Thomas Kefford

Clockmaker of Royston Hertfordshire

 

Not many Keffords or Kiffords have left their mark on history, at least not yet, but one such Kefford of particular interest was Thomas Kefford, clockmaker of Royston, Hertfordshire. Examples of Thomas’ work still exist and sometimes appear in antique catalogues valued at around £3000 to £5000 a piece.

 

Royston is near the heart of the Kefford “Triangle” although Thomas’ family seems to be the first to appear there in the parish registers from 1682. The parishes of Bassingbourn and Barley to the north and south both had Keffords in them since at least 1560. The Barley Keffords seem to have disappeared by the 1620s, but those at Bassingbourn remained until the final years of C20th.

 

It seems probable that Thomas was the one baptised at Royston in 1686, the son of Thomas and Mary Kefford and one of 4 children baptized at Royston:

 

Samuel Kifford              11 Jan 1682

Mary Kifford                14 Nov 1684

Thomas Kifford             18 Mar 1686

John Kefford                 24 Dec 1698

 

It is possible that Thomas and Mary’s marriage was at Duxford St John, Cambridgeshire on 15 December 1679, in which case Mary’s maiden name was Fordham. No other marriages seem to fit, and at that time few Keffords were at Duxford, so it was probably Mary’s parish.

 

Thomas Kefford senior was probably born near Royston where, as indicated above, many Keffords where concentrated, but no obvious baptism has been found for him.

 

Interestingly, it would appear from Cambridgeshire Apprenticeship records that Thomas Kefford senior was also a clockmaker, and that his son John was apprenticed as one in 1716 sometime after Thomas Kefford senior’s death:

 

John Kefford son of Thomas Kefford late of Royston in the County of Cambridge clockmaker deceased to Edward Cowper - 7 years 12 July 1716 Charles Street near Bridgewater Square clockmaker.

 

Neither Thomas Kefford senior nor his son John seem to have left any examples of their work.

 

According to most horological authorities, Thomas Kefford (junior) worked as a clockmaker between c1710 to 1750 and examples of his work include:

 

Lantern Clock                                       c1710

Long Oriental Lacquer Case Clock         c1730-1740

Eight-day clock                                     c1740-1750

Long Case Clock                                   c1750

 

The long case clock example of 1750 contains an advert inside which names Thomas’ apprentice and his appropriately named address in Royston:

 

Samuel Coxhall: “…from London, late apprentice and now successor of Thomas Kefford of The Dial, Fore Street, Royston”

 

It is not known if this is when Thomas died or retired. It is possible that Thomas married on 17 July 1744:

 

Thomas Kefford to Mrs Mary Bunyan at St George’s Chapel, Hyde Park Corner, Mayfair, London.

 

The St George’s parish register adds that Thomas was “of Royston, Co Cambs” (note that although Royston is in Hertfordshire, it sits right on the Cambridgeshire border) and the marriage also appears on the Cambridgeshire IGI for Royston, with Mary’s name shown as Bennion.

 

Published References to Thomas Kefford include:

 

 

Examples of Thomas Kefford’s Work:

 

Thomas Kefford Longcase Clock c1710

Thomas Kefford Longcase Clock c 1740

 

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