Willisford surname of Lydney c1900 ?? (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Tuesday, January 27, 2015, 23:41 (3581 days ago)

While searching "Lydney" within the Welsh newspapers site I found the following article which I wanted to share as it relates good news for a change. However, despite my best efforts searching this site's PRs, GlosBMD, FreeBMD and Ancestry, I cannot seem to find any people within Lydney, or even the Forest, of the Willisford surname ?!.
Please can other more gifted forum members put me out of my misery, am I missing an obvious spelling variation, or what ?. Thanks in advance.

From the Cardiff Evening News, 10th March 1900

"HONOURS FOR A LYDNEY LADY.
Early in January, when the principal stream in Lydney. Gloucestershire, was in fall flood, owing to heavy rain, Miss Willisford, of Highfield, was attracted by the cries of a group of little children. Proceeding towards them, she learned that a three-year-old boy, named Fawney, had fallen into the stream. Miss Wil1isford at once ran alongside the water until she came up to the drowning child, and then plunged into the stream and brought the child safely to bank. On Thursday evening a meeting was held in the National School, when Miss Willisford was presented by the vicar of the parish (the Rev. J. C. O. Besant), on behalf of the Royal Humane Society, with the society's certificate in recognition of her brave deed."

http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3374013/ART185/lydney%20willisford

Five years earlier the newspapers reported a Mrs Willisford was prominent at the annual meeting of the Lydney Cottage Hospital, ".... was held on Wednesday, Mr G. B. Keiling presiding. Among others present were Mrs Willisford, Miss Bathurst, and Miss Tarleton (the Park), Mrs Keiling, Mrs Woodruff,..." etc etc.
see http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=42828

A few years before that,

Cardiff Times, 22nd April 1893

"LYDNEY.
PRESENTATION TO MRS AND MISSES TROLLOPE.
Mrs Willisford and Miss Bathurst, Lydney park, on behalf of the inhabitants of Lydney, proceeded to Cheltenham on Tuesday, where they presented Mrs and Misses Trollope with a purse containing 84 sovereigns. The purse was the special offering of Mr H. P. Turner. It is understood that aportion of this sum will be set aside for a memorial brass, to be placed in St. Mary's Parish Church at Lydney, in memory of the Rev. J. J. Trollope, who was vicar of the parish for 20 years, and who died at the beginning of the year. The matter was carried out by the churchwardens, Messrs A. W. Harrison and F. S. Hockaday. The scholars in the Misses Trollope's Sunday-school classes also presented their teachers with an Oxford Bible each, and the teachers themselves also made a present in the shape of a valuable timepiece, accompanying it being a neatly-framed address with the names of the subscribers. These gifts were presented by Miss Keeling. The death of the late vicar, which is now followed by the loss to the parish of Mrs Trollope and her daughters, is much regretted by all classes of society, the young ladies having identified themselves with all useful parish institutions."

http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3429850/ART145/lydney%20willisford

And finally,

Cardiff Evening Express, 12th February 1894

"Technical Instruction at Lydney.
The annual meeting of the Lydney Technical Institute was held on Saturday, Captain Marling in the chair. - The hon. secretary's report and the financial statement was adopted. The total income was £582 13s, and there was a balance to carry forward of £ 116 5s lld. - It was stated that £1,700 was required to provide the needed accommodation for the science and art classes, towards which the county council had promised £3OO, the tin-plate workers at Lydney £100, and the proprietors of the mills (Messrs. Rd. Thomas and Co)., also, £100; Mrs. Willisford, £100 and Captain Marling, Mr. Bathurst, and "Anonymous," £50 each. — Mr. N. W. Colchester Wemyss gave away the prizes (121) to the successful students."

http://welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/page/view/3242095/ART89/lydney%20willisford

The Willisfords were seemingly quite prominent in Lydney affairs for some years, yet still seem to have eluded the Census, I hope I'm wrong and they can be found. Re their aforementioned address, does anyone know of "Highfield", Lydney ?.

Is it a "posh" part of town ? Was it the home of a well-to-do family, such as Mother and Daughter Willisford ?
Maybe yes, if it's this rather attractive-sounding Listed Building ?

"Detached dwelling. c1820. Good sandstone ashlar over plinth and with eaves band, box eaves to low pitched hipped welsh slate roof, 4 stacks at eaves with moulded cappings, all in ashlar. Two storeys, 3-windowed, 12-pane sashes with stone cills, plain sandstone lintols, central 6-panel door under slightly pointed 4-centre arch and decorative fanlight. Some modern extensions, but a very elegant facade set at an angle to the road."

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-354466-highfield-lydney-gloucestershire

Also see here http://forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?mode=thread&id=19717