JCB: A cousin by marriage

Well, I was nearly right on the money: J C Bamford is the Great Nephew of Samuel Brassington Bamford, according to Bamford Limited.

It appears that Samuel and his father, Henry Bamford created a business in Uttoxeter manufacturing agricultural equipment and machinery that was then run by Henry and four of his brothers. One of these brothers, Joseph, had a son named Cyril, who in turn had a son, Joseph Cyril Bamford. Joseph worked for a time with the business before setting up his own business, JC Bamford (Excavators) Ltd.

Hawthornden House and the Bamfords

Following my Hawthorn line back through the records, I've located a Dorothy Bond Hawthorn (my first cousin, 5 times removed). Dorothy, like most of the Hawthorn's in this part of my tree, lived in Uttoxeter and the surrounding areas in Staffordshire. She married a gentleman name Samuel Brassington Bamford in 1875 and in 1901 is living in Hawthornden House, pictured.

More interestingly, Samuel was an 'Agricultural Engineer (Machinery Dealer)'.

Hmm. Agricultural machinery? Bamford? Uttoxeter? Any possibility that this relates to one Joseph Cyril Bamford, or JCB?

There's a job for another night, although I have located the birth record for Joseph in Jul-Sep 1916, mother's maiden name Turner.