjorie Borissow

PS I caught up with a video made from old cine film taken of one of grandpas safaris. Rare footage.

Extract ID: 4339

See also

Ulyate Family Personal Communications
Extract Author: anon
Page Number: 107
Extract Date: 1953

'Piece of History' to vanish

cutting sent by Marjorie Borissow

The news that the New Arusha Hotel is to be rebuilt has met with a certain sadness as well as pleasure.

Of course, the town is pleased that the African Tours and Hotels Ltd. has so much faith in the future of the tourist industry that it is willing to go on with the plans to rebuild the hotel and spend somewhere in the region of "110,000 in the process.

The sadness comes with the disappearance of a "piece of history". How changed life will be when it is no longer possible to sit on the verandah of the "New A" and watch the world go by as one waits for a friend or a bus or just waits!

Royal Reception

Thousands of tourists and V.I.P.'s have passed through the New Arusha and hundreds of dances and dinners have been held there. The first function held in fact took place before it was opened - a dance and reception for the Prince of Wales in December, 1927, the hotel being officially opened the following January.

The New owner was Mr. K.V. Painter an American who leased it to Mr Ray Ulyate. The name New Arusha arose because there had already been an Arusha Hotel across the road owned and run by Jane and Goodall Bloom.

Mr Ulyate started what is believed to be the first safaris by camera at the hotel when he formed his Tanganyika big game and tourist organisation, offereing a seven-day photographic safari in the Serengeti.

Extract ID: 4345

See also

Arusha Times
Extract Author: June Thomas
Page Number: 439
Extract Date: 30 Sep 2006

I have first hand account of history of New Arusha Hotel

Dear Sirs,

I have just come across your articles written last year (24 Sept 2005) regarding a Dana Bloom from Canada - and the debate regarding the New Arusha Hotel.

My father - Ted Ulyate (now age 89) - son of Raymond Ulyate is very much alive - and if people are really interested in the history of the New Arusha Hotel Dad can give first hand account of events and clear up any problem areas.

By the way - as a child I knew Polly Bloom really well - and he and his family were friends of my parents - I also remember the name of Judah Bloom - both Mum and Dad still speak of the family.

My mother was the sister of the Arusha School (Kay Ulyate) and my father (Ted Ulyate) had a farm out at Essimingor and I am assumed that the luncheon parties mentioned in Marsh, R.J. and E.P Safari Diaries 1953-7 was in fact lunches as my parents farm.

If anyone would like to contact my parents please let me know and I would gladly put you in contact.

Kind regards

June Thomas (nee Ulyate)

Extract ID: 5160
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