Great Barford Bedfordshire Family History Guide
Great Barford is an Ancient Parish in the county of Bedfordshire.
Status: Ancient Parish
Parish church: All Saints
Parish registers begin:
- Parish registers: 1559
- Bishop’s Transcripts: 1602
Nonconformists include: Wesleyan Methodist, Particular Baptist
Table of Contents
Adjacent Parishes
Parish History
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales 1870
BARFORD (Great), a parish in the district and county of Bedford; on the river Ouse, 3 miles NNW of Sandy r. station, and 6 E by N of Bedford. It has a post office under St. Neot’s. Acres, 2,830. Real property, £4,679. Pop., 907. Houses, 198. The property is subdivided. The river Ouse here is crossed by a bridge of about the beginning of the 15th century, and is navigable. The living is a vicarage, annexed to Roxton, in the dio. of Ely. The church is later English. There are a Wesleyan chapel, a national school, and charities £20.
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
Barford (Great ), 5m. N.E. Bedford, P. 814.
Source: Leonard’s Gazetteer of England and Wales; Second Edition; C. W. Leonard, London; 1850
The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales 1840
Barford (Great), a parish in the hund. of Barford, union and county of Bedford; 6 miles east-north-east from Bedford. Living, a discharged vicarage united with that of Roxden, in the archd. of Bedford and dio. of Lincoln; rated at £9; and in the patronage of Trinity college, Cambridge. The great and small tithes, the property of Trinity college, Cambridge, and the vicar, were commuted in 1820. There are two daily and two Sunday-schools here. The river Ouse, over which there is here a bridge, built about the beginning of the 15th century, is navigable along the south-eastern parts of the parish. Pop., in 1801, 431; in 1831, 731. Houses 150. Acres 2,830. A. P. £2,545. Poor rates, in 1837, £428.
Source: The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales; A Fullarton & Co. Glasgow; 1840.
Parish Registers
Great Barford Parish Registers 1559 – 1812
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.
Birkhead, Joseph, of Great Barford, Beds, clerk, bachelor, 27, and Mary Somershall, of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, spinster, 25 — at St. Martin, Ludgate, London, or … . 25 March, 1685. F
Source: London Marriage Licences 1521 to 1869; Edited by Joseph Foster; London 1887
Quarter Sessions Rolls
The following have been extracted from the Notes & Extracts from the Bedfordshire County Records comprised in the Quarter Sessions Rolls from 1714 to 1832 compiled by Messrs. Hardy & Page, Record Agents
1737 5th October A schedule of the estate of John Willis, of Great Barford, yeoman, a prisoner for debt.
Parish Records
FamilySearch
FamilySearch – Birth Marriage & Death Census Migration & Naturalization Military Probate & Court
Population
| Date | Population |
|---|---|
| 1801 | 431 |
| 1818 | 577 |
| 1831 | 731 |
Schools
1818 Digest of Returns to Circular Letter from the Select Committee on Education of the Poor, &c.
Schools – None
Sunday Schools – A Sunday school, for 70 children, supported by voluntary contribution.
Observations – The poor are very desirous of education; and a national school for Great Barford and Roxton would be beneficial, as there are upwards of 60 children in want of instruction.
Notes – Return signed by J. Clarkson, vicar.
Poll Books
Great Barford Poll Book 1807
Freeholders Name Residence Freehold* and Occupier
Alders John Buckden, Hunts. H.& L. Jefferies Benjamin
Barcock John Great Barford …. Samuel W. & others
Buston Rev. Roger Windham, Norfolk L. Crespin Mrs.
Cumberland W. Great Barford H.& L. Self and others
Dobson William Girtford H. Purser and others
Duncombe James Great Barford H.& L. Robinson John
Francklin J. Esq. Devon. St. Port. Place, London …. Jefferies Benjamin
Freshwater John Great Barford …. Self
Freshwater John Renhold …. Castle Isaac
Freshwater Thomas Great Barford …. Medley Jude
Freshwater W. Isle of Wight …. Castle Isaac
Gilbert Thomas Great Barford H. Self
Halsey Joseph, Esq. Gaddesden, Herts. H. & L. Duncombe James
Hart Samuel Great Barford H. Self and others
Hart Thomas ditto H. & L. Self
Jefferies Benjamin ditto L. Self
Lovelidge Thomas Bedford L. Hart Thomas
Pedley William Great Barford H. & L. Self
Robertson John Long Stanton, Cam. L. Duncombe James
Rowles George Great Barford H. & L. Self
Smith William ditto …. Freshwater John
Sutton Edward Mogerhanger …. Sabey William
Wootton Richard Great Barford …. Self
Notes:
*Of what the Freehold Consists
Bedfordshire Historical Directories
Directory Transcriptions
The Post Office Directory of Bedfordshire 1869
GREAT BARFORD is a large scattered village, 5 north east from Bedford, 6 south west from St Neots, 7 north west from Biggleswade, and 52 from London, in hundred of Barford, union and county court district of Bedford, rural deanery of Eaton, archdeaconry of Bedford, and diocese of Ely, situate on the river Ouse.
Parish Clerk, James Field
National School, James Taylor, master; Mrs Sarah Sharp, mistress
CARRIERS TO BEDFORD – John Franklin, from Eaton, saturday, returning same day; John Thomas, from Blunham, monday, Wednesday, & saturday, returning same days; James Cope, from Tempsford, monday, wednesday, & saturday, returning same days; Mrs Susan Woods, from St Neots, wednesday, returning same day
Arnold Miss Great Barford house
Humbley Joseph esq Central villa
Richardson Rev Thomas Pierson MA vicar The Vicarage
Sprigge Charles MD Great Barford villa
COMMERCIAL
Ayres John Sellis farmer
Ayres William butcher
Barker John boot & shoe maker
Beach Ann Mrs shopkeeper
Beetles Thomas brick maker
Berry William tailor
Chapman William beer retailer
Clark John farmer
Cooper Henry engineer
Daniels Frederick Crown inn
Dover Jas shoeing smith & postmaster
Holben William beer retailer
Holland Joseph harness maker
James Amos White Hart
Jarvis Sarah Mrs shopkeeper
Jefferies John maltster
Jefferies Robert Ayres farmer
Jefferies Sellis farmer
Joyce Joseph James farmer
Kingston Henry butcher
Lee Joseph market gardener
Mann John saddler & harness maker
Martin Samuel farmer
Mayhew John farmer
Mayhew William farmer
Osborn Samuel bricklayer
Page James wheelwright
Pedley James baker
Pedley John corn dealer
Pettitt John gardener
Purser John blacksmith
Randall Ann Mrs baker
Roals William farmer
Rutland John farmer
Sabey John horse dealer
Sabey John market gardener
Saville Annie Maria Mrs butcher & beer retailer
Saville Ellen Mrs farmer
Saville Jane Miss shopkeeper
Sharp William beer retailer
Smith George Golden Cross
Smith Lydia Mrs boot & shoe maker
Sprigge Charles MD LSA surgeon
Trustrum Edward miller & farmer
Wagstaff Odell Henry boot & shoe maker
Watford William carpenter & builder
Wells John thrashing machine proprietor
Wootton William tailor
Wootton William jun tailor
Source: The Post office directory of Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire By Kelly’s directories, ltd 1869
Maps
OS Grid Reference: TL1265452404 (all-numeric format: 512654 252404)
Administration
- County: Bedfordshire
- Civil Registration District: Bedford
- Probate Court: Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford
- Diocese: Pre-1837 – Lincoln, Post-1836 – Ely
- Rural Deanery: Eaton
- Poor Law Union: Bedford
- Hundred: Barford
- Province: Canterbury