By 1911 farming by the Reffell in the south east corner of Buckinghamshire was not so prolific as had been the case some fifty years earlier, The Manor Farms at Horton and Wraysbury were still occupied and they would still carry on in some form until the Second World War. Raymond Reffell and Ann Butler had died in 1882 and 1901, and there were six surviving children in 1911; Alfred, William, Raymond, Alice, Joseph, Herbert & Elizabeth.
At the Manor Farm in Horton was Joseph Reffell and his wife of twenty years Emily Caroline Perkins. Their son Frank Mortimer was helping on the farm and the two daughters were also there; Eileen Winifred an art student and Madge Noel who was still at school. Also living there and assisting on the farm was nephew William Vickers, the son of Alice Reffell. Frank would join the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. Later in life Joseph and Emily their daughters were to retire to the sunny south coast of Hastings Sussex.
Over at Manor Farm Wraysbury was Raymond and his wife of twenty six years Emily Maud Mattingley. Seven of their eight children are with them; Alfred, Alice Maud, Emily, Raymond, Gladys, Vera & Norman Denis. From Raymond’s first marriage, Annie Elizabeth was unmarried and a nurse living at 8 St Andrews Square in Surbiton. It is possible that she may have emigrated to Canada with her mother Priscilla.
William Reffell had given up farming, leaving Staines Moor Farm and moving to Lowestoft Suffolk as an ironmonger. He is at 155 London Road with his wife of thirty five years Sarah Ann Rodgers. Two of their children are with them; Herbert Alfred & Ethel Margery, as is their niece Dorothy the daughter of Alfred. Their second son William Percy was a marine engineer and living at 32 Brookwood Avenue in Barnes with his wife Margaret Elizabeth Barnes. Also with them was their young daughter, another Margaret. Living with them was Margaret’s brother Ernest Barnes who was a law clerk.
Alice Reffell had married second husband Ernest John Frederick Irby in 1903 and they were living at Bella Vista Warwick Road in Ashford Middlesex. Although only 47 he had retired from the Civil Service, presumably on health grounds as he was to die only two years later. There were no children from this marriage. Alice’s only son from her previous marriage William Vickers was working at Manor Farm Horton as above.
Elizabeth Reffell was living at 45 Drakefield Road in Balham with her husband of twenty two years Edward Arthur Pettit. With them were their four children; Arthur Raymond, Herbert Edward, Raymond Reffell (Pettit) & Charles Walter Reffell (Pettit). Also with them was niece Elsie Leila, Alfred’s youngest daughter.
Over at Bouveny Court Farm in Windsor, Alfred’s third daughter Cicely Victoria (aged 13) was living with his ex-wife’s sister Lilian Gibbins Westaway and husband Thomas Albert William Purser. Alfred’s eldest daughter Elizabeth was a mother’s help at 5 Marton Road in South Croydon.
Alfred’s ex-wife Maria Elizabeth Westaway was at 36 Oldfield Road in Maidenhead Berkshire, with her husband (and also first cousin) John Mark Westaway and children Kathleen & John Mark. They were to emigrate permanently to Australia later that year.