Charles Farman, a marshman, and Matilda Ann Flaxman of Haddiscoe, Norfolk, married in 1844 and within a few months, they started their family.
The Farman family on the 1871 census
In late 1844 arrived the first child, Augustus Farman, who was followed in 1847 by a brother, Ambrose Farman. The couple seemed to like this 'A' theme because, in 1849, they named their first daughter Agnes Farman.
At this point their name taste seemed to take a more unique turn. Another son, Malones Farman, was born in 1851. I have no idea what the inspiration for this name might have been, but he is the only Malones recorded on the Birth Index from 1838 to 1950.
Laban Farman was born in 1854. Laban is an uncommon biblical name, found in the Old Testament as the brother of Rebecca.
The next child, born in 1860, was another son named Anath Farman in 1860. Anath actually is the name of an ancient Semitic goddess of war, fertility and hunting. Perhaps Charles and Matilda took the name from Judges 3.31, which mentions a "Shamgar, the son of Anath." It is most likely that this meant Shamgar was connecting himself with the goddess, but it is not hard to see how it could be misinterpreted.
The couple's last child, born in 1864, was named Last Cutting Farman. It is tempting to think his name was inspired by Charles' work as a marshman, at the "last cuttings" during drainage. He was not the only child to have been called Last in the 19th century, but he is the only "Last Cutting."
Most of the sons went on to become marshmen like their father — Last Cutting was a mole catcher for a while when a teenager — and most of them lived well beyond 60. They appeared to have been a close-knit family; Agnes, Malones, Anath and Last were living together on every census from 1871 to 1911, even after Charles and Matilda had both died. Only Ambrose, Laban and Last married.
Ambrose married Mary Ann Rushmer and had children: Ambrose William (1877), Ernest Leonard (1882), Lambert (1885) and Violet Marion (1889)
Laban married Ellen Smith and had children: Augustus (1876), Edith Ellen (1877), Mary Ann (1879), Lily May (1890) and Albert Last (1892)
Last Cutting married Alice Mary Green and had two children: Phyllis Fushia (1900) and Lester Lewis (1904)
