Keffords & Kiffords in Scotland

From the discussion on Kefford origins (The Kefford Name - Variants and Origins) we know that the name arose in the "Kefford Triangle" on the borders where Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire meet. Therefore, it seems reasonable to assume that any Keffords or Kiffords who found their way to Scotland did so as part of the general diaspora that took place in C19th. An IGI search for the name in Scotland reveals just 6 entries pertaining to 3 individuals, namely:

Emily and Robert appear at Yate, Gloucester, England on the 1881 Census. Her birthplace is given as Ropley, Hampshire in 1848, which is in the Arlesford registration district. Emily Gifford's birth was registered there in the March quarter 1848 following her birth on 19 December 1847. Both Robert and Emily came from very well to do families as evidenced from the following links:

1) Milliken House Glasgow (see footnote 7) 2) Hon. Emily Gifford

4) John Cefford baptised at Roxburgh on 21 September 1764, the son of William Cefford.

The 1881 census for the whole of Scotland has just one entry:

John Kifford, born about 1876 in Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland. He was living with his mother, Elizabeth Graham, at Neilston, Renfrew, Scotland.

John Kifford was born on 20 October 1875 as John Kefford, the illigitimate son of John Kefford, a Private with the 26th Regiment based at Paisley Barracks and Elizabeth Graham, a bleachfield worker of 3 John Street, Paisley.

Note: The 26th (Cameronian) Regiment merged on 1 July 1881 with the 90th Regiment of Foot (Perthshire Volunteers - Light Infantry) to form The Cameronians (Scotch Rifles).

The origins of John senior are not known, and he has not been identified on the 1871 Census in either England or Scotland. Neither is it known what became of him, nor how a Kefford came to be serving with a Scottish regiment. It is known that he had died by 3 July 1896 when he was recorded as "deceased" on the marriage certificate for his son John.

In 1891 John Kifford (junior) was living in Neilston with his mother, and both are shown as bleachfield workers. On the Scotland's People website he is indexed as Hifford.

John married Ellen Campbell on 3 July 1896 at Holy Cross RC chapel, Daisysteel, Glasgow. At this time he was a printfield worker and she was a domestic servant. They had several children, the boys all dying in infancy:

On the 1901 Census, Ellen (as Helen) the three girls (all indexed as Rifford) and Elizabeth Graham appear together at Neilston. John is not present and has been found at Bristol as a professional football player, an occupation also recorded on the death certificate for Donald in 1906. It would appear that Donald's birth was not registered until after his death on 30 December 1906 aged 11 days. From articles in the Scotsman newspaper in 1903 and 1909, it would appear that John Kifford played for West Bromwich Albion and was also known as Jack*.

John died (as John Kefford) on 21 November 1921 at Paisley aged 46. Ellen predeceased him, dying (as Helen Kifford) in 1918 at Paisley, aged 42. It is not known what became of the three daughters except that Henrietta married in 1919 to William Grady at St Joseph's RC chapel, Clarkston.

* The following further information has been kindly supplied by Peter Seddon whose research into Derby County Football Club has shed more light on Jack Kifford's career:

"He played first for Paisley Abercorn then joined Derby County in June 1898. Talented Scottish players were often enticed south for money at that time. He left Derby in 1899 to join Bristol Rovers but his main career was with West Bromwich Albion from 1901-1904 - he played 96 games and scored 8 goals - not bad for a full-back. He subsequently played the odd games for Millwall Athletic, Carlisle United and Coventry City before pursuing a career change in 1907. He joined the celebrated Fred Karno's Troupe, a touring circus and variety act. In the troupe at the same time as Kifford were Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel".

Sources: A book called 'Football League Players Records' and the 'Derby County Who's Who'. The reference to Fred Karno's Circus comes from the Derby County Book.

Although indexed as Thomas G Kefford, an examination of the original 1901 Census entry suggests the initial should be E. Thomas appears at a house called Culdees in Muthill, East Perthshire as a butler aged 28, so born about 1873. His birthplace is given as England. Interestingly, he was one of the servants of Robert T N Speir and Emily (nee Gifford) his wife, mentioned above. This appears to be pure co-incidence.

There do not appear to be any Thomas Keffords born c1873 but a Thomas Edgley Kefford was born at Cambridge in the December quarter 1878, the son of Joseph and Ellen Edgley Kefford (nee Hudson) who married in the December quarter 1877 at Cambridge. They were living in Trumpington, Cambridgeshire in 1881, where Joseph was born c1856. They were all still living there (indexed as Kofford) in 1891 but by 1901 Thomas was no longer living with them. He has not been found on the 1901 Census for England, so could well have been in Scotland.

Thomas Edgley Kefford appears on the 1910 US Federal Census for Manhatten, New York with his wife Mary J Kefford. It would appear that they had only recently married from the "number of years married" column which stated 0. The marriage in 1909/10 has yet to be found. Thomas is shown as 30 and Mary as 23. His occupation was as a valet, which could be consistent with being a butler in 1901.

Thomas applied to become a naturalised American citizen on 2 January 1918. His US Army WW1 Registration Draft card is dated 12 September 1918 and shows his wife's full name as Mary Josephine Kefford. Unfortunately the card is not very legible so hard to read for any further information other than his date of birth on 24 September 1878.

On the 1930 US Federal Census he was living in Brooklyn, King's County, New York State with his wife Mary J Kefford. His age is given as 51 (so born about 1879) and age at marriage as 31(so married about 1910). Mary's respective ages were 42 (so born about 1888) and 22 and her birthplace given as the Irish Free State although her nationality was English.

Thomas died on 19 November 1961 and is buried in Long Island National Cemetery along with Mary who died on 22 November 1963. Their last address was 2040 Wellwood Avenue Farmingdale , NY. The dates of Thomas' service as a Private in the US Army are given as 14 Oct 1918 to 8 Jan 1919. His date of birth is given as 24 September 1883 and that of Mary as 18 July 1889. The years of birth seem to differ from those previously identified, particularly for Thomas.

At present no firm conclusions can be drawn as to whether Thomas E Kefford on the 1901 Census for Muthill and Thomas Edgley Kefford were the same man. The main doubt arises from his age in 1901 being 5 years overstated as 28, but this may have arisen by 23 being mistranscribed as 28 from the original enumeration book.

This Thomas is first known from his death in 1921 at Dennistoun, Glasgow, aged 41. His wife was Margaret Kefford (nee Lonsdale) who registed his death and his parents are shown as William Kefford, a railway signalman and Harriet Kefford (nee Jagger). Thomas was an auctioner. Margaret died in 1933, also at Dennistoun, aged 47. Her full name was then recorded at Margaret Ann Kefford. As Margaret Ann Lonsdale she first married William Henry Pickersgill in the June quarter 1903 at Easington.

It is not known when William Henry Pickersgill died or when Margaret remarried to Thomas Kefford, nor when she and Thomas Kefford moved to Scotland.

His age at death suggests Thomas was born in in 1880. The 1881 Census for Hipperholme Cum Brighouse in Yorkshire confirms the year as 1878, as Thomas Kefford appears (as Hefford) with his parents, William & Harriet and sister Florence. The birth entry for Thomas was in March 1878 at Halifax. William is shown as 25 and born at Hitchin, Hertfordshire (c1856)

The family were still at Hipperholme on the 1891 Census, this time indexed as Kepford. Thomas is shown aged 13, so confirming 1878. William is shown as 36 and born at Hitchin, Hertfordshire (c1855). By 1901 they were at Norwood Green & Coley, Yorkshire and Thomas was still living with them, aged 23 and a clerical student.

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