Munford's in India
Albert Charles Munford was
the oldest of two boys born to Albert Munford and Cissie Munford.
Albert Charles was born on 18th February 1892 in St. Pancras, Gray's Inn
Lane, London England. His father Albert at that time managed a "pub"
in North London and his mother, Cissie, had been a dancer with her
three sisters on the London stage. Unfortunately her maiden name
is unknown. Cissie died when Albert Charles was about 11 years old
and his father married again. The person he married also had a son,
Sidney
and then another boy, Frank, and finally a girl called
Cassie
was born into the family. 
This was too much for the family and in 1906 at the age of 14, Albert Charles in a coat of his father's cut short as he was a small person was taken to Woolwich barracks, in South East London and given the "King's Shilling" which apparently was the custom with new recruits. Albert Charles trained as an artificer which meant he got to know all about the guns and was also taught wood working. This earned him the nickname of "Tiffy" which stayed with him all his life. The first World War saw him manning the guns on the top of the Rock of Gibraltar. It was here that he met a Army Nursing sister Annie Bifrul and later they met again at the Royal Herbert Hospital Woolwich. They married in 1921 and later had a daughter Nancy born in Lee Green, London SE.
As is the case with most army personnel they lived in many places on the south coast of England where Albert Charles would check the guns. In 1925/26 the family was posted to India to a place called Quetta which is now in Pakistan. It was known then as the North West Frontier of India. They sailed on the old P & O line which was used to send service people to various parts of the British Empire. He was attached to the Indian Division and taught himself the local language. He would never ride a horse although by now he was a Warrant Officer but preferred to walk with his men in a pair of sandals. Later the regiment was posted to Dera Ismail Khan but once settled the women were left with a few troops while the men were posted to Razmak near the border of Afghanistan to fight the tribes which used to raid the British settlements.
From then on every six months the
men would come down and the families plus the Indian workers would move
to the "hills". This was a strange journey as the men rode horses
or walked, whilst the women were carried in what was called a "Dandy" something
like a sedan chair carried by four men. Young people would ride a
small horse and the luggage would go on camel back. Thus the whole regiment
would wind it's way to Khanspur. Once
settled the men returned to Razmak. Then six months later the whole
thing would repeat itself as they returned to Dera Ismail Khan.
When
Albert Charles had served 25 years in the army and earned the "North-West
Frontier" medal he decided to leave the army.
Upon returning to England in 1932 he found times were bad and couldn't get a job in his trade but was offered a position with the Royal Artillery Records Office which was then at Woolwich Dockyard but with the thought that war was coming, moved to a small town in Kent called Footscray. Here he discovered that he was next on the list for a commission. He worked here during World War II and also as an Air Raid Warden in Kidbrooke S.E. London where the family had bought a house earlier on. This part was where the battle of Britain air battles often took place and later the bombers would cross to bomb London so many a night the family and neighbours would be out putting out fires and seeing the sky of London ablaze. In early 1945 Albert and Annie separated.
Later he married again and was very happy living in St. Paul's Cray with his second wife, Dorothy, who shared his love of music and gardening which Annie, who had been born to wealth, never did enjoy. In 1976 he found Dorothy dead on the bed and was never the same person. He died on 15th July 1986 after a fall and was cremated. His daughter placed a bouquet of his beloved roses on his coffin and his ashes were scattered in the Rose Garden of the funeral home. He left behind a daughter who inherited his love of reading, flowers and history. He lived to see his two grandsons - one who used to visit him every year but by this time his grand-daughters were married so never got to England. His brother Sidney died in Singapore earlier on and he never kept in touch with his other stepbrother and step-sister on a frequent basis. Apparently he never seemed to want to visit his father Albert who lived to be almost one hundred.
The book by E.A.H. Blunt, I.C.S. "List
of Inscriptions on Christian Tombs and Tablets of Historical Interest in
the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh"
Allahabad: printed by W.C. Abel,
Offg. Supdt., Govt. Press, United Provinces: 1911 has the following entry 564.-1847-(1) MUMFORD, W.-1864.-(2)
MUMFORD, C., Mrs.
Inscription:-In memory of Mr. William
Mumford, late of the Ordnance Comt. Dept., who died on the 20th Nov. 1847,
aged 76 years, and of his widow Mrs. Catherine Mumford, who died 2nd November
1864, aged 65 years, 10 months and 15 days. They rest from their labours.
This tablet has been erected by their surviving sons Edward and George
Mumford."
The site of the monument is given as Kydganj Cemetery, Allahabad. The city of Allahabad is situated at the Sangam of the three rivers - Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. The earlier settlements of the Aryans were established in this city, then known as Prayag. Later, it became the capital of the Guptas. In 1583 A.D., the mughal emperor Akbar built the fort at the Sangam. Inside the fort lies the 11m high Ashoka pillar dating back to 232 B.C., and having insriptions of Samudragupta and Jahangir. The city was later captured by the Marathas. It was finally ceded to the British by the Nawab of Avadh in 1801. In the 20th century, the city became the nerve centre of India's freedom movement.
Bangalore 30 May 1832
William BULL of Bangalore, Trumpeter, in the
7th Lt C. Bachelor and Eliza FIGRADOE of the same place, Spinster,
Portuguese, were married by Banns and with consent of Friends, this day by
me, [signed] G. Graeme, Junior Chaplain, in the presence of James MUNFORD
and Mary MUNFORD.
Courtesy of Madras Marriages
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