Talland Church Headstones

Ledger Stone 27

~ Slate ~ A clear inscription, but a fragment of a stone. It has two damaged edges and certainly would have been a lot larger originally. It is partially hidden underneath the bench platform, still, information can be gleamed.

~ Orientation ~ North/South ~ North Aisle ~ 62 x 47cm // 2′ x 1’7″

Finding the birth and burial date records of Catharine* Elford (1808-1824) confirms her surname, and also uncovers many of her siblings and family members in the parish records.

Father Jonathan Elford (1771-1849) was born in Linkinhorne, his profession was stated as butcher on the marriage certificate to his first wife Ann Peas (-1804), 1 January 1799, in Lanteglos-By-Fowey; she dies later the same year as the birth year of her third child, William in 1804. They were living in the borough of Liskeard.

In July 1807, father Jonathan marries again to Catharine** Harding (1778-1853), of St Veep, this time at Talland Church – their first child is Catharine* Elford.

The census of 1815 shows Jonathan as the farmer at ‘Tregale‘ in St. Cleer. The connection to Talland and why Catharine Elford* is buried at Talland Church is now to become clearer.

Also in Talland church is Ledger Stone 28 dedicated to William Harding (1749-1824) of ‘Henerzick’ and we see from his baptism records his mother was ‘Cath***, of St Veep’. He marries Rebecca Lamb (1757-1832), also of St Veep, whose headstone is in the East Graveyard Headstone 86

By 1783 William Harding was Church Warden at Talland Church and farming at Hendersick. So, just maybe, their daughter, Catharine**Harding marries at Talland, her father’s church, and, just maybe at 16 years old, Catherine* Elford, their grand-daughter, was working, living or visiting her grandfather on his farm a mile from Talland Church, when she met her death.

The will of William Harding, Gentleman of West Looe, mentions many of his family members, including Rebecca and five children, including daughter Catharine** Elford.

Jonathan Elford’s farm ‘Tregale’, in St Cleer, is listed on the Electoral Register of 1837, where he is described as ‘occupier, house & fields’, just 5miles from Liskeard. William, his son by his first marriage, is successfully farming near by.

On the 1841 census Jonathan and Catherine** have moved to Moorswater; at 70 years old, his profession is a Cattle Dealer, he is living just 2 miles from Liskeard Cattle Market.