Mining

John Besford was born in Blyth, and worked for the Cowpen Coal Co. for 61 years.

George Robert Besford and his wife Isabella Summers emigrated from the UK to Canada in 1947. The family returned in 1949 and lived in Blyth, Northumberland.

Robert Bestford was station master at Humshaugh station until he retired in July 1928.

William was born on at Cowpen, Blyth and worked as a coal miner. In 1877, William married Jane Temple at Morpeth Register Office. The couple had one daughter.

William Thomas Besford was born in 1856. He worked as a miner and had two children with his wife Elizabeth, before becoming the landlord of The Waterloo Hotel on Queen Street, Amble, Northumberland.

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.

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.

William Bestford was born near Blaydon in 1862. He served in India with the Northumberland Fusiliers, then worked as a coal miner around Winlaton, and died in Newcastle in 1922.

Thomas Besford married Minnie Dorsett in 1925. Together they ran a chip shop in Blyth.

Thomas Besford worked as a coal miner throughout his life. He was left with four young children when his wife died of smallpox.