Cornelia Caroline Mary ORCHARD (née DURNFORD) (1851-1924)

Cornelia Caroline Mary Orchard, née Durnford (1851-1924), was a friend of the Sladden family when she lived in Badsey from about 1905-1910.

Cornelia was born at Bath in 1851, the eldest of six children of George Edward Durnford and his wife, Mary.  By 1871, the family was living at Waltham Holy Cross.

On 7^th May 1879, Cornelia married Albert Francis Orchard, a Major in the Madras Staff Corps, at Christ Church, Byculla, Bombay.  They had two sons and two daughters:  Esperanza Margaret (c1880-1963), Albert John (1881-1963), Donald Stuart (c1883-1962) and Flora Muriel (1884-1974).  The three eldest children were born in India and the youngest in Cambridge.

In 1891, Albert and Cornelia, their four children and two servants, lived at 22 Mayville Gardens, Kensington.  Albert was described as a retired army officer, a colonel in the infantry.  By 1901, Albert and Cornelia and three of their children, Esperanza, Donald and Flora, and one servant, lived at 28 West Street, Stratford-on-Avon.

Cornelia’s husband, Albert, died at Kensington on 3^rd January 1902.  By 1905, Cornelia had moved to Vine Lodge, High Street, Badsey.

The Orchards had moved from Badsey by 1911; Cornelia and her eldest daughter, Esperanza, were living at 46 Kimbolton Road, Bedford.

By 1915, Cornelia was living at Bellaghy, Marlow Common, Buckinghamshire.  She was thought to be visiting her daughter, Flora, in Evesham the following year as indicated in a letter written by Mela Brown Constable on 24^th August 1916.

Cornelia died at the Berkeley Nursing Home, Marlow, on 30^th August 1924, aged 73.