Transcript

of

Francis Drummond Fulford [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol.  XXXIX, (1907), p. 40.

by

J. Brooking-Rowe (Ed.)

Prepared by Michael Steer

The obituary was read at the Association’s July 1907 Axminster meeting. Great Fulford has been the residence of the Fulford family (originally "de Fulford"), which took its name from the estate, from the reign of King Richard I (1189–1199) to the present day. There are thus few, if any, families in Devonshire of more ancient recorded origin still resident at their original seat. According to Prince, the name of this family was Latinized to de Turpi Vado ("from the foul ford" (i.e.muddy ford)). The earliest records indicate that John de Kelli had as his tenant of Fulford a certain William de Foleford. Mr Francis Drummond Fulford’s descent from the earliest members of this ancient family of Devon’s landed gentry may be accessed in Wikipedia. This also provides illustrations of the ancient manor house as well as the family’s coat of arms, and a 16th century relief-sculpted stone escutcheon of 9 quarters indicating familial alliances, over the main entrance to the courtyard of Great Fulford House. The obituary, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Francis Drummond Fulford. Mr. Fulford was born 25 October, 1831, and educated at King's College. His father was the Right Rev. Francis Fulford, Bishop of Montreal and Metropolitan of Canada. He was a captain in the Montreal Cavalry, and a J.P. for the Montreal district. On settling in England he took an active part in public matters. He was a J.P. and D.L., and prison visitor, and from time to time a member of the Devon County Council, of the Exeter Diocesan Conference, and Chairman of the Dunsford Parish Council. He succeeded to the mansion of Great Fulford and to the Fulford estates on the death of his uncle Baldwin without issue in 1871. Mr. Fulford died 5 August, 1907, and was buried at Dunsford. He became a member of the Association in 1876, and for some time attended the meetings, but of late years he had not done so.