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Name: TOFTE, Cedric Rudolf

image of individual

Birth Date: 1906 Victoria, Australia

Death Date: Kenya

First Date: 1937

Profession: Farmer, Kitale

Area: 1937 Riverglade Estate Cherangani

Married: Doreen Eva b. 1918

Children: Chris; another son; Patsy (Barker)

Book Reference: Sitrep 2, Hut, Gazette

General Information:

Gazette 6 Dec 1938 Trans Nzoia Voters List has Rudolf
Pre-war volunteer to the Kenya Regiment (KR 676). No birthdate in KR records.
John Edwards in Kitale School Newsletter Mid-Year 2021 Chris Tofte. Chris' upbringing left a lot to be desired. His grandparents inherited the Lurman farm (where we lived for a time) and made a killing in the 50s' coffee boom. This led to Chris' parents, Cedric and Doreen, becoming part of the social set, mixing with the likes of the Duke of Manchester while Chris, his sister Patsy and younger brother Johnny were virtually brought up by an African ayah (nurse), and grew up speaking Swahili before English.
Chris and Sally had one child, a daughter Jacqueline, and they asked me to be her Godfather, to which I agreed. About this time Chris went through a pretty hard time. He purchased a farm with his father's help but went bad on that, then worked for an old Kitale resident, Mr Elmer, managing one of his farms, but was sacked from that.

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