Unsolved mysteries of the Besfords

Arnott Herbert Smith Besford was born in Lowestoft in 1901 and married Alida Maria Erebout, whose surname is Flemish. Two of their sons became Lowestoft trawler skippers.

William was born in 1851 at Cowpen, Blyth and worked as a coal miner. In 1877, he married Jane Temple at Morpeth Register Office. The couple had one daughter.

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.

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.

The earliest Besford we have been able to trace was living in Thropton at the time of his marriage to Margaret Robson. The couple had a son named George.

The parish register records only “George, son of the Widow Besford, Snitter”. Which George Besford this was remains unsolved.

Robert Besford’s three daughters by his first wife Mary were baptised at Thockrington between 1779 and 1784.