Gamekeepers John & William Ford

[roan]

John Ford, born about 1798, my Great Great Grandfather was shown as a Gamekeeper in the 1841 Census living at Head Keeper's Lodge, Hurstbourne Priors, Whitchurch & Overton, Hampshire.

His eldest son, William Ford, born about 1831, my Great Grandfather was shown in the 1851 Census as a Gamekeeper living at Eggesford House, Crediton, Devon.

His second son John Ford, born about 1833, was shown in the 1851 Census as an Assistant Gamekeeper working with his Father at Hurstbourne.

John Ford Snr died in 1862, whilst John Ford Jnr does not appear on any Census after 1851 as far as I can tell.

William Ford Joined the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards in 1858, went to British North America in 1861 and was discharged in London in 1868.

He next appears in 1876 when he married and his occupation was shown as Gamekeeper at Chawleigh in Devon.

The 1881 Census shows him working as a Gamekeeper living at Arlington Lodge, Sherwill, Devon.

The 1891 Census shows him living at Goosewell, Berrynarbor, Devon working as a Gamekeeper. He lived there until his death in 1916.

I would like to know more about who they worked for, where I might find records of their work, and if Gamekeeping was a family occupation, how I might find John Ford Snr's ancestors.

Any help would be much appreciated as I am not sure where to look prior to 1837 when the GRO came into being.

[Peter Goodey]

I would like to know more about who they worked for

Much can be gleaned from the census itself and from county directories.

For example, Shirwell DEV - GenUKI quotes White's 1850 Devonshire Directory as follows: "Sir Arthur Chichester, Bart, whose Baronetcy was created in 1641, is lord of the manor, and owner of most of the soil, and has a handsome seat here called Youlston Park".

You can use the census to roughly place Arlington Lodge.

Likewise for Berrynarbor DEV, "A.D. Bassett, Esq., who has a pleasant seat here, called Watermouth, owns a great part of the parish, and is lord of the manor"

where I might find records of their work

It's not impossible to find records of estate employees among family/estate records if they have survived and if they are accessible to researchers. You would have to find out what's available and commission some research.

[JohnN]

The Family Search 1881 Census on should give you some ideas. Go to William's entry, click on 'Household' for the rest of his family, then go back and forth on next and previous households to get the particulars of his neighbours. This should give you an idea of the number of servants and staff employed and sooner or later a full breakdown of the Family in the Big House.

Good luck with your search - I'm from a long line of Gamekeepers too (in between all the Ag Labs).

John
.._

[Barnzzz]

Watermouth Castle is still there, and if you're interested in seeing it and the surrounding countryside, you can do a 'drive past' on Goo*le Streets.
Sue

[olliecat]

John Ford, born about 1798, my Great Great Grandfather was shown as a Gamekeeper in the 1841 Census living at Head Keeper's Lodge, Hurstbourne Priors, Whitchurch & Overton, Hampshire.

I would like to know more about who they worked for, where I might find records of their work, and if Gamekeeping was a family occupation, how I might find John Ford Snr's ancestors.

Looking at the census, John Ford and his family were living at the Head Keeper's Lodge in Hurstbourne Priors in 1841 and at the Arch Lodge in 1851. Listed as living right next door to him at Hurstbourne Park is John Charles Wallop, 3rd Earl of Portsmouth and Lord of the Manor of Hurstbourne Priors.

So I would say that this was your John Ford's employer.

You should note that on the 1851 census, it says "Earl Lunatic", for the rank/profession of John Charles Wallop. I had to rub my eyes a few time to make sure I was reading that correctly. I then came across a number of other articles about this Earl, also describing him as a "Vampyre Earl."
Splendid - I'll think I'll go an read up this strange Earl. If I find anything interesting I'll post it up later on. It must been have fun working for him.

The manor was first purchased by the Wallop family in 1636. There is more information about Hurstbourne Priors and the manor on British History Online.

www.
british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=56810

[olliecat]

Here is a lively article on your John Fords employer, the Luncatic/Vampyre Earl. I see now why he was called the Vampyre Earl.

http://
timedetectives.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/3/

I don't know how accurate this is or where the sources came from, but this can be checked further. I can always look through some newspapers. Depends how interested you are in the Earl.

The following paragraph in the article mentions...

"Horsemen and bailiffs entered the Earl’s estate, but the local Villagers, lead by the Earl’s Game Keeper armed with a fowling piece, mounted a counter attack, forming a human wall behind which darted the Earl."

I'm not sure of the exact date of this event but it was sometime between 1814 (marriage of the Earl to his second wife) and 1828 (their divorce.) The date is possibly too early to have been your John Ford, the game keeper. For the context to this event you'll have to read the whole article.

[olliecat]

How I might find John Ford Snr's ancestors.

In the census, John Ford is married to a Sarah. I don't know if you have found their marriage or not, but if you haven't, then finding it would be a good start. Knowing when their first child was born could help narrow down a marriage date.

You said William Ford, born about 1831 was their eldest son. Well, I can see a couple of possible earlier daughter christenings; the first being a Sarah Anne Ford in 1825. This would push back the marriage to a date earlier than you may have expected.

[olliecat]

Having just found a potential marriage, I then noticed that a child Luke was born in 1838 to John and Sarah Ford and also another child Charles in 1841. Either birth record would give you Sarah's maiden name and make it easier for you to find their marriage.

Births Sep 1841 Whitchurch &c 7 191
Ford Charles

This is presuming that you haven't done all of this already. If you have, then forgive all this 'waffling on' from me and I'll start hunting for a christening for John Snr.

[Colin Moretti]

A quick check of the National Register of Archives shows that the Hurstbourne Priors estate papers are held by Hampshire Record Office.

As Peter noted, you would have to pay someone to check the records for you, they will not be accessible on line.

Colin

[Coromandel]

His eldest son, William Ford, born about 1831, my Great Grandfather was shown in the 1851 Census as a Gamekeeper living at Eggesford House, Crediton, Devon.

There's a connection between the owners of Eggesford House and the owners of Hurstbourne Park. Egglesford House belonged to Newton Fellowes, who had once been called Newton Wallop, and was brother of the 'vampyre Earl'.

The Edinburgh Annual Register for 1823 has a long account (beginning on p.108) of the Commission of Lunacy on Lord Portsmouth. There's much fascinating evidence from members of his staff describing his erratic behaviour, though I didn't spot any mention of the Fords. You can read it all on Google Books.

I was supposed to be working this evening but have got quite side-tracked by the Earl of Portsmouth.
olliecat, you really have led me astray today!