Thomas John McKenzie (TJM) was born at Littleborough, near Rochdale, England in 1893, the son of a Methodist minister. In 1914 he entered Hartley College, Manchester to begin his training as a Primitive Methodist minister. After a period in the home ministry he went out to Nigeria as a missionary in 1919. Most of his service was spent at the mission station of Oyubia, near Oron . Here he was joined by his wife Nella, daughter of Robert Fairley, missionary to Fernando Po, whom he married in 1922. Nella Fairley had been a missionary teacher in Nigeria since 1920. During their time at Oyubia, the station expanded to comprise 53 preaching places and 35 schools run by 40 native teachers. In 1926 the McKenzies returned to England on furlough, with TJM in a poor state of health. He died in December 1926 aged 34.
From the guide to the McKenzie, Thomas John and Nella J., 1919-1923, 1943, (School of Oriental and African Studies)
