Further research on the Alphington Ponies
The Exeter years
By Rowena Jay
Records from Torquay
There were actually three sisters in the Durnford family called Annie, Bertha and Edith but only two sisters became known as the Alphington Ponies. In the Census records from 1841 I found a Durnford family living in Torquay: Ann Durnford aged 50; Arabella Durnford (Annie) aged 20 and Eliza Durnford (Bertha) also aged 20. People's ages in this particular Census were always rounded up so they are never strictly true. This Census is probably the reason why some people thought the girls were twins.
Return to Exeter
Records show that Annie and Bertha returned to Exeter at some time in the 1850s. Their mother was not mentioned so I would assume that her death had prompted the sisters to move. I found two records of deaths in the correct registration district: 1851 Barbara Ann Durnford and 1855 Mary Ann Durnford. I have found doing my own family history that either a first name or middle name could be given on Census Returns. Annie and Bertha rented rooms in a house at St. Sidwells. As in Torquay they brought about a lot of attention because they continued to dress in their own particular strange way.
At the Balls
When two young gentlemen from Oxford University attended a fancy dress ball they decided to go as the Alphington Ponies and copied their dress right down to the last detail even including their parasols. While many people thought it was a wonderful joke a few thought that it might offend the Durnford sisters. Actually the two sisters were very pleased and felt extremely flattered.
Eventually Annie and Bertha inherited some money and even though their circumstances and social status improved accordingly they still continued to dress in a weird fashion. At one ball they attended Lady Rolle offered to give Mr Palk (the son of Sir Lawrence Palk) a set of gold and diamond shirt studs if he could persuade one of the sisters to dance with him. He agreed the wager and requested a dance with both of the sisters in turn. He was given the same reply,
"I never dance except my sister be also dancing".
He answered,
"Well then", "I will dance with the two of you at once or with each in turn".
He won his wager but there is no record as to which offer was accepted by the sisters.
Their last years
The sisters continued to live in Exeter and became old and grey. One day only one sister appeared and she was described as a solitary, bereaved and lonesome soul; the other sister had died. The remaining sister passed away not long afterwards. Death records show that Eliza died at the end of 1866 aged 55 and Arabella died in the middle of 1871 aged 70.