Langford, William (1837-1914)

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Transcription of obituary published in the Primitive Methodist Magazine by W.T.

The Claydon Society and the Banbury Circuit suffered a great loss on January 5th, 1914, when Brother William Langford passed to “the other side” just six days after the death of his wife. Our brother was seventy-six, and Mrs. Langford was seventy-one. They had for many years lived worthily, and were devoted to our Church. 

For about forty years William Langford has been a well-known local preacher, glorying in all camp meetings and open-air work in the Leamington and Banbury Circuits. His preaching, robust and original, was also distinctly evangelical. In earlier days, when working with gangs of navvies, he and his good wife would take their stand and preach to their comrades. Twenty-six years ago they joined our Claydon society and to-day the village cause includes three sons, two daughters, and a few grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Langford.

Retiring from his farm last Michaelmas, our brother was only spared a very few months before he entered the fuller rest of the people of God. The funeral, on January 8th, was conducted by Revs. W. Turner and C.H. Ratcliffe. A memorial service was well attended on the following Sunday.

Family

William was born abt1837 at Northleigh, Oxfordshire, to parents John, a carpenter (1851), and Mary.

Census returns identify the following occupations for William

• 1851 agricultural labourer
• 1861 brick-maker
• 1871 brick-maker & PM local preacher
• 1881 brick-maker
• 1891 farmer
• 1901 farmer
• 1911 farmer

He married Emma Parker (1840-1913) in late 1864 in the Bicester Registration District, Oxfordshire. Census returns identify eight of nine children.

• John Humphrey (1866-1887)
• Rachel Emma (1867-1884)
• Arthur Tom (1869-1918) – a brick-maker (1911)
• Jesse (1871-1954) – working on farm (1911); farmer (1921)           
• Ruth (1873-1951) – married Alfred Cherry, a farmer (1901), in 1896
• Lois (1876-1953) – married John Thomas Langford, a brickworks labourer (1939), in 1913                                                 
• William Tom (1878-1973) – a brick-maker (1901); a gardener & handyman (1939)
• Joseph (1889-1957) – working on farm (1911)         

William died on 5 January 1914 at Claydon.

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1914/573

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers