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| St Matthew, St Matthew's Row, Bethnal Green cc-by-sa/2.0 - © John Salmon - geograph.org.uk/p/2636777 |
Richard Ford (b. ~1834 in Limehouse), married Maria Eliza Isabella Sweeney (b. 1834), daughter of John Sweeney and Anne Elizabeth Gabbaday, at St Matthew's, Bethnal Green on 25 Dec 1857. Both gave their address as 127 North Street. Witnesses were James Richardson and William Ames. Richard Ford listed his occupation as Smith and his father as Richard Ford, Carpenter, however, he appears to have been the son of John Robert Ford, Shipwright, and Harriet Showell. His father died in 1837 when he was a small boy.
Richard and Maria had ten children:
- Richard John Ford b. 26 Sep 1860 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 506, bap. 24 Jan 1861 in Limehouse, London
- Maria Ford b. 12 Mar 1862 J Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 501, bap. 8 May 1862 at St John the Evangelist, Limehouse (St John's Church, Halley Street). Died aged 1 in 1863 J Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 364
- Ellen Eliza Ford b. 12 Sep 1863 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 481, bap. 5 Nov 1863 in Limehouse
- Robert Charles Ford b. 3 Nov 1866 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 507, bap. 31 Jan 1867 in Limehouse. Died aged 1 in 1867 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 366
- Arthur James Ford b. 3 Sep 1868 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 485, bap. 13 Feb 1871 in Limehouse
- Matilda Elizabeth Ford b. 1870 J Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 483. Died at 11 months in 1871 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 407 and was buried on 17 Feb 1871 at Victoria Park Cemetery, Hackney (family's address, 6 Manning Street, Hackney.) ('The Resort of Thieves and Harlots'; Victoria Park Cemetery, Bethnal Green.)
- Mary Ann Elizabeth b. 1872 M Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 505
- Elizabeth Ford b. 1874 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 486
- Charles Ford b. 1 Nov 1876 D Qtr in STEPNEY Vol 01C Page 497
- Jane Ford b. 1 Nov 1876 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 497. Died aged 4 in 1881 M Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 353
All of the birth registrations give the mother's maiden name as SWEENEY and all of the baptisms lists the parents a Richard and Maria. They appear to give up on baptisms after 1871. The last two, born in 1876, were clearly twins.
In 1861, Richard Ford (27) Labourer Blacksmith from Limehouse, Middlesex and Maria Ford (24) birthplace St George in the East and Richard Ford (6 months) were living at 107, North Street, Limehouse, Stepney, with Maria's widowed father and her two sisters Mary Ann (13) and Matilda (10).
In 1871, Richard Ford (34) Blacksmith was living in Manning Street, St Anne Limehouse, Stepney with Maria Ford (34) Laundress; Richard Ford (10), Eleanor [Ellen Eliza] Ford (7) and Arthur Ford (2).
Eldest son, John Richard Ford, then 19, joined the British Army on 12 Jul 1879. He was 5ft 5½in with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair and his service record lists his father as Richard Ford of North Street, Limehouse. Richard John Ford served in the East Indies (India) from 20 Dec 1879 until 29 Nov 1884, where (like every other soldier) he acquired gonorrhea in Madras, in 1882. He was discharged from the army on 10 July 1891.
In 1881, at 135, North Street, Limehouse, Stepney were Richard Ford (44) Labourer in iron works; Maria Ford (43), Ellen Ford (18), Arthur Ford (13), Eliza [Elizabeth] Ford (7) and Charles Ford (4).
In 1891, Richard Ford (57) Dock Labourer was at 17, Whitethorn Street, Bromley, Poplar, with Maria Ford (54) and Charles Ford (14) Van Boy.
Richard Ford died, age estimated as 68, in 1900 S Quarter in STEPNEY.
In 1901, Maria Ford (65) Widow, was living at 65, Conder Street, Limehouse, Stepney with her youngest son, Charles Ford (25) General Carman.
Maria Ford died at 72, in 1906 J Quarter in POPLAR Vol 01C Page 327.