The Orford Family

The Orford family were farmers. This story starts with a William Orford who was married to Bridget Easthaugh. William was born around 1775 and died in Oct. - Dec. 1850. Bridget was born in 1778 and died in 1866. They had at least four children.

Bridget was recorded in the census for in 1861 as head of the household, aged 83 and a farmer of 150 acres. It seems from the place of birth of their children that they were living in from at least 1804 until 1813.

William died in 1850 and Bridget died in 1866. She was 91 years old.

Children of William and Bridget William was the first son of William and Bridget. He was born in Marlesford, in 1804. He married Mary Whiting Willson on 25th June 1829. (See later notes)

Catherine was their first and only daughter. She was born in 1807 in Marlesford. She was living with her mother Bridget in 1861 in Friston.

In 1871, she was recorded as a farmer of 116 acres and employed several men and boys. She was aged 65. Living with at the time was Emma, her niece, aged 33, Alice, another niece aged 17 and Harry, her nephew, also aged 17

She remained a spinster and died on 24t April 1872.

John was William and Bridget's second son, born in 1809. He was born in Marlesford. He married Ann Kemp, (born 1811) in Cum Thorpe on 26th December 1832. In 1841, they were living in , Suffolk. John aged 32, was a miller and Ann, his wife was aged 29.

In 1861, they were living in , Suffolk. They had three children, John aged 1834, Harriet born 1839 and Mary born 1841. John occupation was a miller. It is possible that Ann died in July 1884? Ann was born in Marlesford in 1812. There is a record of an Ann Orford who died in July 1884. It could have been Ann, daughter of William and Bridget or Ann, wife of John Orford.

Samuel was the last child, born 1813. Samuel married Sarah Ann in 1841. Sarah Ann was born in Parham in 1819. They had five children. They were;- Sarah Ann born 1843, baptised on 12th January 1844. Thomas born 1847 was baptised in Stemfield on 2nd April 1847. Catherine was born 1849, Alice born 1854 and Harry born 1854.

In 1851, Samuel was living in Stemfield, aged 38 with his wife Sarah and baby Catherine Bridget, aged just 4 months.

In the 1861 census for Friston, Samuel was living with his mother Bridget. He was recorded as a widower and was the farm steward. Living with him was his children Sarah Ann, Thomas, Catherine, Alice and Harry.

Alice and Harry were both born in 1854 so they may have been twins.

Sarah Ann, Samuel's wife, died sometime between 1854 and 1851.

On 12th February 1868, Samuel married Emma Ann Webber in Middlesex. Samuel and Emma lived in Suffolk.

In 1871, Samuel and Emma were living in , Suffolk. Emma was recorded as being born in , Suffolk.

Samuel died on 12thApril 1882 at Friston.

Will of Samuel Orford, who died at Friston, late of Moor Farm, aged 69, proved at by Emma Ann of Friston, widow, the relect, and Thomas Studd, executors. Personal estate - £913 lOs 6d.

William Orford, born 1804. William, the eldest son of William and Bridget was born in Marlesford in 1804. He married Mary Whiting Willson on 25th July 1829.

They had 7 children and from their dates of birth, the family did not stay in the same place for long. In 1830, it seems that William and Mary were living in the area of Suffolk but by 1841, they had moved to Knodishall/Friston.

In 1851, William and Mary and their family were still living in Friston and William was recorded as a farmer.

In 1861, the census recorded William, a farmer of some 120 acres was living with his family at Farm House, Snape Road, Stemfield. Ten years later in 1871, he was farming 116 acres at Potash Farm, Stemfield.

Mary died sometime between 1871 and 1881. William was living with his Samuel and family in Cookley, near , recorded as a widower. William died in 1915.

Children of William (1804-1915) and Mary, nee Willson 1. George William Orford, born 1830 George William was born in Leiston, Suffolk in 1830. He married Sarah Golding, born 1829. They lived in all their married lives. They had seven children. They were, William Golding Orford, born 1859 in Saxmundham. He married Julia Jane Kerridge (b. 1859) in 1880. William died in 1919 in Leiston aged 60 years. Edward A. Orford, born 1860, died 1926 aged 66 years. Alfred Orford born 1863, died 1943 aged 80 years. Agnes Emma Orford, born 1864, died 1918 aged 54 years. Charlotte Jane Orford, born 1868. She married Charles Ernest Cadman in 1899. Charlotte died in 1946 aged 78 years. Sarah Bridget Orford, born 1869 married James Joseph Cadman in 1906. Edith Orford, born 1874 married Thomas C. Wilson in September 1922. George William died in 1894 aged 64 and Sarah died in 1915, aged 86.

2. Harriet was William and Mary's first daughter born in 1835. She died in January 1857, aged 22 years.

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3. Edgar was their next child, born in Knodishall in 1838. He was baptised on 11th March 1833 in Friston. He was living with his parents in Stemfield in 1871, aged 33. He married Elizabeth Cable in 1877. She was known as Betsey. Edgar and Betsey were both living in Benhall in 1891 according to the census. In 1910, Edgar died aged 72. In 1911, Betsey was still living in Benhall.

4. Mary was William and Mary's second daughter, born 1840.

5. Emma Sarah, their next daughter was born in 1841. She was baptised on 30th June 1837 in Friston. She lived with her parents. The census for 1861 records Emma visiting her grandmother Bridget. In 1891, she was living with her brother Samuel at Low Farm, .

6. John was born in Friston in 1843. He was living in Campsea Ashe in 1891 at Low Farm with his brother Samuel and his family.

7. Samuel was William and Mary's last son, born in June 1847 in Friston. He married Emma Dale, (born ), They had at least six children. Samuel died in December 1917 at the age of 70 (See notes below)

Samuel Orford, born 1847 Samuel Orford was the youngest child of William and Mary. He was born in 1849 and baptised on 29th April 1849 at Friston. He lived with the family and worked on their farm along with his brothers. One census recorded Samuel's occupation as a miller. His early years were spent in Stemfield. In 1871, the census recorded Samuel living with his pareants at Potash Farm, Stemfield.

He married Emma Dale in 1877. Emma was the daughter of William and Mary Dale. She was baptised on 4th January 1849 in Yoxford, Suffolk.

In 1851, Emma was living with her widowed mother, Mary, aged 40 and three older brothers. Mary Dale was recorded as a pauper so.it appears that the family had fallen on very hard times having lost the family's breadwinner. In 1871, Emma was working as a dairymaid for John Easter, a farmer in Benhall. in 1881, Samuel and Emma were living in Cookley, near Halesworth with their two sons, John William aged 1 year and Thomas aged 5 months. Both children were born in Cookley. Samuel was a farmer of 60 acres. Also living with them was William, Samuel's widowed father and his brother John and sister, Emma.

By 1884, Samuel and Emma had moved to Campsea Ashe and held the tenancy of Low Farm. They had four more children, all born in Campsea Ashe. They were Emma Agnes; hom 1882, Jessie May, born 1884, Charlotte Mary, born 1886, and George, born 1887.

Sadly, little Jessie died, aged three months and was buried in Campsea Ashe churchyard .. In the census for 1891, Samuel, Emma and their children were still living at Low Farm, Campsea Ashe. Samuel's brother John, now aged 47 and their sister, Emma Sarah, aged 51, a retired housekeeper, were living with them. , Emma, Samuel's wife died in 1899 at the age of 52 and was buried in Campsea Ashe with her baby daughter.

By 1901, Samuel now a widower was still working his farm with his son Thomas, now. aged 20. Emma, his daughter, aged 19 was housekeeper and her sister, Charlotte was an apprentice dress maker: Samuel's youngest child George was still living at home aged 14.

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In the 1911 census, Samuel continued to farm at Low Farm with the help of his son Thomas and his daughter Charlotte. The record showed that Samuel and Emma had 8 children in all and that three had died, leaving five still living. So far only six children have been found. Samuel died in December 1917 aged 70 years.

His Will was proved at Ipswich which stated that Samuel Orford, farmer, left his estate to George, his son. Personal effects - £7, 377. 14 s.

Children of Samuel and Emma John William, born in Cookley in 1880, married Elsie Wellerd. They had three children, Elsie, Francis John and Gordon.

Thomas, born 1881 in Cookley lived with the family on the farm. He married Mabel Ellis in June 1927. Thomas died on 22nd February 1941 in Campsea Ashe so it seems that he lived all his life in the village.

Emma Agnes, born in 1882 lived with the family until she married Thomas John Cadman. She died in 1952.

Jessie May was born in 1884 in Campsea Ashe but died on 4th April 1884, just three months old. She was buried at Campsea Ashe churchyard on 9th of that month.

Charlotte Mary was born in Campsea Ashe in 1886. She lived with the family and does not appear to have married. She died in Campsea Ashe on 29th December 1955.

George was born in 1887 in Campsea Ashe. He too worked on the family farm. He married Eva Thurkettle in Woodbridge in 1918, a year after his father Samuel died. They had one son Reginald, born in 1919.

George died on 7th December 1955 in Ufford, Suffolk.

Will of George Orford. George Orford of Melt House Farm, Ufford, occupation farmer, died on 7thDecember 1955. Proved at Ipswich. Personal effects - £1,614. 4s. 2d.

Thomas was living with this father at Low Farm who was aged 64 and a widower in 1911. His mother died in 1899Thomas was aged 30 and unmarried.

It is believed that Thomas served in World War 1 but so far his Service record has not been found. It is thought that he served in the Royal Fusilliers.

He married Mabel Ellis in 1927.

Thomas died in Campsea Ashe on 22nd February 1941. In his Will it states that he was still living at Low Farm. Probate was granted to Mabel Emma Orford, widow. Personal Effects - £2,615. 9s 8d.

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