He has not yet been found in the 1841 census, when he was one year old. In 1851, Oliver Laflin (aged 11) was living with his parents in Ringshall.

In August 1852, his father Philip Laflin was buried in Ringshall and on 10th October of the same year, Philip Oliver Laflin, aged 12, was baptised in Ringshall along with his brothers and sisters.

In 1861, Olifa Laflin, aged 21, was living in Ringshall with his mother, who was farming 6 acres there.

Oliver Palmer Laflin and Jane Moor were married in Ringshall parish church on 5th November 1867 after banns. Charles Laflin was a witness at the wedding, Jane signed the register but both Oliver and Charles made their marks.

On 20th September 1868, when their daughter Alice Emily was baptised in Ringshall, Oliver and Jane Laflin were living in Battisford.

In 1871, Oliver and Jane Lafling were living in a cottage in Battisford and Oliver was working as a farm labourer. With them were their two daughters, Emily (aged 2) and Amelia (aged 1 month).

On 1st November 1874, when their son Charles (born 11 October 1873) was baptised in Ringshall, Oliver and Jane Laflin were living in Little Finborough.

In 1881, Oliver and Jane Laflin were living in Combs and Oliver (aged 41) was working as an agricultural labourer. Jane was aged 40. With them were Emily (aged 12), Amelia (aged 10) and Charles (aged 7), all born in Battisford and all attending school. Also there was Sarah, aged 5 and born in Finborough Parva.

In 1891, "Olive and Jane Saplin" were living at Hadleigh Road, Combs and Oliver was working as an agricultural labourer. With them was their son Philip (aged 9 and born in Little Finborough) who was at school.

Their son Charles Laflin (single and aged 17) was working as a farm servant at Worlds End Farm, Buxhall, in the household of George Waspe, a farmer.
Meanwhile Oliver's three daughters had moved into Ipswich and were working as laundresses in Ipswich. Sarah Laflin (aged 15) was a servant at Albany Cottages, Rose Hill Road, Ipswich in the household of Robert Flatman (aged 58), an agricultural labourer from Pulham in Norfolk. Also in the same household were his wife, Ann Flatman (aged 55) a laundress from Harlestone in Norfolk and another servant Alice Dunnett (aged 17 from Bealings) who was also employed as a laundress.
Emily Laflin (aged 23) and Amelia Laflin (aged 20) were servants at Beulah Cottages, Rose Hill Road, Ipswich in the household of Susan Pearce (aged 30, a laundress from Harlestone and probably the niece of Ann Flatman). Also in this household were another servant, Elizabeth Bolton (aged 15 from Stowmarket and working as a laundress) and Nellie Taylor (a 13-year-old visitor from Combs).

In the first quarter of 1895, Robert Flatman’s wife Ann died at the age of 58. In the third quarter of that year, Charles Laflin married Susan Pearce in the Ipswich district.

By 1901, they had combined the two household and were all living at 8 Alan Road, Ipswich. Robert Flatman (a widower aged 70 from Pulham) was described as the proprietor and was also described as "feeble-minded and imbecile". Charles Laflin (aged 27 from Ringshall) was the laundry manager and also the "nephew" of Robert Flatman (probably nephew by marriage). Charles' wife Susan (aged 38 from Harleston) and his three sisters - Emily (aged 31), Amelia (aged 29) and Sarah (aged 25) - were all described as Robert's nieces. Susan may have been the niece of Robert's wife Ann, since they both came from Harleston. They were all working as laundresses and so were the three servants in the same household, Alice Dunnett (now 27), Mable Gibbs (aged 15) and Lucy Cattinmole (aged 15).

Also in 1901, Oliver and Jane Laflin were living at Woodland Farm, Battisford Road, Ringshall and Oliver was working as a farm labourer. With them were two young men, their son Philip Laflin (aged 19 and working as a corn miller's carter) and a boarder Clare Smith (aged 22 and a corn miller from Moulton in Norfolk).

Robert Flatman died in the first quarter of 1902 in Ipswich at the age of 69. Charles and his wife Susan may have continued to run the laundry after his death.

Oliver Laflin died in June 1906 at the age of 66 in the Bosmere district.

Sources for this section.

Parish registers for Ringshall - available in Ipswich Record Office.
Civil Registration Indexes available online from FreeBMD
Civil Registration Indexes and Census Data available online from Findmypast

Page maintained by Susan Laflin. Last updated in December 2007.