My Kefford Line

Having written so much about Keffords & Kiffords, it seems only fair to give some information on "my lot". The aim here is not to go into vast detail, but to give an overview of how my line goes back.

The earliest clues I was given were that my Great Grandparents, John and Emma Kefford, lived at 19 Cornwall Street, Pimlico and came originally from Barton le Clay in Bedfordshire. They had 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls but only the names of William (my Grandfather) Harry, Horace (also known as George) Edward and Elizabeth were known. It was suggested that the other three girls may not have survived, although one was thought to have married a man named Dinsey. A son from this marriage, Will Dinsey, died of TB at an early age. And that was about it!

Subsequent research revealed at fascinating line all the way back to 1560 at Wrestlingworth in Bedfordshire:

JOHN & EMMA KEFFORD

John Kefford married Emma Clark at Barton in October 1876. This section will also look at their descendants down to their fourteen grandchildren and at nineteen (known) great-grandchildren. All but one of the latter are thought to be still living, so in order to protect privacy, no details are given except where they are known or thought to be deceased.

Their first daughter, Ellen, was born about 6 weeks later the wedding! She was followed by Elizabeth in 1878, William in 1880, Martha in 1883, Harry in 1885 and Horace in 1888. By 1891 John had moved to Westminster with his brother Reuben (by then known as William) whilst Emma and the children were still at Barton. By 1893 the whole family except Ellen, who stayed at Barton, were living at 26 Rochester Street, Westminster. It was there that May Eliza was born in 1893 and Edward George in 1896.

So, the eight children were identified and indeed a ninth, since family recollection has it that Edward George had a still-born twin, believed to have been a girl.

1) Ellen Kefford married William Dinsey at Barton in 1895. He was born at Barton in 1870 and spent some time in Australia before returning and marrying Ellen. They had three children: Alice May Dinsey in 1897, William James Dinsey in 1898 and Edwin George Dinsey in 1901, all born at Barton.

Alice May Dinsey married Percy Harold Roberts at Barton in 1920. Percy Harold died in 1943 and is buried at Barton. Alice May died in 1955.

William James Dinsey served as Private 52495 with the Lancashire Fusiliers in WW1. He survived the war but died of TB in 1921 aged 22 and is buried at Barton.

Edwin George Dinsey died of TB in 1919 aged 17 and is also buried at Barton.

Ellen Dinsey also contracted TB and died at Barton in 1924, being buried with William James at Barton. Edwin George's grave is nearby. William Dinsey died in 1947 aged 77 and is buried with Percy Harold Roberts at Barton.

2) Elizabeth Kefford married Frederick Henry Harding in 1896 at St Anne, Soho. He was born in 1874 at Eastleach in Gloucestershire and was a licensed victualler. They initially lived at 18 Bateman Street, Soho and were still there in 1901 but seem to have left by 1903. The Dog & Duck pub still occupies the site and retains many Victorian features that must be just as they were when the Hardings were there.

They had at least four children: Ducal Frederick in 1898 at Soho/Westminster, then Celia (or Cecelia) Ivy in 1903, William Frederick in 1905 and Cyril George in 1910 all at Paddington.

Ducal Frederick Harding served in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in WW1 as Frederick Harding and lost an arm and an eye. As several men by this name served in the regiment, it has not been possible to identify his number yet. Also as Frederick, he married Elsie Florence Webb in 1919 at Plumstead. They appear to have had only one child, Cyril Frederick Harding at Eltham 1919:

Cyril Frederick died (aged 25) at Kuching in Borneo on 14 May 1945 due to malnutrition and ill-treatment as a prisoner of the Japanese. He was serving as Gunner 2050195 with 12 Battery - 6 Heavy Anti Aircraft Regiment - Royal Artillery and is buried in Labuan Cemetery, Malaysia. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission recorded his mother, Elsie Florence Kendall of St Mary Cray, Orpington as next of kin, as he was still a bachelor. As far as is known, Cyril Frederick was the first (and so far) only great-grandchild of John & Emma to have died.

Ducal died of TB in 1927 aged 28 in his parents home at 400 (formerly 320) Well Hall Road, Eltham where they had moved in c1916. He was buried in Nunhead Cemetery, Peckham just a few graves to the left of his grandmother Emma Kefford. After Ducal's death, Elsie Florence appears to have remarried to Benjamin Kendall and had a further 8 children. Benjamin died in 1948 and under her Harding surname, Elsie Florence remarried to William Dunne (a widower) in 1952. She died at Sidcup in 1958.

As an aside, Ducal is a very unusual name, but one that was firstly chosen for Ducal's first cousin, Dukecal William Harding who was also born in Soho/Westminster, but in 1892. His father was William Harding and a brother to Frederick Harding, Ducal's father. As Duke William Harding, he served with the Berkshire Yeomanry in WW1 as Private 1816. He married Marjorie Spearman Lee in 1917 at Lechlade and died in 1951 at Hemel Hempstead. They had four children including another Dukecal, namely Dukecal Jenner Harding. He emigrated to Canada in 1954 and died there in 1989. There is no obvious reason why the two branches of the family chose the different spellings of Ducal and Dukecal or why they chose the name at all.

Cecilia Ivy Harding married in 1930 at Greenwich and died in 1988.

William Frederick Harding married in 1928 at Lewisham and died in 1978.
Cyril George Harding married in 1936 at Greenwich and died in 1978.

Elizabeth Harding died in 1957 in Bexleyheath aged 79 and was buried with Ducal at Nunhead. Frederick Henry Harding died in 1961 at Maidstone aged 87.

3) William Kefford married Catherine Elizabeth Humfrey (also known as Kate or Cath Reynolds) in 1904 at Brighton and had two sons there, Charles Henry in 1905 and Frank William in 1914. William was killed on the Somme on 23 October 1916 with the 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment as Private G/40394. See Kefford Roll of Honour. Catherine Elizabeth Kefford died in 1954 at Hove. For Catherine's line see the Humfrey(s) Family page.

Charles Henry Kefford married in 1931 at Chichester and died in 1989.

Frank William Kefford married in 1955 and died in 1989.

4) Martha Kefford died in 1897 aged 14 at Fulham.

5) Harry Kefford never married and died at Lambeth in 1951 and is buried with John & Emma at Nunhead.

6) Horace Kefford clearly hated his name and chose to be called George! In WW1 he served as George Kefford in the RASC as Private A/367610. He married Grace Simons at Penzance in 1907 and had two sons there, William George in 1908 and Charles Stutheridge in 1909. Horace (George) died in 1941 at Sutton (Surrey) and is buried with John & Emma at Nunhead. Grace Kefford died in 1972 at Cobham.

William George Kefford married in 1933 and died in 1981.
Charles Stutheridge Kefford married in 1930 and died in 1996.

7) May Eliza Kefford died in infancy in 1895 at Westminster.

8) Edward George Kefford married Mable Elsa Barnes at Islington in 1918. In WW1 he served as Edward Kefford in the RASC as Private A/367609. They had three children: Laura May in 1920, John Edward in 1927 and another son in 1930 all at Islington. Edward George died there in 1947 and Mabel Elsa at Southend in 1979. The are buried in St Pancras & Islington Cemetery.

Laura May Kefford married in 1942 and died in 1987

John Edward Kefford married in 1948 and died in 1984

The other son is still living so his name is not included here. He is the last survivor of John & Emma's fourteen grandchildren.

John and Emma Kefford died at Pimilico in 1929 and 1926 respectively and are buried together in Nunhead Cemetery.

Photos of John and Emma & Family

BEFORE JOHN & EMMA KEFFORD

John was the son of William Kefford and Eliza Armstrong who married at Upper Gravenhurst in May 1855. Their first child, Mary Ann was born there in July and died in September1855. John was also born there in 1857. By 1861 they were living at Higham Gobion where their son George was born in 1861 and Reuben (later known at William) in 1865.

Reuben (as William) married Annie Clark (probably Emma's sister) at Barton in 1891. They appear to have had no children and William died in 1901 at Westminster.

George married Rhoda Peck in 1897 at Barton and died at Luton in 1934. They too appear to have had no children.

William Kefford died in 1876 whilst living at a cottage called the Wheelhouse, mid-way between Barton and Silsoe. He had gone outside to wash some celery for his Sunday lunch in a nearby ditch. He had some kind of a fit, fell into the ditch and drowned. Eliza remarried to George Worker in 1879 at Barton.

BEFORE WILLIAM & ELIZA KEFFORD

William was the son of John Kefford and Mary Cherry who married at Haynes in 1831. They had six children: William in 1832 at Haynes, John in 1835 at Clophill, Joseph in 1838 at Lower Gravenhurst, then Henry in 1840, Jane in 1843 and Martha in 1845, all at Upper Gravenhurst.

The whereabouts of John and his fate are not known after the 1851 Census when he was at Higham Gobion. See John Kefford - Clophill Page

Joseph married Mary Ann Furr in 1860 at Shillington and had four children, of whom Walter Henry, born there in 1862, has the most descendents.

Henry married Mary Ann Jordon in 1875 at Upper Gravenhurst and had one son, William in 1878.

Jane married Soloman Dennis in 1862 at Upper Gravenhurst.

Martha married Thomas Dennis in 1873 at Upper Gravenhurst.

John and Mary died in 1895 and 1879 respectively at Upper Gravenhurst

BEFORE JOHN & MARY KEFFORD

John was the son of William Kefford and Sarah Roberts who married at Eyeworth in 1809. They had nine children. John in 1810, Mary in 1813 and Sarah in 1815 all born at Potton, then Elizabeth in 1817, Martha in 1818, William in 1821, Emily in 1822, Jane in 1824, Joseph in 1829 and Thomas in 1831, all born at Tempsford.

Mary married James Bradshaw in 1833 at Tempsford. One of their children was baptised as Kefford Bradshaw in 1843 at Tempsford.

What became of Sarah, Martha and Jane is not known. They may have moved away from Tempsford and married.

Elizabeth married Joseph Cullip in 1845 at Tempsford.

William was convicted of theft in 1848 and transported to Australia in 1851. See William Kefford - Convict Page

Emily died in 1835 (as Emma) and Joseph died in 1830.

Thomas married Ann Osborn in 1854 at Tempsford and had a number of Kefford descendents. Sadly, the name has now died out on this line, principally due to the loss of their son George who was killed by a train in 1873 aged 11, the loss of their grandson, Hector James who drowned whilst swimming in 1919 aged 17, and their great grandsons, Eric Wilfred and Ivor George Kefford who were killed in World War 2. See Kefford Roll of Honour.

William and Sarah died in 1857 and 1872 respectively at Tempsford. Poor Law Papers dated between 1807 and 1810 show that they had some difficulties with the Overseers of the Poor at Potton in 1810, who wanted Sarah and her newborn son John "deported" to Tempsford, whilst William was serving with the Bedfordshire Regiment of Militia at Hastings. The matter was resolved, but it would seem that, with the ending of the Napoleonic Wars with the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the couple did move to Tempsford - perhaps upon William's return from the army.

BEFORE WILLIAM & SARAH KEFFORD

William was the son of Thomas Kefford and Elizabeth Collins who married at Potton in 1775. They had at least nine children of whom William appears to have been the seventh, being baptised at Potton in 1788. A Family Bible gives the year as 1789, but the dates are deemed close enough to be a safe match.

At least four of the other children died in infancy and the remaining four have not been traced.

Thomas and Elizabeth died at Potton in 1802 and 1829 respectively. Thomas left a Will dated 1802.

BEFORE THOMAS & ELIZABETH KEFFORD (married 1775)

Thomas appears to have been the son of Thomas Kefford and Elizabeth Morrice who married at Potton in 1744. They had six children of whom Thomas was the third, being baptised at Potton in 1749. Four of the other children died in infancy of childhood, whilst the fourth child, Elizabeth, may have married John Lincoln at Biggleswade in 1777.

BEFORE THOMAS & ELIZABETH KEFFORD (married 1744)

Thomas appears to have been the son of Thomas Kefford and Elizabeth Peters who married at Potton in 1713. They had two children of whom Thomas was the second, being baptised at Potton in February 1715/16.

Thomas died in 1774 at Potton.

BEFORE THOMAS & ELIZABETH KEFFORD (married 1713)

Thomas appears to have been the son of Thomas Kefford and Ann Rutter who married at Wrestlingworth in 1674. They had a least twelve children of whom Thomas was the fourth, being baptised at Wrestlingworth in February 1679/80.

It was during this period that the modern Kefford spelling began to take precedence over the earlier more common forms such as Keyford, Keyfford and Keifford etc

Thomas died in 1753 at Potton.

BEFORE THOMAS & ANN KEFFORD

Thomas appears to have been the son of John Kefford and Sarah Cullick who married at Cockayne Hatley in 1630. They had at least eleven children of whom Thomas was the eighth, being baptised at Wrestlingworth in 1643.

Thomas died in 1716 at Potton. He left a Will dated 1713.

BEFORE JOHN & SARAH KEFFORD

John appears to have been the son of William Keyford and Katherine ?? Their marriage has not been found and neither has a baptism for John, although it seems likely that he was born c 1608 at Cockayne Hatley (alias Hatley Port).

John and Sarah died at Wrestlingworth in 1652 and 1682 respectively. Both left Wills as did their sons John Kefford 1656 (who died at Cheshunt but was buried at Wrestlingworth) and William Keyfford 1657.

BEFORE WILLIAM & KATHERINE KEYFORD

Unfortunately it is not clear how the line goes back before William. He died at Wrestlingworth in 1635 and left a Will. The burial register records that he was "an old man". However, the Kefford line can be traced back further through Sarah Cullick.

RICHARD & JUDITH CULLICK

Sarah Cullick was the daughter of Richard Cullick and Judith Keifford who married at Wrestlingworth in 1602. Sarah was baptised there in 1607 and as we have seen, married John Kefford in 1630. It is likely that they were first or second cousins.

NICHOLAS KEIFFORD

Judith Keifford was the daughter of Nicholas Keifford who died at Wrestlingworth in 1604 and left a Will dated 1601.

WILLIAM KAYFORTH

Nicholas appears to have been the son of William Kayforth who died at Wrestlingworth in 1560 and left a Will naming Nicholas as one of his sons. It is possible that the William Keyford who died in 1635 was a grandson of this William.

Nicholas Keifford could well have been born in the 1540s so taking us back a step further and into the reign of Henry VIII. Sadly, the Wrestlingworth parish register has only survived from the 1580s but had it survived back to 1538 when they were first started a lot more gaps could have been filled!

Therefore, here ends our journey back to the Wrestlingworth Keffords of 1560. For the sake of brevity much supporting detail, particularly that contained in some of the Wills mentioned, has not been shown. Neither have specific dates, nor the total family tree been shown.

Peter Kefford

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PHOTO GALLERY

Pictures of John & Emma plus most of their children.

Pictures of Ellen Dinsey and Elizabeth Harding have yet to be traced.
John & Emma Kefford with 3 of their children - thought to be William Martha & Horace c1888
John Kefford c 1920s
Emma Kefford c 1916
William, Catherine & Charles Kefford - 46 Balfour Road Brighton c1911

William (standing) Harry & Horace Kefford c1914
Edward George Kefford c1918

 
Kefford Group - Brighton c 1906
Back Row: William, Harry, Alf Dixon (family friend), Horace
Front Row: Unknown, Catherine, Charles (on knee), Minnie Dixon

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