EVANS Glos/Wilts, ALLFORD Beds, JEFFS Oxon

[nong43]

Hello

My 3x great-grandfather Abraham EVANS was baptised in Chedworth, GLS on 30th June 1833. He was the son of William EVANS, a travelling basket maker and his wife Sophia. Both were recorded as being from Highworth, WIL.

By the time Abraham married in Shipton-under-Wychwood, OXF on 1st November 1852, he was a chair bottomer, which is what his father had become. His wife was Mary Ann ALLFORD, a hawker, daughter of Ezekiel ALLFORD, a tinker/tinman. Mary Ann's birth county is recorded on later censuses as Buckinghamshire. Abraham eventually became a tinker/tinman himself, and the family moved around a bit (two children being born in Hampshire), before finally settling down in Buckinghamshire, where their descendants have lived ever since.

I can't find any other records of an Ezekiel ALLFORD, but there is a Hezekiah ALFORD on the 1871 census, recorded as a tinman (relation to "head of family" - tramp) and living in Beaconsfield, BKM. There is also a marriage in Noke, OXF on 15th December 1823 of an Ezekias ALLFORD to a Jemima JEFFS.

Do any of these family names (or individuals) ring a bell with anyone? If anyone has even the slightest scrap of new information, I would love to hear from them - it's all good.

Thanks

Martin

[nong43]

Sorry, forgot to mention - Hezekiah's birthplace was recorded on the 1871 census as being Leighton Buzzard, BDF (in around 1797).

Martin

[CitizenSmith]

Hi Martin

I have these few Alfords to share, from Oxfordshire rather than Beds:

Headington, Oxford, baptisms (this being a great centre for Gypsies, some partially settled)

bp 7 Dec 1828
Bechihinney Job, son of Job & Rachel Alford, traveller

bp 31 March 1839
Damaris, daughter of Job & Rachel Alford, traveller

bp 11 May 1845
Isabella, daughter of Anne Selina Alford, traveller

bp 17 Feb 1850
Henry Alford,    [no parents' names given], traveller, [of] Shotover [not sure if this means this was an adult baptism]

Also, Jeffs is definitely a Traveller name in Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.

Best wishes

Sharon

[nong43]

Hi Sharon

Thanks - I shall investigate further the OXF Alfords. If Hezekiah was from a travelling family, it could easily be the case that his family were not from BDF at all.

Do you know of any websites/publications that might help me out?

Thanks

Martin

[ROMANYGENES]

Might be a possible son for hezeckial ?

1851*Rowley Regis, Staffordshire
Ezachia Allford abt 1826 Rowley, Worcestershire,Head
Sarah Allford abt 1825 Rowley, Staffordshire Wife
Mary Ann Allford 1843 Rowley, Staffordshire, Daughter
Noal Allford abt 1845 Rowley, Staffordshire,Son
Ann Allford abt 1850 Rowley, StaffordshireDaughter

[rdads maggie]

Hi
there are Allfords camped with Hughes & Orchards
 1901 Chimney Down Hockworthy Tiverton devon
James Allford 52 L Hawker b chimney down
caroline wife 34 b oakford
Maggie

[whiteout7]

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

Mentions Hezekiah Alford, gipsy 3 times, twice in Somerset and once in Furzey Heath, Hampshire
Mentions Hezekiah Allford (spelling of Alford) 2 times with Three travelling sweeps (is that chimney sweeping), named James Allford, sen., James Allford, jnn in Cerne Abbas, Dorset/Mappowder Village Dorset.

If you sign up you get 3 free pages ....

[whiteout7]

more on Hezekiah Alford and Jemima Jeffs

http://mail.gypsygenealogy.com/showarticle.php?article_id=259

and

http://mail.gypsygenealogy.com/showarticle.php?article_id=150