Robert was born in 1752 to John and Mary Besford.

The family had moved from Countess Park to the village of Birtley itself by the time of his baptism. Robert was married twice.

Robert was an agricultural labourer who lived at Sweethope between 1779 and 1781. He moved to work at Cheviot Farm near Hallington at some point between 1781 and 1784. He then worked at a farm called Beaumont House where his first wife, Mary, died. She was buried at Chollerton on 4th November 1786. The couple had three daughters, all baptised at Thockrington between 1779 and 1784.

Robert married for the second time on 26th June 1788. He married Ann
Goodfellow. Robert was again working at Cheviot Farm near Hallington, when their first child was born. This child was baptised John Besford on 3rd May 1789.

At some point between then and early 1792, Robert and Ann moved to a farm called Garrett Lee in the Parish of Longhorsley. Their second son Robert Besford was baptised at St. Helen’s Church, Longhorsley, on 10th January 1792.

Robert Besford died at the age of 85 on 20th September 1837, at 8 o’clock according to his death certificate.

He died at Pace Bush, Choppington, the same place in which Dora Hornsby (née Besford)‘s parents-in-law would live around 67 years later (her husband Harry Hornsby was born at Pace Bush).