George Ashford was a gamekeeper, aged 46, at Romsey, Hardington, in 1871.

George was born at Clapton in about 1823. His father was a shepherd who worked on several South Somerset and North Dorset farms, including at Mudford, Clapton and Drimpton. His mother, Hannah, was the daughter of William Spurdle of Broadwindsor.

In 1832, George’s life drastically changed when his father died. His mother was then in charge of six children, including Philip, 14, George, 9, and Sarah, 4. She relocated to Misterton, where she had married in 1807.

George suffered another blow in July 1841 when his mother died. However, he was 18 by then and could look after himself. If he needed help, his older siblings, Grace, Thomas and William, who were all married by then, lived within walking distance.

George stayed at Misterton, working as a farm labourer until the mid-1850s.

On 22 May 1843, at Misterton, George married Thirza Cleal, the daughter of John Cleal, a shoemaker. Thirza signed the register, but George made his mark, as did his brother, Philip, as a witness.

 By 1858, George was a gamekeeper and remained in this occupation for the rest of his life. He resided at Mosterton Down Farm from around 1858 to the early 1860s. He was then at Halstock in 1864 and North Perrott in 1868 before moving to Romsey or Daisy Down, Hardington, where he died in 1874, aged fifty.

By April 1881, Thirza and her two youngest children lived with her eldest daughter at Bothenhampton, Dorset. In April 1891, she was still at Bothenhampton but living in a one-room apartment. By March 1901, she was an inmate of the Bridport workhouse. She died there in 1907, aged 82.