Josiah Bashford 1823 - 1895

Josiah Bashford was born on June 19 1823 in Sompting, Sussex, where he was baptised at St Mary's on July 20 1823. He was the eldest child of Josias Bashford and Frances Greenyer.

At the time of Josias's birth his father was working as a labourer and living in Sompting. We next see Josias at the 1841 census where he is living with his family on Sompting Street in Sompting and working as gardeners labourer.

On 22 August 1842 Josiah married Elizabeth Riddles at St Mary's, Sompting. They were married by the vicar James ?ay and the marriage was witnessed by his brother John Bashford and Charles ?. Josiah is a labourer living in Cokeham and Josiah Snr is recorded as a Market Gardener. Obviously the boys had some education as both John and Josiah sign their own name. Elizabeth was born in 1821 and is the eldest child of James Riddles and Harriet Hudson of Cokeham.

Josiah and Elizabeth have a total of seven children

Mary Ann Bashford Born 1842. Died ?. Married
Emma Bashford Born 1844. Died ?. Married
Ellen Bashford Born 1847. Died ?. Married
James Richard Bashford Born 1849. Died ?. Married
Fanny Bashford Born 1852. Died ?. Married
Felix Bashford Born 1856. Died ?. Married Mary Leppard
Martha Bashford Born 1856. Died ?. Married

On ? 1851 Josiah was arrested on charges of larceny. He was tried in the Easter session at the Petworth Court and on April 10 1851 he was convicted of larceny and sentenced to 4 months hard labour.

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle - April 19 1851

Henry Wicks and Josiah Bashford, pleaded guilty to stealing on the 12th March, at Sompting, seven fowls and a duck, the property of George Trangmar, and Wicks also pleaded guilty to a former conviction - Bashford was sentenced to Four month's hard labour ; and Wicks to Ten years transportation

The Hampshire Advertiser, Saturday April 19 1851

Henry Wicks, 36, labourer and Josiah Bashford, 28, labourer pleaded guilty to stealing on the 12th of March at Sompting, seven fowls and a duck, the property of George Trangmer. Wick also pleaded guilty to a former conviction, for which he was senteced to seven years transportation. Bashford was sentenced to four months hard labour.

So on 31 March 1851 - the date of the 1851 census - sees the family separated, with Josiah in the Petworth Gaol, and Elizabeth living with her 4 eldest children in a house at Sompting St, Sompting where she is recorded as pauper. We cant be sure whether it is the families pauper status which drove Josiah to theft, or whether James imprisonment is has caused Elizabeth to be dependent on the parish, there is a question why - when Josiah Snr was prospering - Josias parents did not care for the family during his imprisonment. That said Elizabeth is living 2 doors up from Josiah uncle James and his family.

The censuses indicate that the family continues to live in the Lower Cokeham where Josias works as a labourer

1861 Census
1871 Census
1881 Census
1891 Census

Financial troubles seem to plague him, and one can only assume that his family may have disowned him, as it appears there was no relief or assistance from them.

These financial challenges appear to lead him to continue to engage in poaching activities and some general larceny which results in at least x convictions and x months of hard labour over the next 20 years, including:

in 1854 he is involved in a physical altercation with 2 men as a result of a dispute over owed moneys
1857 Josias is again convicted of breach of game laws - ie poaching.
1863
1864
1870

The Sussex Advertiser, Surrey Gazette, &c. Aug 22 1854

Henry Bartlett was charged with assaulting Josiah Bashford at Sompting on the 26th July. It appeared that plaintiff owned defendant some money and they had quarrelled about it. The Bench dismissed the case.

The same complainant also charged Henry Miller with committing an assault upon him at the same time as the one abovementioned, but at the suggestion of the bench, he withdrew the charge, preferring to do so rather than incur the risk of paying the costs, which already amounted in the two cases to 17s.

Josiah Bashford 1823 - 1895

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Formal Records

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