Matthew Benford (abt. 1771)

Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 2 Children 3 Census 4 Research Notes 5 Sources

Biography

Matthew was born about 1771, possibly at Hurley, Bedfordshire, England.*

Matthew possibly married Sarah Harris on the 17th November 1808 at Upton Cum Chalvey, Buckinghamshire, England*.^[1] N.B. Upton cum Chalvey (now Chalvey) is just 2 miles from Clewer.

In 1814, Matthew (a labourer) and Sarah were living at Bear Lane.^[2]

In 1816 Matthew (a labourer) and Sarah were living and Beer Lane, Clewer, Berkshire, England.^[3]

In 1818 Matthew and Sarah were living at Clewer Lane, when their daughter Emma was buried.^[4]

In 1819, Matthew (a labourer) and Sarah were living at Clewer Lane when their daughter Mary Anne was baptised.^[5]

Matthew and Sarah were living at Clewer Lane when Sarah died aged 34 years in 1822 and was buried on the 3rd or 9th September 1822 at St. Andrew, Clewer, Berkshire, England.^[6]

Banns of marriage were announced for Matthew Bentford and Amelia Eagle in September 1823 at St. John The Baptist, New Windsor, Berkshire, England, but it appears as if the marriage did not take place.

On the 9th February 1824, Matthew Bentford married Catherine McDonnell at St John The Baptist, New Windsor, Berkshire, England.^[7]

Matthew and Catherine they were living at George Street, New Windsor, Berkshire, England in February 1827 when their daughter Emma was baptised.^[8]. Catherine may have also died as a Mrs. Benford was supposedly buried on the same day that Emma was baptised on the 7th February 1827.*

In February 1835, Matthew Benford, residing in a "low hovel situated at the back of Keppel Terrace" along with his lodger John Cooper, were convicted of stealing fence panels, and were sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment, after stating that they could not pay the total cost of £3 10s.^[9]. This would appear to be the correct Matthew Benford, as the newspaper mentions a daughter was called to give evidence, but the daughter was not named. Elizabeth would have been aged about 13-14 years.

Children

By Sarah Harris:

1. Anne Benford b. abt. 1814 bapt. 27th March 1814 at New Windsor, Berkshire, England^[2] bur. 5th May 1816 at Clewer, Berkshire, England^[10]
2. Emma Frances Benford bapt. 14th July 1816 at Clewer, Berkshire, England^[3] d. 1818 bur. 7th October 1818 at Clewer, Berkshire, England^[4]
3. Mary Anne Benford bapt. 18th April 1819 at Clewer, Bedfordshire, England^[5]
4. Elizabeth Benford^[11][12] bapt. 1st May 1821 at Windsor, Berkshire, England^[13].

By Catherine McDonnell aka McDonald:

1. Emma Benford bapt. 7th February 1827 at New Windsor, Berkshire, England^[8]
2. Matthew Benford^[14] b. abt. 1833-1834 at Windsor, Berkshire, England

Census

1841 Census of England & Wales: 6th June 1841
Clewer Fields, Berkshire, England

First Name	Last Name	Gender	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
Catherine	McDonald	Female	40 (-44)	Ind(ependant)	Ireland or Scotland
Martha	Bemford or Benford	Female	70 (-74)	Ind(ependant)	Berkshire
Martha	Bemford or Benford	Female	10	Ind(ependant)	Berkshire
Elizabeth	Hearn	Female	25 (-29)	Ind(ependant)	Berkshire

^[15] N.B. No evidence can be found for "Martha" Benford, so it is suspected that the two Martha's are actually Matthew Benford senr. and Matthew Benford jnr. and the enumerator misheard. This household was recorded after a long list of "unknowns" who were in the fields frequenting the Ascot Races.

Research Notes

The marriage date and place on FamilySearch should be taken with a pinch of salt as FamilySearch is notorious for errors and mis-labeling of record sets and labelling banns as marriages.

N.B. The burial of Anne Benford in 1816 gives an address of Beer Lane, the same address given when daughter Emma Frances was baptised in 1816.

The burial of Mrs. Benford on the 7th February 1827 may have been a transcription error. The original parish registers need to be checked.

On Thursday 24th March 1864, a Matthew Benford who resided at Spital (Spittall Road), Windsor, Berkshire, England, gave evidence at the trial of Charles Buckett, accused of unlawfully assaulting his sister-in-law Jane Buckett.^[16] However this was more likely Matthew Benford junior, as no age was given, and in 1861, Matthew Benford Junior was living with his new wife Elizabeth at Cemetery Lane (in Spittall), New Windsor Berkshire, just a couple of houses down from George Buckett (father of Charles Buckett).

Matthew was possibly the son of William Benford and Elizabeth Benford of Aldworth, Berkshire, England.^[17]The Matthew Benford (son of William & Elizabeth of Aldworth) was baptised at Aldworth on the 13th May 1759, with his sister Hannah being baptised there on the 9th November 1761. This would have made Matthew 82 years old in 1841, so unlikely to have been the Matthew at Windsor.

Other Benfords born at Hurley, Berkshire (11 miles from Windsor) married or lived at Clewer or Windsor.

Elizabeth Benford (b. abt. 1784 at Hurley), spinster, married widower Samuel Warden at St. Andrew, Clewer, Berkshire, England on the 17th November 1827. Witnessed by Richard Benford and Elizabeth Attkins. Living at Hurley in 1851. No baptism can be found for Elizabeth at Hurley.

Aaron Benford married Sarah Herbert on the 30th November 1829 at St. Andrew, Clewer, Berkshire, England. Witnessed by Joseph Davenport and Elizabeth Attkins.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N277-99X ), Matthew Benford, 1808. Accessed 16th March 2024
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Transcript of Baptism of Anne BURFORD [sic]" Transcript of St John the Baptist, New Windsor, Berkshire, England Bishop's transcripts Baptism register 1813-1835 1814 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Transcript of Baptism of Emma Frances BENFORD" Transcript of Clewer, Berkshire, England Bishop's Transcripts baptism register 1813-1835 DP39/1/7 1816 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "Transcript of Burial of Emma BENFORD" Transcript of St. Andrew, Clewer, Berkshire, England Bishop's Transcripts Burial register 1814-1836 1818 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "Transcript of baptism of Mary Anne BEDFORD [sic]" Transcript of St. Andrew, Clewer, Bedfordshire, England Bishop's Transcripts Baptism register 1813-1835 DP39/1/7 1819 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
6. ↑ "Transcript of Burial of Sarah BENFORD" Transcript of St. Andrew, Clewer, Berkshire, England Bishop's Transcripts Burial register 1814-1836 1822 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
7. ↑ "Transcript of Marriage of Matthew BENTFORD & Catherine MCDONNELL" Transcript of St John The Baptist, New Windsor, Berkshire, England Marriage register 1824 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "Transcript of Baptism of Emma BENFORD" Transcript of St. John the Baptist, New Windsor, Berkshire, England Bishop's Transcripts baptism register 1813-1835 Baptism entry 1827 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
9. ↑ "Windsor and Eton Express" 21 February 1835 Pg. 4 Columns 4 & 5. Image available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
10. ↑ "Transcript of Burial of Anne BENFORD" Transcript of St. Andrew, Clewer, Berkshire, England Bishop's Transcripts Burial register 1814-1836 1816 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
11. ↑ "Marriage of Robert BROWN & Elizabeth BENFORD" General Register Office marriage Certificate 1849 Parish Church Of Downham, Norfolk England Entry No. 268 ["General Register Office Marriage Index of Robert BROWN & Elizabeth BENFORD" 1849 June quarter, Downham Registration District Volume 13 Page 131]
12. ↑ "Marriage Register of Robert BROWN & Elizabeth BENFORD" Downham Market, Norfolk, England 1849 Pg. 134 Entry No. 268. Image available at Ancestry.co.uk
13. ↑ "England Births and Christenings [sic], 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3R6-F2Z : 30 December 2014, Elizabeth Benford, 01 May 1821); citing Clewer, Berkshire, England, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,279,455.
14. ↑ "Transcript of Marriage of Matthew BENFORD & Elizabeth Ann YOUNG" Transcript of Clewer Marriage register 1848-1862 DP39/1/24 1860 available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
15. ↑ "1841 England and Wales Census" Clewer Fields, Berkshire, England; Class: HO107; Piece: 26; Book: 4; Civil Parish: Clewer; County: Berkshire; Enumeration District: 13; Folio: 15; Page: 25. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841. Image available at Ancestry.co.uk and FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
16. ↑ "Windsor and Eton Express" 26 March 1864 Pg. 4 Column 3 Image available at FindMyPast (£) Accessed 16th March 2024
17. ↑ Pangbourne settlement records. Certificate acknowledging Aldworth as the legal place of settlement of William and Elizabeth Benford and their children, Matthew and Hannah. Dated 20th October 1774 available at Berkshire Record Office Ref: D/EX1357/1/2 see Berkshire Record Office Catalogue Accessed 16th March 2024