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Name: MITFORD-BARBERTON, Thane Renshaw
Nee: son of Henry Barber (later Mitford-Barberton)
Birth Date: 2 July 1901 Durban, SA
Death Date: 9 July 1982 Grahamstown, S. Africa
First Date: 1925
Profession: An authority on the Elgon caves; farmed in the Kitale area; engineer
Area: P.O. Kitale, 1930 'Dunbryonne' P.O. Kiminini
Married: In S. Africa 5 Mar 1938 Marjorie J. Eaton 'Moth' b. 1906 Pretoria, d .23 Jan 1973 Natal
Children: Drucilla Joan (1939), Ian (12 June 1941 Kenya-4 Nov 1986) both adopted (children of Warburton)
Book Reference: Red 25, Red 31, Hut, Curtis, Red 22, Trans Nzoia Scrap Book, Web, Pioneers, Burke, Bowkers
School: St Andrew's College, Grahamstown
General Information:
Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Trans Nzoia Voters List
Curtis - p. 118 - 'Trans Nzoia: The Mitford Barberton Family'
Trans Nzoia Scrap Book - Article - 'Elgon Caves'
Web - Thane Renshaw Mitford-Barberton, b. 1901, Durban, SA, married 1938, Marjorie Eaton
Pioneers - The Elgon Caves - Renshaw Mitford Barberton - When we came up to the Trans Nzoia to settle, early in 1913, one of the first adventures we had was to visit 2 large caves in the foothills of Mount Elgon. ….. [more]
Burke - formerly of Cav-on-the-Mount, Kitale which he sold 1965
Bowkers - Renshaw tells a tale that you may not believe, but it is nevertheless true. When he was about 17 he was hunting on a stream near Soy, in the Uasin Gishu. He wanted to cross the stream and from a high bank climbed down onto a fallen tree-trunk over which masses of creepers hung in festoons like a blanket. From the log he jumped down through the creepers, right on to the back of a lion that was hiding in the undergrowth. With a terrific roar, the lion bounded away, throwing Renshaw aside, while his rifle flew out of his hand and stuck barrel downwards in the mud of the stream. He dashed in knee deep and recovered it. The barrel had 6 inches of mud in it and there was Renshaw, standing in the stream, pushing a piece of grass up the barrel to try and dislodge the mud and looking nervously around for the lion, which he expected to be a few yards off. But the lion had fled in a hurry. He was not used to being jumped on and was quite as frightened as poor Renshaw. ……….
Renshaw farms at Cav-on-the-Mount, Kitale, and was on reserved occupation during the 1939-45 war. He is of an inventive nature, and his gadgets and machinery are well known in the Trans Nzoia. He has some remarkable farm buildings to his credit.