Alefounder of Suffolk

Notes on some of those mentioned in the Suffolk pedigree. There are links there to other family trees: Petts, Turner, Grey, Lawrence, Sharpe and Crawford & Hall.

George Alefounder, 1814-1862
Charles Alefounder, 1807-1864

It is not clear why the birth place for George and his brother Charles is given as Bury St Edmunds in the 1851 census. I have no evidence for an Alefounder family there at that time, and I can only suppose that Bury St Edmunds was the nearest "big place" that the enumerator had heard of. In the 1861 census, George's place of birth is given as Norfolk Stoke, but the Norfolk comes from a "do" (ditto) referring to the previous line. This could well be a mistake for Suffolk. The place of birth for Charles, no longer living with his brother, was given as Stoke Suffolk.

The 1851 census was in 30/31 March. On 27 November that year, Charles Alefounder made his will, giving his address as St. Ann's Road Kennington Surrey; presumably he moved there at or around the time of his marriage in July. He soon took over the "Coach & Horses" at 9 Dorset Street, Lambeth, his address as given in the 1861 census, where he was found to be giving short measure. Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, 10 November 1861:

FALSE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
  At the petty sessions, held on Wednesday last, at Newington, before J. Tilson, Esq., and a full bench of magistrates, 22 persons were summoned for having in their possession unjust scales, weights, and measures. They comprised 7 licensed victuallers, 6 beer retailers, 7 grocers and chandlers, 1 baker and 1 butcher, carrying on business in the neighbourhood of Clapham, Balham-hill, Brixton, &c., upon whom fines were inflicted, as follows:
…
Charles Alefounder, beer retailer, Dorset-street, Clapham-road, one measure. Fined 5s.
…

William Alefounder, 1817-1881

Shown as living in Church Lane, Bocking at the time of the 1851 census, but by 1861, in Bradford Street. The 1871 census gives this more specifically as Woolpack Lane. In fact, he was living at Woolpack Lane by 1855. The Essex Standard, and General Advertiser for the Eastern Counties, 13 April 1855:

Chelmsford Chronicle, 7th August 1863:

BRAINTREE AND BOCKING
Serious accident.—On Tuesday morning a journeyman bricklayer named William Alefounder, in the employ of Mr. Parmenter, of Bocking, the contractor for the restoration works of Braintree church, while engaged in plastering the side wall of the south chancel aisle, the support to the scaffold boards broke and he fell to the floor, fracturing his right leg a little above the ankle. Assistance was soon afforded, and he was conveyed to his residence at Bocking, where he was promptly attended by Mr. John Harrison, surgeon.

David Alefounder, 1825-1860

Enlisted in the Royal Marines on 25 December 1845, being then a farm labourer aged 20 years and 3 months. He received a bounty of £3 17s 6d. His description is given in TNA ref. ADM 157/41/5: height 5' 8", complexion fresh, eyes hazel, hair dark brown and with no distinctive marks. In the 1851 census, he was a patient in Ward No. 12, Melville Hospital, Chatham. The file includes a record of the ships on which he served:

Ship		Period of Service		Amount of Service
		from	to	years	days
Superb		18 Apr 1846	23 Nov 1846		220
Waterwitch		12 Apr 1848	21 Dec 1850	2	254
London and Ro Albert		5 Aug 1852	30 Jan 1856	3	179
?Ballnchina Calcutta ?Perinperdry		12 Aug 1857	13 Mar 1860	2	215
			afloat	9	138
			onshore	4	340
			Total Service	14	113

He was discharged as an invalid on 17 April 1860 and appears to have died later that year. One notable event during his period of service was the Crimean War, 1854-1856. HMS London was involved in the campaign, and in TNA ref. ADM171/27 fo 57r is found the record of him being awarded the Crimea Medal on board that ship.

Amelia Turner née Alefounder (1842-?1927)

Amelia Turner née Alefounder. Photo credit: Jackie Gifford.
Click to enlarge.

Her birth was registered in 1843, but according to the record of her baptism (19th January 1862), she was born on 26th August 1842. She was one of the illegitimate children of Maria Alefounder of Cavendish, Suffolk. Maria appears in the 1841 census in Sudbury Union workhouse, and in 1851 living with her mother in Cavendish. She married Joseph Brockwell in 1856.

I have not found Amelia in any census returns before her marriage to Henry Frederick Turner in 1866. Apart from the belated civil birth registration, the earliest mention of her is the 1862 baptism at the age of 21, by which time she was living at St Ann's Road, Kensington. At that time she mentioned her mother, Maria, single woman of Cavendish: undoubtedly, this is more to be relied upon than the fictional William Alefounder, labourer, that she named as her father when she married Henry Turner. Henry Turner appears in a separate family tree. Photographs of her children and grandchildren can be found here.

George William Alefounder, b. 1844

He died in 1922, aged 79.

William Alefounder, 1848-1908

In 1866, William Alefounder was employed in a cocoa fibre mat factory owned by Thomas Churchyard of Melford. The factory was destroyed by fire on Friday 27th April, resulting in the death of two of the employees. A lengthy account (left) of the fire and inquest appeared in the Bury Free Press on 5th May. In his statement to the inquest, William Alefounder said the fire started in fibre spread out to dry in the yard. He raised the alarm and shut a door in an attempt to prevent the fire entering the factory, but flames came underneath through a crevice. His attempts to stamp out the flames having failed, he escaped via a back window.

Image from the British Newspaper Archive, in partnership with the British Library Board, © The British Library Board. Click on picture to enlarge.

James Alefounder, b. 1859

He is recorded in the 1861 and 1871 census returns, but has not been found in any later census. The first and only clue as to what happened to him after appearing as a hair weaver living with his parents in 1871 is found in the record of an inquest into the death of John Lyons in 1885, who was discovered lying in the street having fallen from the first floor window of a house of ill repute in Portsea, Hampshire. Private James Alefounder of the Sussex Regiment was discovered running away from the scene; I know of no other James Alefounder that this might have been. Lengthy reports of the inquest appeared in the local press, transcribed here.

William Alefounder, b. 1873

Joined the Royal Artillery on 4th November 1891, at the age of 18 years 5 months, having previously been a Coster. He was described as being 5 ft 11 inches tall, 150 lbs, eyes blue, hair dark brown.

4 Nov 1891	Attested	St Georges Bks London
30 Nov 1892	Posted	286 (Battalion or depot)
13 Mar 1893	Awaiting trial (for what offence is not stated), 1 day not allowed for fixing Pension
14 Mar 1893	Tried & imprisoned, 61 days not allowed for fixing Pension	Pentonville Prison
5 Feb 1894	Posted	Depot
9 Mar 1894	Posted	India
14 May 1895	Granted C. Pay at 1d
24 Nov 1896	3rd class certificate of education
4 Nov 1897	Granted GC Pay at 2d
29 Oct 1898		Aden
1 Nov 1898	Elected to come under Regulations governing issue of Messing Allowance
11 May 1900	Extended his Service to complete 12 years with Colors
5 Sept 1901	Appointed Art Bombr
21 Dec 1901	2nd class certificate of education
27 Feb 1902		Home
3 Nov 1903	Discharged

Total service counted for his pension was 11 years 303 days.

He was involved in the North-West Frontier Local Expedition campaign 1897-98, and was awarded the India Medal of 1895 with clasps for Tirah 1897-98 and Punjab 1897-98. His next of kin was stated to be his mother, Amelia Ward, of 71 Carlton St., Battersea, London, from which it is clear that she remarried following the death of his father.

Arthur Daniel Alefounder, 1876-1916, and family

Arthur Daniel Alefounder, his wife Eleanor née Sharpe and their children, Arthur George and Eleanor May, in 1913.

Arthur George Alefounder in 1915.

Eleanor May Alefounder in 1926.

Photographs from Jack Hollands. Click on pictures to enlarge.
For more information about Eleanor Sharpe, see the Sharpe pedigree.

George William Alefounder, b.1882

The National Archives hold an attestation of George William Alefounder for Short Service with the East Surrey Regiment dated 27 Nov 1900, he at that time being allowed 107 days towards pay and pension for embodied militia service in the 3rd batallion of that Regiment (23rd June – 26th Nov 1900). He had previously been a carman. He was described as being 19 years 5 months old, 5 feet 5¾ inches, 116 lbs, chest 32–34 inches, of fresh complexion, with hazel eyes, dark brown hair and blue marks on his left forearm.

Some details of his service career are given:

27 Nov 1900	Attested in London Starts service at home	Home
7 Nov 1901	End of service at home
8 Nov 1901	Start of service East Indies 1st Battalion, transferred	East Indies
27 Nov 1902	Granted 1d G.C. pay
25 Feb 1903	End of service East Indies
26 Feb 1903	Start of service at home	Home
1 May 1903	Passed class of instruction in mounted duty, at Aldershot
5 Nov 1903	Forfeited 1d G.C. pay
20 Nov 1903	End of service at home
21 Nov 1903	Start of service in India 2nd Battalion, transferred	India
1 Apr 1904	Elected to accept Service Pay in accordance with AO66 of 1902 and 193 of 1903
25 Apr 1904	Permitted to extend service to complete 8 years with the Colours. Rated in Class II at 4d.
22 Jly 1904	Passed class of instruction in swimming side
6 Nov 1904	Restored 1st G.C. Badge
10 Apr 1905	3rd class certificate of education Granted 6d Service Pay
1 Nov 1905	2nd class certificate of education
27 Nov 1905	Granted 7d Service Pay
5 Nov 1906	Granted 2nd G.C. Badge
4 Sep 1908	Extended to complete 12 years with the Colours
27 Nov 1908	Ceased to draw Service pay
17 Aug 1910	Awarded military telegraphist's certificate
20 Apr 1911	End of service in India
21 Apr 1911	Start of service at home 1st Battalion, posted	Home
1 Aug 1911	3rd Battalion, posted
26 Nov 1912	Discharged, termination of first period of engagement

It is clear from his WWI medal card that he he had another period of service in the Army, 1914-15 in France, but the records for this appear to be among those lost during WWII. The note in the records "Discharged. The termination of his first period of engagement" might well mean that he signed on again immediately. He had served 12 years as a private. At the time of his marriage in 1917 he was described as a sergeant in the British Expeditionary Force (Royal Engineers). Afterwards, he became a journeyman compositor, a moulder, and finally a tram conductor.

Agnes Hilda Alefounder née Piggott, 1892-1940 Wife of the above. She died as a result of "war operations" and has the distinction of being the only Alefounder mentioned on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site. The photograph (right) shows George William Alefounder and his wife with their first two children (twins), born 1920. The twins are wearing christening gowns. Photograph from Jo Pollard. One of those children was George Valentine Alefounder, shown here on the left in a photograph presumably taken around 1940.

Photograph from Diane Alefounder.

Charlotte Maxim Alefounder als Charlotte Maxim, b.1865

Charlotte Maxim Alefounder was born before her parents were married, and so her legal surname was that of her mother. However, it is clear that she normally used her father's surname, Maxim. That was the surname that was used at her baptism on 5 November 1871 and she appears with that surname in the 1871, 1881 and 1891 census returns. Her illegitimate children in their turn took their mother's surname. Thus, they were registered using the legal and official surname Alefounder, but often used the surname Maxim.

George William Maxim Alefounder als George Maxim, b.1887

Image from the British Newspaper Archive, in partnership with the British Library Board, © Successor rightsholder unknown. Click on picture to enlarge.

Larger version of picture. Photograph from Arlene Trump.

A butcher by the time he joined the Army in 1915 and was posted to the Labour Corps, having served previously in the Territorial forces. He transferred to the Military Mounted Police on 11 May 1919. Among the records of his service is a letter, dated 11 August 1916 from Mrs Pryke, widow, his former employer, complaining that her son could not do all the work required for her butcher's business and clearly wanting her employee back again. It appears from a report in the Suffolk and Essex Free Press dated 31 May 1916 (on the left) that he had already been granted one month at her request. George William Alefounder had other ideas and on 15th September 1919 surrendered his claim to early demobilisation and volunteered to serve until 30th April 1920. He ended his period of service as a Lieutenant Corporal and was finally demobilized on 16th May 1920.

The photograph on the right shows George William Maxim Alefounder in his World War I MMP uniform. He can also be seen in photographs taken at the wedding of his daughter, Ruby Violet Alefounder.

Ruby Violet Alefounder, 1910-2001

Photographs taken at the wedding of Horace Walter Crawford and Ruby Violet Alefounder 31 August 1935, Old Independant Church, Haverhill. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Back row: Herbert Alefounder (known as Johnny), Horace Walter Crawford (generally known as Walter), Ruby Crawford (née Alefounder), George William Maxim Alefounder. Front row, on the left a bridesmaid, name unknown (a friend of the bride, not a member of the family), on the right, Kathleen Marion Alefounder (known as Catherine or Cathy).

Back row: Albert Alefounder (also known as Alby), Kathleen Marion Alefounder, Horace Walter Crawford, Ruby Violet Alefounder, Herbert Alefounder (also known as Johnny). Front row: Maud Amelia Crawford née Hall, George William Maxim Alefounder, Kate Elizabeth Alefounder née Petts, William Albert Crawford.

For details of the Crawford family, see the Crawford and Hall pedigree.

Ethel Maud Alefounder als Laremore, b. 1891

I am grateful to Alexandra Griffiths for pointing out that Ethel Maud could not have been a daughter of Arthur Charles Alefounder, as he had died in 1889. Her birth was registered with the surname Laremore (presumably that of her real father), and she appears in the 1891 census with that surname as a "visitor" with her mother, but by 1901, Mr Laremore having long since departed the scene, she was recorded with the surname Alefounder. She claimed Arthur Alefounder as her father when she married Ernest Howes in 1915.

Jonathan Arthur Smith, 1878-1928

Jonathan Arthur Smith.

Charlotte Lillie Smith née Lambert, 1877 - 1934, wife of Jonathan Smith.

Sarah Mumford née Alefounder, b 1849

Sarah Mumford née Alefounder.

Bertie A. Mumford, son of Charles Mumford and Sarah Alefounder: Grey pedigree.

William Thomas Earl, b ca. 1848

ca. 1848	birth	Black Notley, Essex, son of James Earl, weaver
1870	marriage	April 22, at Bocking, Essex, to Eliza Alefounder, William being a hostler.
1871	census	Ostler at an Inn, of Bradford Street, Woolpack Lane, Bocking
1881	census	Crape finisher, same address
1901	census	Tram Driver of 35 Arthur Rd., St Peters, Abbeydale, Sheffield
1911	census	Tram Driver, of 130 Steade Road, Sheffield; Widower; niece Clara Alice Galley.

Last updated 23rd June 2017 by Peter Alefounder