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Name: FURSE, Hilda Gladys, Mrs

Nee: dau. of John and Gertrude Hill-Williams

Birth Date: 10 Sep 1904 Fulham

Death Date: 1997 Alton, Hampshire

First Date: 1908

Last Date: 1966

Profession: She lived first at Molo, then at the Sportsman's Arms Hotel, Nanyuki, and later returned to the Molo district. Hon. Secretary, Molo Hunt Club

Area: Marindas, Molo, Nanyuki 1930 Nyeri

Married: In London 19 Oct 1926 David Gordon Roberts Furse (1900-1955)

Children: Janet Mary Kemble (Mozley) (21 Apr 1942-2005 Chichester); Diana Aileen (27 Dec 1944)

Book Reference: Gillett, Jambo 66, Hut, Red 25, Red 31

General Information:

Obituary - Jambo 66 - Hilda and her sister Tuppence were born in England. Their father was an engineer and he was persuaded by Will Powys Cobb to try his hand at farming in Kenya which was just being opened up for European settlement. So in 1907 at the age of 3, Hilda, her mother and Tup set off for Mombasa to join him. They went by train from Mombasa to Molo and then by ox cart to their tented home. They had a very adventurous childhood, occasionally punctuated by a period of education. At one stage they shared a governess with Elspeth Huxley and they remained close friends.
Hilda met her future husband David when he arrived on a neighbouring farm as a pupil; they were married in England in 1926 and spent two years in London while David worked as a designer at the Royal Institute for Disabled Servicemen. They longed to return to Kenya and eventually went to Hoey's Bridge to manage a dairy - for 3 years a tent was their home.
In the 30s they returned to a small farm at Molo and lived there until David's death in 1955. They developed a fine stud of Arab horses and a lovely herd of Jersey cattle. Hilda enjoyed her love of flowers and created a wonderful garden. In 1943 her daughter Janet was born followed by Diana in 1945.
Life in Kenya was not easy during the war, the women had been left to run the farms and great ingenuity was required to achieve the necessary equipment for babies.
After David's death, Hilda's immense courage in looking after her young daughters and continuing to run the farm was sustained by the friendship of many stalwart friends. Later with the future of Kenya facing great changes she was persuaded to move as Tinet was considered too isolated to continue living there with the girls.
In 1966 she left Kenya for England then after a few years accompanied by her two pekinese she sailed for New Zealand to join Diana who had recently married there. For the next 25 years she and Diana moved around the world to South Africa, S. Rhodesia, back to England, S. Rhodesia again and then finally settling in England.
In later life she developed her skill as a painter of wild flowers, she was an enthusiastic letter writer and enjoyed good health until the last 18 months of her life. She was devotedly looked after by Diana and her family and will be remembered with great affection as a dear Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, an interesting companion and a friend to all. ......…

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