The Flame Trees of Thika

The Flame Trees of Thika is a British television serial of seven 50minute episodes made by Euston Films for Thames Television in 1981. It was adapted by John Hawkesworth from the 1959 book of the same title by Elspeth Huxley, and is set in and around the town of Thika in Kenyas Central Province. The story deals with the lives of British settlers in this part of East Africa in 1913, when the country was a British colony, up to the start of World War One.

Robin GrantDavid Robb, his wife Tilly Hayley Mills and daughter Elspeth Holly Aird move to British East Africa now called Kenya to set up a coffee plantation. The meet Piet Roos, a Boer big game hunter and Njombo, a native who goes to work from them. The Grants face many travails in getting established, but these improve after they hire Sammy as the headman of the plantation. Hereward Nicholas Jones and Lettice Sharon Maughan Palmer move to the area. There is a fight between Roos and Sammy. Then Njombo kills Kimon, who was the Palmers headman. As a result his chief strips him of his property and Sammy marries the girl Njombo wanted. Elspeth has a very interesting New Years Eve party with Mrs. Nimmo and a newcomer to the area Alec Wilson while her parents and the Palmers go to Nairobi. A big game hunter, Ian Crawford Ben Cross arrives in the area and becomes infatuated with Lettice Palmer, who gives a pony to Elspeth. We learn Lettice left her first husband to elope with Hereward and Elspeth develops an intense dislike for Hereward Palmer after he shoots a baby antelope on a hunt. Sammy arranges for a curse to be put on Njombo, and it literally takes an Act of God to get it lifted. After the railroad reaches Thika, Lettice gets a piano, but during a party held to celebrate its arrival, a leopard kills one of her dogs. During the hunt to get it, Hereward kills the leopard, but is almost killed by its mate, but saved by Roos. The Palmers, Tilly and Crawford go on a safari, during which Lettice and Crawford have an affair. Hereward and Crawford are about to have a brawl when Crawfords servant stabs Hereward. As a result Crawford leaves and Lettice stays with Hereward. Then on August 4, 1914 the Grants learn war has been declared on Germany. Robin joins the army, while Tilly becomes a nurse and Elspeth goes to school, where she is bullied for being a knowitall. She runs away back to Thika. Ian Crawford is killed. Then Robin is transferred to France so all the Grants lea

Source: Wikipedia