FORD, FORDE, FOORD, FOURD, etc (spellings vary with the recorder) is the commonest Ringmer name from the 17th century (the parish registers survive from 1605) to the mid-20th, when JONES & SMITH took over. If at any time from the 17th century from the 19th you stood on Ringmer Green and yelled for John FORD people would have responded from all directions.
In the 17th century alone:
John & Ann had children bapt in 1605 (John) & 1607/8.
John & Mary had children bapt in 1606 (Mary), 1607/8 (Mary), 1608/9 (John), 1611, 1615, 1620/1, 1623, 1625, 1626/7, 1627/8, 1629, 1632 & 1635. Probably not all one family. John FOORD married Mary CATT in 1616, and baptisms in the 1620s & 1630s are to John FORD the keeper of the Broyle [Park]. John FOORD the keeper gave evidence in 1622 that he was aged 29, had dwelt in the Broyle for 7 years and known it for 16 years. He acted in wood sales from the Broyle for his master, the Earl of Dorset, 1620-1629. Later his son John gave evidence that his father had been keeper for 30 years.
John FORD the carpenter & Rose had children bapt in 1635/6 (John), 1638 (Marie), 1640/1 (two), 1643/4 (two), 1646 & 1649. He had an unbaptised son buried in 1652. John FOURDE married Rose READE in Feb 1634/5. Probate of the 1645 will of Rose's sister describes Rose as bound as executor along with John FOORD of Ringmer, carpenter. There is a 1670 inventory of Rose FOORD of Ringmer, widow of John FOORD, in the East Sussex Record Office. The value was a modest £31.
John FOURDE the younger married Marie FOSTER in Feb 1636/7, both of this parish. They had children bapt at Ringmer in Feb 1641/2 (Alice) & Mar 1649. John FOARDE of Ringmer had a daughter baptised at Barcombe (next parish west) in Jan 1653/4.
John FOORD the carpenter of Bentley & Mary had 8 children bapt at Ringmer 1665-1687, including a John & 2 Marys.
John FOORD of Norlington & Susan/na had 4 children bapt at Ringmer Dec 1683-Mar 1689, including a John & a Mary.
The 1641 Protestation Return in the parish registers was signed by John FORD and John FOORD. Another petition to Parliament in 1648, asking them to reach an accommodation with King Charles ad cut taxes, was signed by John FORD and John FOORDE.
In the 1662 Hearth Tax there were two John FORDs in Norlington borough, and another John FORD and a Thomas FORD in Middleham borough, Ringmer, all with 2-hearth houses.
In 1641 John FOORD of Ringmer, yeo, purchased and identifiable (and surviving) house in Norlington borough, and in 1658 he and his wife Mary sold it to a man with the same surname as the surety for the 1636/7 John FOURDE/Marie FOSTER marriage, which was by licence.
All rather confusing, I'm afraid.
