Mark Sandford was born on 31st January 1872 in Colyton, Devon, to George Anley Sandford (about 29), a farm labourer, and Sarah Ann Sandford (nee Willis) (31), a lacemaker.
Mark was baptised on 10th March 1872 in Colyton.
Mark had two older half siblings, his mother's illegitimate children born before her marriage:
- William Willis 1864 - 1922 (58)
- Mary Willis 1868 - 1937 (69)
William and Mary lived with their maternal grandparents.
Mark was the eldest of five children born to George and Sarah Ann (two sons and three daughters):
- Mark 1872 - 1945 (73)
- Jane Mary 1873 - after 1911 (at least 38)
- Alice 1877 - 1943 (65)
- Susan 1882 - after 1939 (at least 57)
- Henry 'Harry' 1884 - 1917 (32 or 33)
Mark and his family seem to have moved around a lot, likely as Mark's father George found work as a labour on different farms...
In the late 1870s, when Mark was about six, they moved about eleven miles north west from Colyton to Feniton.
Around 1880, when Mark was about eight, Mark and his family moved again about two miles north from Feniton to Payhembury.
1881 Census:
In the early 1880s, when Mark was nine or ten, they moved again about twenty-six miles west from Payhembury to Zeal Monachorum.
They moved again in the late 1880s, when Mark was in his teens from Zeal Monachorum east five miles to Morchard Bishop.
1891 Census:
In 1893, aged twenty-one, Mark worked as a farm labourer for a Mr White at Thorn Farm, Bow.
In 1896, aged twenty-four, Mark joined the 4th Battalion Regiment as a private.
Mark's physical appearance is described on his service records. As a young man he had a fresh complexion, fair hair and blue eyes. He was 5'5'' and 9 st 4 lbs. He also had a scar on his forehead.
Mark had formerly been rejected as unfit to serve because he was underweight; however, he was considered fit to serve on 31st July 1896 in Exeter. He did a 49 days drill on enlistment.
He was dismissed from training as temporarily unfit on 25th June 1897. Around this time, when Mark was twenty-five, his mother Sarah Ann passed away, aged fifty-six, in 1897, in the district of South Molton.
Mark was again deemed temporarily unfit in 1898. And was absent in 1899. This seems to have marked the end of Mark's time in the army.
Mark's Army Service Record shows his signature:
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| Signature of Mark Sandford (24), 1896 |
Mark's signature changed over time. Here it is fifteen years later on the 1911 Census:
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| Signature of Mark Sandford (39), 1911 |
Mark's younger brother, Harry, followed him into the army. Harry joined the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment as a private in 1901, when he was eighteen years old. It seems Mark and Harry looked alike. Harry also had a fresh complexion, fair hair and blue eyes. He was 5'4'' and 8 st 6 lbs. He also had a large scar on his left forearm.
The below photographs show the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment in 1889 and 1890, a few years before Mark and Harry joined; however, they give an impression of what Mark and Harry may have looked like as young men in their army uniform.
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| Photograph of the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment, 1889 |
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| Photograph of the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment, 1890 |
By 1901, Mark, aged twenty-nine, had returned to farm work in Devon. He worked as a horsemen on a farm in Colebrooke. He lived with his younger sister Jane and her husband Edward Pyke.
1901 Census:
Mark's future wife Annie Yeo appeared on the next page on the 1901 Census, meaning they lived close to each other. I wonder if Mark worked as a horseman on the same farm where Annie worked as a domestic servant.
In late 1901, Mark (29) married Annie (33) in the Crediton district. At the time of their wedding, Annie was around five to eight months pregnant.
Annie had two surviving illegitimate daughters, Beattie and Florrie, before she married Mark. As well as a son, Archibald, who passed away, in 1899, aged only six.
In the 1900s, Mark and his family moved about three miles west from Colebrooke to Bow.
Mark and Annie had five children (three sons and two daughters):
- George 'Len' Leonard Yeo 1902 - 1976 (74 years)
- Archibald Arthur Yeo 1903 - 1904 (15 - 21 months)
- Archibald Arthur Yeo 1906 - 1906 (0 - 3 months)
- Pearl May Yeo 1909 - 1909 (0 - 3 months)
- Barbara May Yeo 1912 - 1927 (15 years)
Sadly four out of five of their children passed away young.
Times were tough. To get by, Annie attempted to steal wood; whilst Mark may have turned to drink.
From the Western Times on 14th April 1905:
From the Western Times on 13th May 1909:
1911 Census:
Mark was just too old to fight in the First World War and was in a reserved rural occupation; however, his younger brother Harry was re-conscripted. Sadly he was killed in action in France, in 1917.
Sometime in the 1910 or 1920s, Mark and his family moved about two miles borth from Bow to Zeal Monachorum.
In 1917, when Mark was forty-five, his father George passed away, aged seventy-four.
Ten years later, when Mark was fifty-five, his youngest daughter Barbara passed away, aged only fifteen, on 8th August 1927. Barbara's short life had been marred by illness. Her death was reported in local newspapers.
From the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on 19th August 1927:
From the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette on 19th August 1928:
Mark's surviving son, Len (28), became a widower in 1930, when his young wife Rhoda passed away in childbirth. Their baby son, Frederick, also passed away shortly after birth. Len's older son Archie (2 or 3 years old) - named for Len's younger brothers Archibald, who passed away as babies - went to live with Mark and Annie. The couple brought Archie up.
Sometime in the 1930s, Mark, Annie and Archie moved back to Bow.
1939 Census:
Mark is remembered as a nice old man by his grandson George, now an old man himself. George can still picture Mark sat by the fire, chewing his tobacco, pealing potatoes for his wife.
In 1945, Mark passed away aged seventy-three.
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