In 1874, my great-grandfather, Samuel Linfield (1839-1913), moved from his birthplace in Twillingate, Newfoundland to a farm on the outskirts of my hometown Goderich, Ontario. With him were his wife Rachel (Petten) and their four children, Frederick Bloomfield, Mary Jane Butler, “Eliza” Rhoda Elizabeth and my grandfather-to-be, John Petten. Shortly after settling on the land, Rachel gave birth to Samuel Jr. who died in infancy. Over the next five years, Harriet Grace and Alfred were born. Of the six living children, only my grandfather and his sister Eliza stayed on the farm. However, Eliza left the farm on January 3, 1914, moving to Bozeman, Montana to live with her eldest brother, Frederick, the principal subject of this story. Eliza died in Bozeman on December 2, 1916. Mary Jane married George Rice in 1892 and they moved to Guelph, Ontario. Mary Jane died in 1931. Harriet Grace, known as Grace, left the farm with her brother Alfred on August 18, 1908 to live with brother Frederick and family. Alfred worked at different jobs and soon had his own living accommodations. Grace continued to live with Frederick and family and was a great help to Frederick’s wife who was always ill with T.B. Continue reading Professor Frederick Bloomfield Linfield
Category Archives: Lin(d)field History
The Bramber Castle Legend
There cannot be too many among our readers who haven’t heard something of the legend of William Lindfield, who was entombed at Bramber Castle. It’s a chilling story, not unworthy of a place in the fiction of Edgar Allan Poe. I first came across it in the local guide, published by the village museum. (Ref. The History and Legend of Bramber Castle. Herbert E. Erredge; Bramber Museum) Despite his obvious embellishments, Erredge has produced an entertaining account of a particularly gruesome episode, and what follows is a summary of his narrative. Continue reading The Bramber Castle Legend
Martha Lindfield of Stream Cottage Wivelsfield
No Family History is complete without the proverbial skeleton in the cupboard. I was a long time before I found mine, and then, to my surprise, it was as close as my own Uncle. My father – as I have said in a previous article – was the 13th child of John William Avery who had married Martha Lindfield the daughter of William Lindfield 1788-1862 of New House or Huggetts Farm, Chailey, and his 2nd wife Elizabeth neé Walker. Continue reading Martha Lindfield of Stream Cottage Wivelsfield
Henry Linfield of Nuthurst
Wills, Administrations and Inventories
Wills, administrations and inventories are valuable documents to family historians: they provide us with a glimpse of our ancestors not available in other records, of a nature which helps to bring them to life as people in their society and time. Wills not only help to clarify family relationships, but they usually give us information about occupation and property ownership. Of course, not everybody made a will, so they are a special bonus when found. Continue reading Henry Linfield of Nuthurst
John and Elizabeth Lindfield of Keymer in East Sussex
I was lucky enough to be able to work for six months in London last year, and follow up my Sussex ancestry. My aim was to track down the origins of my great grandfather, Jesse Lindfield, who (I believe) was the only one of his family to come to Australia. He sailed to New South Wales in about 1860, and any contact with the family in England had been long lost. I was partly successful in searching out local church records, but the trail came to a dead-end with the descendants of all of his siblings, no doubt mainly because more people were beginning to move greater distances away from their home towns in that period. Unfortunately I did not come across any close living relatives of the line I am about to describe. If any one has any further information I would be very glad to hear from them. Continue reading John and Elizabeth Lindfield of Keymer in East Sussex
How To Get Hooked (and How Not To Start!)
How far back in your family can you remember? Parents? Grandparents? Because she lived to be ninety-four years old, I am lucky enough to remember my great-grandmother quite well. Continue reading How To Get Hooked (and How Not To Start!)
The Monks Gate Murder
For the British motorist of the 1990’s, it is relatively unusual to have to pay a toll to use a road. Indeed, virtually all the toll roads are now over bridges or through tunnels, though the government is threatening to introduce more toll roads in order to finance improvements to the road system. If they do so, they will be following what was normal practice in the 18th and 19th centuries. Two hundred years ago Sussex roads were notorious throughout England for their appalling condition; Horace Walpole wrote of one journey through the Weald in winter “The roads grow bad beyond badness, the night darker beyond all darkness, our guide frightened beyond all frightfulness.” One can well imagine the discomfort of an unheated and poorly sprung coach being compounded by the ruts and potholes in the roads. Continue reading The Monks Gate Murder
The Marnhull Letters
Genealogy! – an easy subject to talk about at parties, meetings or over lunch with a friend. Most people, I believe, are interested in their own family history and will listen politely to others’. A good number of people want their family tree all laid out for them, without providing any contribution. Then there are people like the founders, executives and officers of LONGSHOT who not only have done research on their families, but are dedicating much time and energy to encourage others to share their family records for the enjoyment and interest of all potentially related parties. To them, I offer my heartiest congratulations for their unselfishness, perseverence and outstanding work in making the Lin(d)field One Name Group a successful undertaking and publication. As a proud member (no. 46), a profound “hello” to other members and a warm welcome to all new members. Continue reading The Marnhull Letters