Alefounder of Suffolk

Notes on some of those mentioned in the Suffolk pedigree.

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 iving 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:

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, 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)
14 Mar 1893	Tried & imprisoned	Pentonville Prison
14 May 1893	End of imprisonment
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

He 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.

George William Alefounder, b.1882 He was a sergeant in the British Expeditionary Force (Royal Engineers) at the time of his marriage in 1917. 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.

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 6th October 2011 by Peter Alefounder