Adam Fordham and Mary Ann Bloomfield

Adam Fordham was born at the end of 1814, son of James and Elizabeth Fordham (nee Bussey) in Coney Weston, Suffolk.

He was baptised on 15th January 1815 in Coney Weston Church.

On 17th November 1838 he married Mary Ann Bloomfield in Coney Weston Church.  This was the almost the 36th wedding anniversary of Adam's parents wedding and as his son George then also married on this date in 1870 it is worth considering if the date had a wider significance or novelty to the family at this time.

The marriage banns in the run-up to the wedding had been read in Coney Weston church on 28th October by C. Sparkes, 4th November by George Hunt, Rector, and on 11th November by C. Sparkes.

The marriage certificate shows the witnesses as Charles Spoon (signature) and Frances Bloomfield (her mark, i.e. she could not write)

Mary Ann Bloomfield was born in 1816 daughter of Zephaniah Bloomfield, labourer, and was the second cousin once removed of the pastoral poet Robert Bloomfield.

Adam and Mary had at least eight children:

1. Ellen Fordham, born 1840, married John Green 14th October 1871, died 1913
2. George Fordham, born 1st September 1842, married Alice Anker 17th November 1870, died 6th February 1921
3. Emma Fordham, born 1845, married Ralph Hubbard July 1864
4. James Fordham, born 11th November 1848, married Agnes Jane Plummer, died 26th August 1927
5. Another son not listed in the census of the house so presumably died as an infant.
6. Robert Fordham, born 5th July 1851, died 3rd July 1868
7. Frances Fordham, born 1854, married Henry Castle 1900
8. Mary Elizabeth Fordham, born 1856, married George Skinner 12th June 1875

Adam died on 19th November 1887 in Coney Weston and is buried in the churchyard there.

Mary Ann died on 10th November 1889 in Coney Weston and is buried in the churchyard there.  The gravestone reads: "Adam Fordham d. Nov 19 1887 age 73 Mary Ann wife d Nov 10 1889 age 73"

The 1851 Census records Adam and Mary living with their young family in the house of Mary's father Zephaniah Bloomfield - a practice that was very common then, indeed until the 1960s this was still common for many people.

The 1861 Census records Adam and Mary living with their older enlarged family in Coney Weston.  Note that Ellen (previously 10 years old) is not listed and is probably living elsewhere as a domestic assistant/servant.  It 

It is worth noting the ages of the children and that Robert aged just 9 is listed as an agricultural labourer and is it only the children of 7 and 4 years old receiving schooling.  As a rule girls remained in schooling longer than boys but nonetheless the use of children labour, common then, seems odd now.

The 1871 Census records Adam and Mary living with their now reduced family as most of their children have married or live away in work.

The 1881 Census records Adam and Mary living with just their son James in the same house in the village.