The Elderfield family is one of the oldest in the village with descendants living today; Elderfields are recorded in the church registers in the sixteenth century, and may be even older. They were known to have had great wealth. Christopher Elderfield left the Elderfield Charity. He was born in Harwell, and became vicar of Burton in Sussex. He left money for the poor of his native village in his will of 1652. In 1766 another Christopher Elderfield presented the church with the existing chandelier, and in 1837 another Elderfield charity became known.
Other old Harwell names with descendants still living are the Keats, wealthy yeoman farmers, who lived at Middle Farm and Abbey Timbers, and in later years kept the village grocery and baker’s shop; this family has recently moved to Didcot.
The Woodleys were farmers, with descendants still living in the village.
Others with descendants still living are: Maisie, King, Wise, Talbot, Tyrrell, Harris (stonemasons), Green, Slade, Dunsden, Dearlove, Jefferies (carriers), Hitchman (carpenters, undertakers), Blissett, Hoare, Day, Bosher, Pryor, Cox, Allen, Thorne and Lay.
J Elderfield says
Very interested in this I am a member of the Elderfield family of Stoke Poges part of the family originated in Harwell
Jan Brown says
My 3 x great grandmother was Elizabeth Elderfield born in Harwell (1789 – 1877), daughter of William Elderfield and Sophia (nee Jobson).
Carolyn says
Dear Jan.
Dear Jan,
I think I may be a distant cousin!!
I’m descended from Elizabeth Elderfield & Richard Hill via their daughter Soohia (born 1814)..
I’m just getting sorted putting ny family history onto Ancestry….
Les V. E. Thompson says
I’m likely a cousin to you both! 🙂
I’m also an Elderfield (my grandfather was Leslie Ernst Elderfield, and I was given his name). According to my father Gordon (RIP), I am the last of the British-born Elderfields, although I do have two additional brothers who were born in the US. Due to issues with the US medical insurance system, I needed to be adopted by my stepfather so his insurance would cover me, so I’ve appended Thompson to my name, but I’ve always been an Elderfield in my own thoughts. I’m proud to be part of a family that’s been around for a thousand years!
Charles Harvell says
I now live in Colorado but was born in Virginia. My surname is Harvell, the spelling changed with my great grandfather, in he records before that it was Harwell. I was of the 11th generation of my line of Harwells born in Virginia, my son is the 12th, also born in Virginia. Most of the Harwells/Harvells, and various other spellings can trace their origins back to an area today often called Southside Virginia. Our research shows our origin in England to be in Harwell and to Master John de Harewell (also known as atte Hall, and de Aula) who married Margery Baillol. His son Roger de Harwell who relocated to Wooten Wawen.
Mandy says
My great-great Grandparents were married in Harwell, before leaving to come to Regina/Southey, Saskatchewan, Canada. They were Henry King and Ellen Blissett. Great site!!
Peter Jefferies says
My father Geoffrey Jefferies was born in 1910 the youngest of ten children.I’m not sure when the ‘White City houses were built but I have a
photograph of my father, about age nine, taken at the front door. During my early teenage years my father used to say” if it wasn’t for the
Jefferies and King families Harwell village would be empty”. I think the only remaining Jefferies living in the village is Celia Wilkes (nee Jefferies).