Josiah Bashford 1760 - 1835

Owned by Liz Hardie
Last updated: Dec 30, 2020

Josiah Bashford 1760 - 1835

Josiah Bashford (consistently referred to as Si, Sigh or Sythe in records) was born in 1760 to Josiah Bashford and Sarah Boniface. He was baptised - along with twin brother John - on 21 September 1760 at New Shoreham in Sussex. He was the second son to be called Josiah, with an infant death in the same name registered in 1758. 

Josiah was living in Sompting at the time of his marriage to Sarah Moone on October 11 1784 in Steyning, Sussex. Sarah was the daughter of Phillip Moone and Mary Clouser. She was born in Mayfield, Sussex in 1765, and at the time of her marriage she was living in Steyning. Banns were read on September 25 , October 3rd and October 10. The marriage on the 11th was presided over by the vicar John Harper and witness by Thomas Cootes and John Wheeler. It appears that both Sarah and Josiah were illiterate - both made their mark on the certificate rather than signing their name.

Josiah and Sarah had at least ten children (four sons and six daughters) between 1784 and 1806 :

  • James Bashford Born 1784. Died 1873. Married Mary Steer 1809 
  • Sarah Bashford Born Jun 1787. Died 1855. Married Thomas Nye 1806 
  • Mary Bashford Born 1790. Died ?. Married William Leach 1808 
  • John Bashford Born 1791. Died 1820. 
  • Jane Bashford Born 1794. Died 1833. Married Peter Harding 1815 
  • Caroline Bashford Born 1797. Died ?.
  • Josias Bashford Born 1800. Died 1880 Married Frances Grinyer 1822
  • Frances Bashford Born 1803. Died ?. Married Benjamin Beal 1823 
  • George Bashford Born 1804. Died ?.
  • Elizabeth Bashford Born 1806. Died 1825.

The couple lived in Sompting directly after their marriage and it appears they stayed there until 1792 when the family is issued a Settlement Certificate from Sompting to Billingshurst on 13 Jun 1792. This certificate - which would have been sent to Billingshurst Parish, guarantees that Si and his family - including 4 children - will be provided with support by Sompting Parish in the event that they become destitute.

We do not know what motivated the family to move the 20 miles to Billingshurst, however we do know from baptismal records that the family is still there in 1794 when their fifth child - Jane - is born. By 1797 the family had relocated to Sompting where their sixth child - Caroline - was born.

We know that the family were living in Cokeham in 1820 when their son John dies and is buried at Sompting.

Josiah dies in early March 1835 and is buried at Sompting on 15 March 1835. He is noted as being from Cokeham.

Sarah is living with their son Josiah at the time of the 1841 census, and she dies in 1848 and is buried on 26 July 1848 at Sompting. 

Associated Documentation