Joseph Mudford Biography
Joseph is believed to have been born in 1794 at West Chinnock, Somerset, England. It is not known who his parents were or if he had any brothers and sisters. It is likely that he was the son of Joseph and Susanna Mudford (nee Wills), who married in Merriott on 31st December 1792.On the 14 August 1816 he married Elizabeth Hayward at West Chinnock, Somerset, England.
Witnesses at the wedding were John Meacham and Joseph Ford. Attempts to trace Elizabeth's parents have failed although there was a Hayward family living in the area. They were wealthy sailcloth manufacturers and so it has been assumed that such a family would not allow their daughter to marry a poor sailcloth weaver such as Joseph. The fact that the witnesses at their wedding were not family members might suggest that the brides parents had not given their blessing to the marriage. It is believed that Elizabeth was born about 1794 and her place of birth unknown. The marriage records suggest she was living in West Chinnock at the time of the event.
On property transaction documents of 1830 Joseph and Elizabeth are shown as living in South Street (now Higher Street) West Chinnock. In September 1833 they moved to a cottage at Meacham's Corner, Middle Chinnock, Somerset, England where they took out a lease. The cottage had previously been leased to Joseph and Susanna Mudford. Susanna's husband died in March 1833 and the lease then passed to Joseph & Elizabeth. This house was demolished sometime between 1886 and 1914. It would appear that there were two cottages located on the lease as the cottage that Joseph moved into was described as newly erected in 1833. The main building had been divided into two and later into three.
1841 Census Broadstone Farm, Middle Chinnock
| Name | Position | Age | Where Born | Occupation | BK No |
| Joseph Mudford | Head | 45 | Somerset | Weaver | 77 |
| Elizabeth Mudford | Wife | 45 | Somerset | 78 | |
| Hannah Mudford | Daur | 20 | Somerset | 79 | |
| Thomas Mudford | Son | 20 | Somerset | 63 | |
| John Mudford | Son | 20 | Somerset | 124 | |
| Samuel Mudford | Son | 15 | Somerset | 125 | |
| William Mudford | Son | 6 | Somerset | 128 | |
| James Mudford | G Son | 6 | Somerset | 81 | |
| Mary Ann Mudford | Daur | 3 | Somerset | 129 |
The 1851 Census for Great Field, Middle Chinnock, Yeovil, Somerset shows Joseph Mudford, widower, aged 57, hand loom weaver of sailcloth living with his son William, aged 16, daughter Mary Ann, 13, glover and two grandchildren: James Mudford, 16 born Middle Chinnock, and Hester, 7 born at Midsomer Norton.
The 1861 Census has him, a widowed sailcloth weaver, living in 8 Higher Street, Middle Chinnock, Somerset with 4 boarders.
Joseph was buried at Midsomer Norton on 12th January 1866, aged 76.(Clutton District Q1 1866 5c 591) It is believed that as he grew older Joseph moved to Midsomer Norton to live with his son Thomas. There is some doubt as to when and where Elizabeth died. One date suggested is 1848 at Yeovil and another date being 29th January 1850 at Middle Chinnock.