Ninth Generation

Esther Mudford (1799 - 1876) - daughter of George Mudford (1776 - 1848) -  son of Robert Mudford (1751- ?) -  son of John Mudford (abt 1710-1753) - assumed son of John Mudford (1687-1753) -  son of Thomas Mudford (1663-1732?) - son of John Mudford (about 1630- about 1677?)  - assumed son of John Mudford (1605- ?)  - son of Thomas Mudford (about 1570 - ?)

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Esther Mudford is a direct ancestors of Bill Burgar, the author of this work.

She  was born on 13 Sep 1799 in Limehouse, Middlesex.⁴⁷ She was baptized on 29 Sep 1799 in Limehouse, Middlesex.⁴⁷ The baptism Register States:

Esther Mudford daughter of George and Mary Mudford, Weaver, of Nightingale Lane, was born 13/9/1799 at Nightingale Lane , and was baptised 29/9/1799 at St Annes, Limehouse

She died on 20 Feb 1876 at Camberwell, Surrey.¹⁷ Civil Registration of Death reference is Mar 1876, Vol 1d, p474 - Camberwell London.¹⁶     Her Death certificate states:¹²⁰

Esther Wetherilt, aged 75 years, died on the Twentieth of February 1876 in Camberwell Infirmary. She was the widow of Richard Wetherilt, Baker of Camberwell. Cause of death was decay, bronchitis, dropsy. The Informant was Jane Trevett, daughter, of 11 Diamond Street, Camberwell, who was in attendance at the death. She made her mark rather than signed the register. The death was registered in the sub-district of Camberwell, in the District of Camberwell.

(Wetherilt was the surname of Esther's second husband)

See family tree showing the ancestors of Esther Mudford.

Her first marriage was to William Eden, who was a sailor in the Royal Navy.  They were married on 5 July 1819 in St Dunstans, Stepney, London.⁵⁶ The Marriage Register of St Dunstan in the East, Stepney, London has the entry:

Esther Mudford, Spinster, and William Eden, Bachelor, both of the Hamlet of Poplar, were married on 5/7/1819. Each signed with a cross.
The witnesses were William Highshanks who signed and Ann Mudford who made her mark.

It is presumed that Ann Mudford is a sister, but we have not found her in the baptism registers.

Although they were married in 1819, the first recorded child was born in 1827. Were there other children or was William Eden away at sea for a long period?

They had the following children:

i.	Sophia Mudford Eden was born in 1827 in St Nicholas Deptford Kent.122 She was baptized on 28 August 1827 in St Nicholas Deptford Kent.122 The Baptism Register of St Nicholas, Deptford, Kent has the entry: Sophia Mudford daughter of William Eden, Sailor of 17, New Street, was born on 10/8/1827? and was baptised on 28/8/1827.
ii.	Mary Ann Eden was born in 1829 and was baptized on 15 February 1829 in St Mary Magdalene Woolwich Kent.97 The Baptism Register of St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich, Kent has the entry: Mary Ann daughter of William Eden and Esther, Sailor Royal Navy of Martyrs Passage, was born on 20/1/1829 and was baptised on 15/2/1829. She died on 6 June 1830.20
iii.	William George Eden was born in 1830  and was baptized on 6 June 1830 in St Mary Magdalene Woolwich Kent.97 The Baptism Register of St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich, Kent has the entry: William George son of William Eden and Esther, Sailor Royal Navy, of Martyrs Passage, was born on 20/5/1830 and was baptised on 6/6/1830. He died on 9 February 1879 in Plymouth, Devon.120 He married Hannah Borrows, born about1826 in Milton Abbott, Devon; The date & place of marriage are not known 1861 Census: 3 Teals Hill, Charles, Plymouth; coal dealer 1871 Census: 9 Commercial Road, Charles, Plymouth; rope maker He is with his mother and step-father in the 1841 Census, with the adopted name Wetherilt

Sometime in the early 1830s, either Esther's husband, William Eden, died, or they separated. 

Esther (Mudford) Eden then formed a relationship with Richard Wetherilt, who was 13 years her junior. We can not find a marriage, but the first child was born in 1837. It is thus presumed that they met in about 1836.¹²¹  

Esther Mudford and Richard Wetherilt had three children.

See details of Richard Wetherilt and their children

Esther (Mudford) Wetherilt appears with her family in the 1841 to 18761 Census returns.

See Census Returns

In 1841, William (Eden) Wetherilt, Esther's son by her previous marriage, is living with her and Richard Wetherilt.

After Richard Wetherilt died in 1857, Esther appears in the 1861 Census living with her daughter Mary Ann and her grandson George Wetherilt, aged 1 year.  In 1871 she is still living with her now married daughter Mary (although the details in the Census are not completely correct).

Interestingly she is said to be born in Portsmouth, so perhaps the Mudford Family were there prior to moving to London.