Clifton Bedfordshire Family History Guide
CLIFTON is a parish and village, one mile east from the Shefford station, on the Bedford and Hitchin branch of Midland Railway, and 11 miles south east from Bedford, in Clifton hundred, Biggleswade union and county court district, rural deanery of Shefford, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely1.
Status: Ancient Parish
Parish church: All Saints
Parish registers begin:
- Parish registers: 1539
- Bishop’s Transcripts: 1602
Nonconformists include:
- Independent/Congregational
- Particular Baptist
- Society of Friends/Quaker
- Wesleyan Methodist
The Particular Baptist chapel was erected in 1853 by voluntary contributions, and had a day school in connection therewith1.
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
CLIFTON, a parish and a hundred in Beds. The parish is in Biggleswade district; and lies adjacent to the river Ivel and the Great Northern railway, 1½ mile NW of Arlesey r. station, and 4½ SSW of Biggleswade. Post town, Shefford, under Biggleswade. Acres, 1,420. Real property, £4,546. Pop., 1,478. Houses, 289. The property is much subdivided. Clifton-Spinnies is a meet for the Oakley hounds.
The living is a rectory in the diocese of Ely. Value, £439. Patron, H. Miles, Esq. The church was recently restored and enlarged.
There are a Baptist chapel, a recent national school, and charities £12.
The hundred lies around the parish; marche. with Herts; and contains eight parishes and part of another. Acres, 20,007. Pop., 10,224. Houses, 1,949.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales 1850
Clifton, 1½ m. N.E. Shefford. P. 865.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
Parish Registers
London Marriage Licences and Allegations 1521 to 1869
The following have been extracted from London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869.
Abbreviations. — B. Bishop of London’s Office; D. Dean and Chapter of Westminster; F. Faculty Office of Archbishop of Canterbury; V. Registry of the Vicar-General of Canterbury.
Hallely, Richard, of Clifton, Beds, gent., widower, about 55, and Jane Thornborough, of Kensington, Middlesex, spinster, about 31, and at own disposal— at St. Gregory, London, or Kensington aforesaid. 26 Feb. 1661/2 . V
Rolte, Walter, gent., now of St. Botolph, Aldgate, son of Walter Rolte, esq., of Clifton, Beds, who consents, and Frances Dixey, of same, spinster, 19, daughter of Sir Wulstan Dixey, of Bosworth, co. Leicester, knight, who consents, attested by William Parsell, of St. Botolph aforesaid, merchant taylor, brother- in-law to said Walter Rolte, the younger — at Stepney. 10 Nov. 1618. B.
Smart, Benjamin, of St. Benet Fink, bachelor, 28, and Susan Nodes, spinster, 20, consent of mother, Susan Nodes, of Clifton, Beds, widow — at St. Pancras, alias Kentish Town. 29 Aug. 1671. B.
Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887
Parish Records
FamilySearch
Directories
The Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire 1869
CLIFTON is a parish and village, one mile east from the Shefford station, on the Bedford and Hitchin branch of Midland Railway, and 11 miles south east from Bedford, in Clifton hundred, Biggleswade union and county court district, rural deanery of Shefford, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely.
The Particular Baptist chapel was erected in 1853 by voluntary contributions, and has a day school in connection therewith.
Parish Clerk Gilbert Woollard
National School, Henry Gration, master
INSURANCE AGENT – Norwich Union Fire, John Neal
Anderson Mr Walter
Baigent Mr William Henry
Fenwick Mrs
Miles Rev Henry Hugh MA rector The Rectory
Pidgeon Mrs Bury farm
Player Rev Charles Ray Baptist
Pryor Henry Maclean esq Clifton Lodge
Ross Mr George Foster sen Clifton cottage
Sears Rev Septimus Particular Baptist
COMMERCIAL
Anderson Elizabeth Mrs Shopkeeper
Armour Daniel shopkeeper
Armour Richard shopkeeper
Bray Charles beer retailer
Bryant Frederick shopkeeper
Bunyan William shopkeeper
Caton Henry Cooper farmer
Chambers Ebenezer shoe maker
Coleman Priscilla Mrs stay corset maker
Dear William baker
Dilley David beer retailer
Ell Charles butcher & farmer
Field Samuel Honeybone farmer
Green Samuel farmer
Haddow George shopkeeper
Hare George market gardener
Hayes George beer retailer
Kempson William shopkeeper
King Charles beer retailer & butcher
King Charles Lion & carpenter
Lenton Charles straw plait dealer
Le Poldevin Madame, establishment for young ladies
Morgan Alexander baker
Neal John farmer
Norman John shopkeeper
Osborn George gardener
Phillips Thomas shoe maker
Pryor James Peter draper
Roberts John Mrs laundress
Roberts Thomas drillman
Ross George Foster, ‘un inland revenue officer
Rowley James farmer
Slater Thomas rake maker
Sugars George baker
Taylor Thomas baker
Tebbutt Enima Mrs ladies boarding school
Trolley George, Chequers
Walker James market gardener
Walker James shoe maker
Waller James beer retailer
Watts Henry beer retailer
Webb James, boys school
Wells Joseph gardener
West James beer retailer
Whitbread George blacksmith
Wilson Frank pig dealer
Wilson Samuel farmer
Woollard Gilbert carpenter
Wootton George painter & glazier
Wright Charles farmer
Wright James, Fox & Duck & brewer & bird stuffer
Source: The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869
Administration
- County: Bedfordshire
- Civil Registration District: Biggleswade
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford
- Diocese: Pre-1837 – Lincoln, Post-1836 – Ely
- Rural Deanery: Shefford
- Poor Law Union: Biggleswade
- Hundred: Clifton
- Province: Canterbury
- The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869 ↩︎