CONFORD, Dr George James
George James Conford was born at Bath Cottage, West Street, Carshalton, Surrey on 5 December 1869 and baptised on 23 January 1870, son of George William Conford (1835-20 November 1905), innkeeper, and his wife Martha Murphin née Clark (c1840-1899), who married at Hampstead, London in 1867. In 1871, Martha and her two young sons were living at Bath Cottage whilst George was a butler in the home of Sarah Viner, a lodging housekeeper at Bedford Square, Brighton but he was later an innkeeper at The Radnor Arms, King Henry's Wall, Clerkenwell, London. Young George was educated at St Olave's School, Southwark and studied natural sciences at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating B.A. in 1892 and Doctor of Medicine in 1903. In 1891, a 21-year-old medical student, living at Maude Road, Camberwell, London with his 51-year-old mother and siblings, William 22, twins Harry and Ellen 18 and Annie 16, when his father George was the 55-year-old landlord of the 'Golden Anchor' at Evelina Road, Camberwell, London. George married at Marylebone, London in 1900, Harriet Jackson (5 March 1859-9 February 1954) and they moved to Felixstowe, Suffolk. In 1911, a 41-year-old doctor, living at 'Sancroft', 20 Bath Road, Felixstowe with his 52-year-old wife Harriet, born Harswell, Yorkshire, they had no issue. A sculptor and a member of the Ipswich Art Club 1942-1947 and in 1942 exhibited six sculptures, in 1943 three wood carvings and from 20 Bath Road, Felixstowe in 1945 four carved wood panels 'Blackbird', 'Cuckoo', 'Pine Martin' and 'St George and the Dragon'. George James Conford died at 20 Bath Road, Felixstowe on 15 May 1948, aged 78. Conford House, sheltered accommodation built in Felixstowe in the late 1960s but now demolished, was built with funds left in the will of Dr Conford and was named after him, and a portrait of him used to hang in the corridor of the home. (Photograph courtesy of Philip Conford).