Articles

Catherine Besford worked as a general servant in a household in Bedlington. In 1903 she married Robert Gordon, a coal miner, at Gateshead Register Office.

Besford was a name stamped on stainless steel table knives made in Sheffield.

Leonard Besford was a farmer at Hoveton St John on the Norfolk Broads. Born about 1798 at Ashmanhaugh, he is the earliest known ancestor of the Lowestoft Besfords.

Samuel Besford rose from valet and butler in grand households to hotelier, keeping the Three Cups at Colchester and the George at Scarborough with his wife Mary Ann, who was killed in the George Hotel fire of 1902.

Judith Dinning was born on 25th February 1947, the daughter of Ernest Dinning and Emily McGlen.

Matthew Wilkinson Bestford was wounded serving in the First World War. He and his family lived in Australia for six years.

John was born in 1826 at Eshott Heugh. He would have worked as an agricultural labourer from a very early age (5 or 6). He later worked as a coal miner, which he continued until he was at least 74 years old.

Robert was an agricultural labourer. He had three daughters with his first wife Mary. After her death, he had two sons with his second wife Ann Goodfellow.

John Brown Besford was a blacksmith, born at Hoveton St John. He married Maria Chase at Caister in 1847 and raised a large family in Great Yarmouth.

Charles Herbert Besford was working as a butcher’s boy in Heaton when the First World War broke out. He joined the Royal Navy and remained a reservist following his return to civilian life.