Hammond was included in the removal order of 4th June 1830 attempting to remove the family from Bildeston to Kersey parish which could not be executed because his father was too sick and infirm to be moved. In the 1841 census, Hammond (a tailor aged 18) was living in Northgate Street, Bildeston with his mother and younger brother Benjamin.

In the summer of 1843, Hammond Laflin married Maria Wright in the Cosford registration district (probably in Bildeston). (She was the daughter of Joseph and Susan Wright). The birth entries for their children have been found in the Cosford registration district, but they were not baptised in Bildeston. The births may also be recorded in the records for the Baptist Meeting House at Wattisham.

Phobe Laflin was born in the autumn of 1843, Hammond Lafflin in the autumn of 1845, Eliza Laflin in the summer of 1847, Alexander Laflin in the winter of 1848 and Harry Laflin inthe autumn of 1850.

In 1851, Hammond Laflin (a journeyman tailor aged 20) and his wife Maria were living in Hadleigh Street, Bildeston with their first five children (Phoebe aged 7, Hammond aged 5, Eliza aged 3, Alexander aged 2 and the baby Harry, 8 months).

Oliver Laflin was born in the summer of 1854, Christopher in the autumn of 1856, Sarah in the autumn of 1858 and Emily in the autumn of 1860.

By 1861, Hammond Laflin (now a tailor aged 39) and his wife Maria were living in Newberry Street, Bildeston with seven children (Hammond a tailor aged 12, Eliza aged 12 and still at school, Alexander aged 11 and still at school, Christopher aged 5 and Oliver aged 4 also at school, Sarah aged 2 and the baby Emily, 7 months). Phoebe aged 17 was living with her aunt and uncle, Phoebe and Joseph Sharp in Camberwell and working as a house servant. Harry aged 10 was staying with his aunt Susan Wright in Chelsworth.

Emily died a few weeks after the census and was buried in Bildeston on 28th May 1861, aged 9 months. Two more daughters were born, Kitty Laflin in the spring of 1862 and Maria in the summer of 1864. Hammond’s wife Maria died the autumn of 1865 in Lambeth (possibly visiting her daughter Phoebe who was married there the following summer). John Hammond Laflin said she died from typhoid fever whilst living at Chapel Road, Norwood.

In the autumn of 1870, Hammond married Elizabeth Beaumont, daughter of Isaac Beaumint a farmer - they were married in Bildeston church. In the 1871 census Hammond Laflin (now 49 and a tailor employing 1 man and 1 boy) was living in Hitcham Street, Bildeston with his wife Elizabeth. With them were their children - Harry Laflin (a plumber aged 19), Christopher Laflin (a tailor aged 14), Frederick Beaumont (aged 12 and still at school), Kate Laflin (aged 8) and Maria Laflin (aged 7), both still at school. (The IGI showed the baptism of Frederick Charles Beaumont, son of Elizabeth Beaumont, in Ringshall on 16th October 1859.) Hammond's daughter Eliza Laflin (now aged 20) had left home and was living in Palace Road, Oakleigh, Camberwell, in the household of John Sutherland, and working as a cook.

The diary of William Squirrel records that on 21st September 1871 "Laflin hided his wife" and on 22nd September a mutual separation was agreed. On 28th August 1873, he was summoned for assault on his mother-in-law and presumably found guilty because he seemed to have been given the choice of a fine of £3-9-0d or six weeks imprisonment. There is no record of which he chose, but on 21st January 1874 he left Bildeston.

John Hammond Laflin records the anecdote "that one Hallowe'en, dressed in a white sheet, he scared an old lady to death by the churchyard and had to leave the town in shame". This may have been based on the account he gave of the assault on his mother-in-law when he joined his family in London. However if she had died from the assault, then surely Hammond would have been charged with murder or manslaughter. Further details are needed.

In the 1881 census, Hammond, aged 59, was living at 3 Castle Place, Thurstow Place Lambeth and working as a master tailor. He was described as a "widower". With him were his daughter Eliza (aged 30) and a visitor, Frances Jarred aged 1 (probably Sarah's daughter) and a lodger Margarite Clurtier. Meanwhile Elizabeth Laflin, married and aged 46, was living in Cardinals Road Cottage, Stowmarket with her unmarried son Frederick C. Beaumont (aged 22) who was a plumber and glazier. Kate (aged 19) and Maria (aged 18) were lodging at Bell Terrace, Hampstead and working as draper's assistants.

In 1891, Hammond (aged 66) was living in Norwood Street, Lambeth and working as a tailor. With him were his grandson Hammond (aged 12), his daughter Eliza (aged 40 and a stamp dealer) and a boarder, Susan Musgrave (a widow aged 72 living on her own means).

In 1901, Hammond Laflin (a widower aged 79) was living at 198 Norwood Road, Lambeth and working as a tailor. With him was his daughter Eliza, aged 53 and working as a stamp dealer.

On 9th November 1901, Elizabeth Laflin died in the Haughley Rural District. She was a housekeeper aged 69. Under the cause of death, it states: "Found by side of railway line suffering from injuries. Died 13 days later from injuries and shock to system". An inquest was held on 11th November 1901 and death certificate was received from A.F.Vulliamy, the Coroner for Suffolk on 13th November 1901. The Beaumont family dealt with her estate.

John Hammond Laflin said that Hammond Laflin died on 22nd June 1904 at 198 Norwood Road, West Norwood form "paralysis agitans cystytis" and the death was reported by his daughter Eliza.

His daughter Eliza has not been traced any further.

Sources for this section.

Bildeston Parish Registers - 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 January 2008.