Leaford Appendix

Appendix to Leaford Notes

"Fenland Notes and Queries 1898 Vol 4" contains a paragraph to this effect : John Leaford was a common labourer in the fen and in drowned years provided for his family by killing wild fowl. He was employed by the corporation of adventurers in repairing the river banks. He bought adventurers` land cheaply and by a happy succession of dry seasons, grew rich. He built a handsome brick and sashed house near the bank of the Hundred Foot at Oxload in the parish of Little Downham which in better country would have been called a Hall, an elegant dwelling for a rural squire. From being employed as an officer in the corporation, he at last became a conservator.

In "Legends of the Fenland People" 1926, Philip Marlowe repeats this story, adding that he vastly increased his wealth employing as labourers on his estate men whom he had previously worked with, daily growing more proud and overbearing. In time he was hated by everybody and nicknamed "the rich fool". He neglected the repairs to the banks. A huge flood destroyed his house and he had to return to his old one. No date or source is given for the legend.

A search of the parish registers reveals little about the origins of this John Leaford. He is first noted as an elector in the County Poll of 1722, so must have owned at least £2 of freehold land. In 1724 he was appointed by the corporation as officer for the lower part of the south bank of the Hundred Foot river from Mepal to Denver Sluice and allotted £500 annually for its maintenance, a larger than usual sum. Some idea of the extent of his work is given by the estimate of 1743 which besides providing for the repair of the south bank, allowed for scouring out the Wear Dyke, laying a tunnel at Witcham Drove, and scouring out Grunty Fen Drain. Travelling was also involved: in 1729 he was allowed £5.15.0d for his attendance at the Board in Ely and London.

In 1727 a James Leaford, yeoman of Little Downham, died intestate, leaving a personal estate of £69. The administrator of the estate was a John Leaford, who signed with a mark. It is impossible tell whether he was the father or the brother of James. James was presumably not old when he died, as his children had been born between 1718 and 1727. The only survivor of these children, also named John, was born in 1727, the year of his father`s death. This James is the Great x 6 Grandfather at the head of Chart 8a.

Back to the Rich Fool, John. In 1733 Denver Sluice collapsed and in subsequent years the South Level was frequently flooded. In 1740 John Leaford published privately a scheme for rebuilding Denver Sluice and adding a bypass channel. The paper, addressed to the Duke of Bedford as Governor of the Corporation, seems to prove that he was not illiterate. There seems some confusion as to the extent to which the Leaford plan was carried out, as a Swiss engineer, Labelye, was also involved.

In 1751 he was suspended from office, but this did not prevent him from being elected to the governing body of the Corporation as a Conservator in 1756, requiring at least 200 acres to be qualified. He did not serve for long, as he was buried at Downham on 10th January 1758, described as "Gentleman".

John Junior, though probably not Gentleman John`s son, inherited much of his estate, including 320 acres in the Oxlode area. He was a Commissioner of the Littleport and Downham Drainage Board from 1766 until his death in 1799.

Great x 4 Grandfather James then took over the farm, and also served as drainage Commissioner from 1800 until his death. There are several indications that he was in financial difficulties; all his land was auctioned after his death and his personal effects left to his widow were less than £200. By 1837, second wife Ann was living in a tiny cottage near the banks of the Hundred Foot close to Oxlode Farm, rented from the Bedfords Level Corporation for 15/6d a year. By 1851 when she was described as pauper/farmer`s wife, her two sons who had shared the cottage had died. After her death the cottage was occupied by a succession of people , none of whom stayed for long. By 1891 it was empty and was demolished soon after.

Other Leafords remained in the village until recent times, one John - 1855-1936, being publican of the Five Alls at Steam Engine for over 40 years. Although the cottage has disappeared, remains of the farmhouse have survived. It eventually became a barn, now derelict.

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