John Besford (1826–1914)
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.
Beadnell
Beadnell is a village on the Northumberland coast about 4 miles (6 km) south-east of Bamburgh, and has the only west-facing harbour entrance on the east coast of England. Its limekilns of 1747 were later used for curing herring.
Margaret Patterson, who married John Besford in 1850, was a fisherman’s daughter from Windmill Steads, Beadnell.
Margaret Besford (née Patterson) (1827–1914)
Margaret Patterson married John Besford (1826–1914) in 1850. The couple lost many children in their infancy.