A few more Mashford loose ends for the mix

Photo: Zeal Monachorum in winter. The home possibly of our earliest Mashford ancestor.

Another researcher has gotten in touch with us in regard to the Mashfords. She thinks her Albert Langmaid Mashford might be a cousin of our Elizabeth.

It is certainly possible and if that is the case then it might open up some new avenues of research for Elizabeth and her family. Albert is also a Devon Mashford but at this stage it all remains possibles or perhaps probables but not absolutes.

I remain curious about the Elizabeth Mashford as illegitimate daughter of a nobleman story - and thus being forced to leave England for Australia. If I have learned anything it is that these oral histories, or stories, are usually true, but not necessarily about the person to whom they are attributed nor to the time-frame suggested. Getting more information about the Devon Mashfords may actually throw enough light on that story to make sense of it and to finally put it to rest.

There are some synchronicities between our family and these Mashfords which may be merely curiosity value or have more substance: both Albert's  father, Robert and Elizabeth's mother, Mary (Cann) were recorded as publicans in census records and Albert, like Elizabeth's brother, Josiah, was in court for insolvency.

Interestingly Albert and his siblings were also literate and while there is some doubt about the level of Elizabeth's literacy, given the illiteracy of my great-grandmother Mary, it seems that her 'siblings' were literate. This discrepancy as I have said before is one thing which makes me wonder if Elizabeth was the daughter of John Mashford and Mary Cann as opposed to a poor cousin, taken in after the death or departure of their daughter Elizabeth.

That however is conjecture. Literacy levels of family members remain in the realm of conjecture given the times but evidence of literacy does confer upon those involved a higher social status than one might otherwise suppose.

Photo: Tavistock Town Hall.

These new Mashfords are from the Tavistock, Stoke Damerel (Plymouth) and Bickleigh areas as opposed to Coldridge from whence our ancestors came. Interestingly though Tavistock is about half-way in a direct line between Coldridge and Plymouth and Bickleigh is between Tavistock and Plymouth.

This reminded me of earlier research into the earliest John Mashford I could find, who was recorded in Zeal Monachorum swearing allegiance to the King, in 1723. Zeal Monachorum is barely four miles from Coldridge which makes him a very likely ancestor for our lot and a possible shared ancestor for Albert's family.

John Mashford of Zeal Monachorum swore his oath nearly one hundred years before Elizabeth was born at The Blue Anchor, Crediton on September 23 before Bampfylde Rodd and John Gibbs esq. There were still some Mashfords in Zeal Monachorum in the 1841 Census.

The records where John Mashford was found are interesting:

Hidden away amongst the mass of documents created by the Devon Quarter Sessions and now held by the Devon Record Office in Exeter is a little known and seldom consulted series of manuscripts compiled in the aftermath of the Jacobite Atterbury plot of 1720-22. 

These 1723 oath rolls contain the names of over 25,000 Devonians, amounting to some one in five of the adult population of the time. They provide the key to unlocking the history of local communities during the early eighteenth century, as the men and women of the county paraded before the Justices of the Peace in order to swear their loyalty to King George I.

 In their original form they are virtually unusable, with the names of individuals listed in no systematic order. Inhabitants of a single parish can appear on numerous separate oath rolls, with many people swearing at towns and villages some miles from their place of residence. The documents are large, cumbersome, and occasionally difficult to read due to centuries of wear and numerous corrections and crossings out. It is for these reasons that they have been selected as the first in a series of documents to be transcribed and published online as part of the Eighteenth Century Devon: People and Communities project.

They will be of use to local researchers, family historians and scholars engaged in the study of eighteenth century Devon society. As the following overview demonstrates they provide insights into levels of literacy, travel and transportation networks, population distribution and the nature of public political engagement. 

This John Mashford may also be a link for another family researcher with whom I was in touch last year, Sandra Robinson and who wrote:

 I too have a connection with the surname of Mashford - my father's maternal grandmother was Catherine Mashford, born 1849 in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth.  Incidentally that is also where my father was born!  I can only trace my Mashford line back to a marriage of John Mashford at Kenton, near Exeter, in 1752.  I have no leads as to where John was born, although I suspect that it was in the Coldridge (mid Devon) area. 
 

I note that you also show your interest in the surname of Cann and from that I deduce that you descend from the marriage of John Mashford (son of John Mashford and his wife, Mary Labbatt) and Mary Cann. I am aware that several members of the family emigrated to Australia in the 1840's. John's nephew Joseph (only surviving son of John's brother Josiah) also married a Cann, namely Susan. Their daughter Ellen Jane Mashford married 1887 Charles Gove and emigrated to Queensland, Australia.

I had missed the Josiah link when this email arrived more than a year ago but of course it makes sense given the fact that John and Mary named one of their sons Josiah and the fact that Elizabeth's cousin, Ellen Jane Mashford emigrated to Queensland in 1887 may well also be another link given that Albert Langmaid Mashford had emigrated to Australia, eleven years earlier, disembarking in Brisbane in 1866. He soon moved on to New South Wales and eventually to South Australia but if he was a cousin then the Brisbane connection could make more sense than we know.  

Sandra's family actually provides something of a link between our family and Albert's. Kenton, near Exeter, where she found her John Mashford in 1752 is about twenty miles from Zeal Monachorum and a Coldridge origin, as she suggests is certainly likely. In addition, her maternal grandmother and father were born in Newton Ferrers which is barely eight miles from Plymouth and seventeen miles from Bickleigh where Albert Langmaid Mashford's family are found.  Given the travelling times of the 18th and 19th century these three Mashford families are certainly within reach of each other.


 I have written to her again in regard to Albert and sent her this information in the hope that tying a few threads together from a number of families may actually create something of substance in terms of the Devon Mashfords.


There is also the possibility that after living in New South Wales for four years and then in Victoria for about two years, that Albert made the decision to move to South Australia having heard about opportunities at the Wallaroo Mines through South Australian Mashfords. In 1873 when Albert settled in Wallaroo Elizabeth and her husband Edward Atkins, were living in Wirrabarra, admittedly some 145 kilometres to the north, but in the same State and also involved in the mining industry through the Charlton Mine.

Photo: Bickleigh, Devon.

In the meantime, given how often we connect with people through the blog I am going to post some of the information which Albert Langmaid Mashford's researcher has found.

Marriage

Groom's Name:	Robert Mashford
Groom's Birth Date:
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age:
Bride's Name:	Hannah Langmaid
Bride's Birth Date:
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age:
Marriage Date:	16 Sep 1836
Marriage Place:	Stoke Damerel,Devon,England
Groom's Father's Name:
Groom's Mother's Name:
Bride's Father's Name:
Bride's Mother's Name:
Groom's Race:
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number:	M05242-1
System Origin:	England-ODM
Source Film Number:	916927
Reference Number:

Photo: Coldridge, Devon.

Newspaper articles- transcripts

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954) Tuesday 28 June 1892 p 2 Family Notices

MARRIAGE.

MASHFORD-BENNETTS.-June 25. at the Primitive Methodist Manse, Broken Hill, by Rev. Samuel Gray, Albert Reginald, fourth son of Mr. Albert Mashford, of Kadina, to Elizabeth Hannah, eldest daughter of Mr. Richard Bennetts, Of Kadina.    

The South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889) Friday 21 March 1879 p 7 Article

Insolvency Court (listing)

Albert Mashford, of Wallaroo Mines, miner.

South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Tuesday 11 March 1879

In re Albert Mashford, of 'Wallaroo Mines, miner; a final hearing. The Accountant's report was as follows: — 'Insolvent only appeared yesterday. The schedule was only filed this morning. Insolvent says that he came to the colony in 1871; that for 1S71 and 1872 he earned £2 per week; for 1873 and 1874 and 1875, 28s. per week; 1878 and 1877. 30s. a week; and for 1877, 1878, and 1879, 35s. per week. Adjourned for a fortnight.

South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900) Wednesday 26 March 1879 Supplement: 

Photo: Wallaroo Mines circa. 1900.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER p 1 Article

In re Albert Mashford, of Wallaroo Mines, miner; adjourned final hearing. The Accountant reported :— Liabilities, £109 18s. 4d. Assets — Lease of allotment in the Wallaroo Mines township, on which insolvent has built a four roomed pug hut, tank, &c, value doubtful. The insolvent says that he arrived in the early part of August, 1S71, and during 1871 and 1872 earned about £2 a week. During 1S73 and 1874 and 1875 he earned about 2Ss. a week, during 1S76 and 1877 about 30s. a week, and during 1S78 and 1879 about 35s. a week.' Mr. Cherry examined the insolvent, after which he obtained an adjournment for another week. In re Edward Francis Opie, of Aberdeen, mail contractor; adjourned final hearing. Sir. Synson for the insolvent, Mr. A. G. Downer for the assignee. and Mr. Ashton for Mr. William Cockrum. The Accountant reported :—'? Liabilities— Unsecured creditors, £638 18s. 91; secured creditor, Mr. Cockrum. £1,053 18s. Si. =£1,692 17s. 5d. Assets— Seized and sold by Mr. Cockrnm under bill of sale— Coaching horses, £545; farm horses, £100; farm imple ments, £153 ; coach and traps, £140 15s. ; buggy, £20; harness and sundries, £14 14s. 6d=£73 8s. &d. Seized and sold by Mr. Cocburn, but not included in the bill of sale given him— Cattle and pigs, £22 10s.; horses, £100; farm implements and sundries, £93 2a. 6d. ; coaching harness, £9=£224 12s. 6d.=total seizure by Coikrem, £1,198 2s. Twenty-one horses a dray included in bill of sale, £54 5s. ; seven horses, not included, £141 1O3.=£195 15s. Trap at O'Leary's, near Outilpa, included in bill of sale, £20 ; 23 acres at Banbury, purchased, £46 ; estimated value of selection above amount payable to the Goverment, £640 ; claim upon Northern Stage Company, £36 ; property seized by bailiff. £60 18s. Sd; claim upon Liston and Shakes, £18 15s; claim upon Mr. Boase, horse sold, £7 ; book-debts, £152 19s. 7d.=£2,375 10s. 4d. _ Estimated surplus, £632 12s. lid. At the beginning of 1878 the insolvent's coaching plant was valued by Liston & Shakes, and the balance sheet was made out on April 1 on the basis of the valuation, showing a surplus of £1,792 17s. 8d. The subsequent earnings have been.—. From coaches. North-East, £5?$  gj ; Jamestown lme, £204 ; from Northern Stage Company, £12 ; CDS From do., £36 ; carriage of mails orth-E8t, £324; and bonus from J. G. Terry, £'50=jei,S62 6s. Sd. £3,655 4s. 4d; and the expenses: wages, £$23 16s. 2d; forage, £632 16s. lid; sundry expenses, £373 9s. 8d.; interest, £97 3s. 6d.; law coetev, commission, &c, £41 19s. 2d.=£l,669 5s. 5&; Josses on horses dead and a dray, £494 ; on coaches, traps, sc , £467 8s. 9d.=£961 8s. 3d.; living ex penses, £161 17s.; balance of cash cot explained, £381 Oa. 2d.=£2,973 11s. 4d.=£681 13s ; difference in balance, 19s. lid.: estimated surplus, £682 12s. lid. The bill of sale to Mr. Cockrum has not been produced, but insolvent says that it was identical with Liston and Shakes' valuation, and it will be observed that a great deal was sold by Mr. Cockrum which was not in the valuation. The books for the coaching business were regularly kept from April to July 1, 1878.

[full article on file]

The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929) Monday 14 January 1918 p 4 Article

[family notices]

Another pioneer, Mr. Albert Mashford, died at the Wallaroo mines on Tuesday. He was born in Devon, England, in 1842. He and Mrs. Mashford, who predeceased him by six years, came to Australia 52 years ago in the Commodore Perry, and landed at Brisbane, -where he followed the occupation of a miner. Mr. Mashford was similarly engaged in New South Wales and Victoria for seven years, and then settled at the Wallaroo Mines, where he lived for 45 years. Of a family of 10 children, six sons and two daughters are living. There are 20 grandchildren and eight great grand children.

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954) Tuesday 15 January 1918 p 2 Article

Photo: Wallaroo, South Australia.

Another South Australian pioneer, Mr. Albert Mashford, died at the Wallaroo mines last week (says the "Register"). He was born in Devon, England, in 1842. He and Mrs. Mashford, who predeceased him by six years, came to Australia 52 years ago in the Commodore Perry, and landed at Brisbane: where he followed the occupation of a miner. Mr. Mashford was similarly engaged in New South Wales and Victoria for seven years, and then settled at the Wallaroo mines, where he lived for 45 years. Of a family of 10 children, 8 sons and two daughters are living. There are 20 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Wednesday 12 August 1942 p 10 Family Notices

MASHFORD (nee Elsie Daddow). —On August 8. at Sister Berry's Private Hospital, to Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Mashford. ot Kadina—a bonny daughter (Margaret Joylene).

Vital Statistics: BDM

(transcripts of BDM records from Ancestry.com)

Birth Record for Ellen Mashford

Name:	Ellen Mashford
Birth Date:	7 Jul 1875
Father's Name:	Albert Langmald Mashford
Mother's name:	Ellen Lukey
Birth Place:	Wallaroo Mines
Registration Place:	Daly, South Australia
Page Number:	195
Volume Number:	154

Death Record for Albert Mashford

Name:	Alfred John Langmead Mashford
Death Place:	South Australia
Registration Year:	1926-1930
Registration Place:	South Australia
Page Number:	225
Volume Number:	491

Photo: Moonta Railway Station, South Australia.

Marriage Record for John Mashford (Albert’s brother)

Name:	John Lukey Mashford
Father's Name:	Albert Langmaid Mashford
Spouse Name:	Lily Olds
Spouse's Father's Name:	William Henry Olds
Marriage Date:	7 Sep 1907
Marriage Place:	Moonta Mines
Registration Place:	Daly, South Australia
Page Number:	1231
Volume Number:	232

Marriage Record for John Mashford (unknown connection?)

Name:	John Mashford
Spouse Name:	Susanna Heanes
Marriage Date:	4 Oct 1847
Marriage Place:	Adelaide
Registration Place:	Adelaide, South Australia
Page Number:	103
Volume Number:	2

Marriage for Alfred John Mashford

Name:	Alfred John Mashford
Father's Name:	Albert Mashford
Spouse Name:	Mary Jane Veal
Spouse's Father's Name:	Edmund Veal
Marriage Date:	13 Aug 1885
Marriage Place:	Kadina
Registration Place:	Daly, South Australia
Page Number:	546
Volume Number:	144

Death Record for Hannah Mashford

Name:	Ellen Mashford
Death Date:	19 Mar 1912
Death Place:	Wallaroo Mines
Age:	68
Residence Place:	Wallaroo Mines
Registration Place:	Daly, South Australia
Page Number:	35
Volume Number:	364
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1844

Birth Record for Frederick John Mashford

Name:	Frederick John Mashford
Birth Date:	23 Dec 1870
Father's Name:	Robert John Langmald Mashford
Mother's name:	Annie Wearne
Birth Place:	Wallaroo Mines
Registration Place:	Daly, South Australia
Page Number:	430
Volume Number:	90

Birth Record for Ernest Mashford

Name:	Ernest Mashford
Birth Date:	12 Sep 1877
Father's Name:	Albert Mashford
Mother's name:	Ellen Lukey
Birth Place:	Wallaroo Mines
Registration Place:	Daly, South Australia
Page Number:	187
Volume Number:	190

Birth summaries

Name Year Parents Place

Albert Reginald Mashford	1871	Albert, Ellen	Clunes, Victoria
Robert Mashford	1873	Albert, Ellen	Wallaroo Mines, South Australia
Ernest Mashford	1877	Albert, Ellen	Wallaroo Mines, South Australia
Walter Mashford	1880	Albert, Ellen	Wallaroo Mines, South Australia