Godfrey Litchfield (1822 - 1885)

Born 11 Feb 1822 in Heage, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Dorothy Sarah (Jennison) Hatfield — married 16 Mar 1853 in St Peters Parish, Derby, Derbyshire, England

Descendants

Died 4 Jun 1885 at age 63 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Birth

Godfrey Litchfield was born on 11 February 1822^[1] and was christened on 7 January 1824 at the Chapelry of Heage in Duffield Parish, Belper District, Derbyshire^[2] where he was most probably born. The son of Godfrey Litchfield and Lucy (Bowmer) Litchfield

Residences

• 1841 Census^[3]: Heage, Duffield, Derbyshire; aged 15 years (b. Derbyshire), with his parents and siblings

• 1851 Census^[4]: (Heage), Belper District, Derbyshire; aged 28 years (b. Belper, Derbyshire), a Farmer Labourer, with his parents and siblings

Marriage

Godfrey Litchfield married Dorothy Jennison on 16 March 1853 at St. Peter’s Church, Derby, Derbyshire^[5][6]

Children

• William Litchfield, b. 1853, Nottingham^[7]

At the time of the 1861 Census Godfrey’s wife Dorothy Litchfield is recorded living at the home of her brother Thomas Jennison in Belper, Derbyshire. Dorothy is recorded as aged 34 (b. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire), a Widow and with two sons, William (7 years, born in Nottingham) and also Thomas (2 years, born in Nottingham)^[8]. Clearly Godfrey was not deceased at this time but had undoubtedly separated from his wife and children.

Emigration

Godfrey Litchfield, aged 31 years, emigrated to Australia^[9] and later New Zealand at sometime probably after his marriage and son’s birth in 1853.

Godfrey immigrated to Australia and then New Zealand. 1882 he was a farmer at Papanui, New Zealand. Farmed valued at 100 pounds. In 1863 he had come by boat from Australia to New Zealand and registered that year as a voter. He may have come to the Orataga gold rush in New Zealand that was near where he settled. Whatever, he seemed to be a man of means, farmer and landowner. A man who did not ever mention his mother or birth date, he probably was a who did not want to be found.

Death

Godfrey Litchfield passed away on 4 June 1885 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand^[10][11]

Christchurch Press Fri., 5 June 1885
"On Monday evening last a man named Godfrey Lichfield cut his throat in a paddock close by his home at Harewood Road. He had been ill for some time. On this occasion he had just driven into town and on returning left his trap and went straight to the paddock. the boy who was driving with him had meal in the house, and then went into the paddock and found his master just in the act of cutting his throat. He pulled the razor out of his hand, but the mischief was done, and although medical assistance was procured, the unhappy man sank and died yesterday morning at 7 o'clock. An inquest will be held."

Sources

1. ↑ Gravestone inscription: Find-A-Grave Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGVB-H4GM : 7 August 2019), Godfrey Lichfield, 1885; Burial, , ; citing record ID 183608706, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com
2. ↑ England, Derbyshire, Church of England Parish Registers, 1537-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNYS-ZBW : 30 November 2017), Godfrey Littlefield, 07 Jan 1824; citing 07 Jan 1824; citing Christening, Heage, Heage, Derbyshire, England, Derbyshire Record Office, England; FHL microfilm 1,041,436
3. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7SG-KPQ : 28 May 2019), Godfrey Litchfield in household of Godfrey Litchfield, Duffield, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
4. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1851," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGDH-N7Z : 11 September 2019), Gody Litchfield in household of Gody Litchfield, , Derbyshire, England; citing , Derbyshire, England, p. 10, from "1851 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey
5. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KBNS-XXS England, Derbyshire, Church of England Parish Registers, 1538-1910] index, FamilySearch, Godfrey Litchfield and Dorothy Jennison, 16 Mar 1853; citing Marriage, St Peter's Church, Derby, Derbyshire, England, Record Office, Matlock; FHL microfilm 2082438
6. ↑ GRO Reference: 1853, M Quarter, Derby, 7B/525
7. ↑ GRO Reference: 1853, S Quarter, Nottingham, 7B/217; Mother’s Maiden Name: JENNISON
8. ↑ England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7XL-7TY : 24 October 2019), Dorothy Lichfield in household of Thomas Jennison, Belper, Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
9. ↑ Australia, Victoria, Inward Passenger Lists, 1839-1923", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPWT-B3YW : 15 October 2019), Godfrey Lichfield
10. ↑ Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGVB-H4GM : 7 August 2019), Godfrey Lichfield, 1885; Burial, , ; citing record ID 183608706, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com
11. ↑ New Zealand, Civil Records Indexes, 1800-1966," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24K-MBDD : 27 November 2017), Godfrey Lichfield, 1885; citing Death, New Zealand, registration number 1885/216, Archives of New Zealand, Wellington

See Also

• Family Search Family Tree: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LLMB-X9C