Introduction
John Sandiford was the son of Henry Sandiford, a weaver and a notable supporter of religious nonconformity at Hardington. John followed in his father’s footsteps as a weaver before turning to small-scale farming. He and his wife, Susan, raised five children, four of whom eventually moved to major cities. John’s life came to an abrupt end following a visit to Yeovil Fair.
Childhood
John Sandiford was born at Hardington in about 1810, the second of seven children born to Henry and Joanna Sandiford. His father was a labourer until around 1818, when he became a sailcloth weaver.
The family lived in the cottage in the dip in Barry Lane, which Henry had built on waste ground. In 1825, Henry successfully applied for permission to use the cottage for independent worship.[1] Given the emphasis of Protestant nonconformity on scripture, it is likely that John received instruction at home, even if he did not have much formal schooling.
Marriage
On 28 June 1834, John married Susan Haggett at Hardington, in a double wedding with his older brother, Thomas. John was about 24 years old, while Susan was two years older. They both signed the marriage register.
Susan was the daughter of John and Jane Haggett. Her father died in 1823, when she was about fifteen years old.
The tithe survey recorded John as the tenant of a house, garden and orchard of 3 rods and 29 perches (plot 447) owned by the Earl of Ilchester and John Apsey. The house stood on Hardington Hill, where Townsend Farmhouse now stands. John initially worked as a weaver, but became a farm labourer by March 1851 and was farming twenty acres by April 1861.
John and Susan had five children: Walter, Elizabeth, Henry, Mary Ann and Francis. In 1854, Walter enlisted in the Royal Artillery.[2] By April 1861, Mary Ann had also left home and later settled in London, where she lived for over fifty years.
Death of a Brother
John’s older brother, Thomas, settled at Hill End, Hardington and had nine children. His early death in 1857, from chronic bronchitis and heart disease, must have been a shock to the family.[3]
Death
On Monday, 17 November 1862, John walked to Yeovil to attend an annual fair. After spending the day drinking, he walked to West Coker, where he spent the evening in a public house. Upon reaching Hardington, he collapsed and died. His body was found the next day in a roadside ditch and taken to his home. An inquest held the following Saturday at the New Inn returned a verdict of “found dead.”[4] There is no evidence that the medical cause of his death was investigated, suggesting the deputy coroner wished to protect the family. John’s body was buried the same day. The newspaper account of his death recorded his occupation as a gardener.
Susan’s later life
Susan remained in the family home after John’s death. Her son Henry married in 1864 and moved to London shortly afterwards, while her daughter Elizabeth married a farm labourer, Robert Bartlett, and settled next door. By April 1871, Susan was living with her youngest son, Francis, and two lodgers. When Francis moved to Cardiff in the early 1870s, she was left with only Elizabeth nearby. Susan died on 18 February 1880, aged 71 or 72.[5]
References
[1] Somerset Heritage Centre.
[2] WO 69/97/190
[3] Death certificate of Thomas Sandiford.
[4] Sherborne Mercury, 25 November 1862, p.5; death certificate of John Sandiford.
[5] Western Gazette, 27 February 1880, p.8 (age recorded as 71); Civil Registration Death Index (age recorded as 72).
