Francis Rufford (1755-1833) conducted three baptisms at Badsey between 1814 and 1818 during the curacy at Badsey of his son, William Squire Rufford.
Francis Rufford was born at Worcester in 1755, the son of Philip and Margaret Rufford. He was a student at Wadham College, Oxford, and was ordained as a deacon on 24th May 1777 and as a priest on 15th October 1779. He was appointed Curate of Grafton Flyford on 28th May 1777 and of Hartlebury on 28th September 1782. From 1785-1831 he was Rector of Lower Sapey. In plurality, he also became Rector of Kinwarton in 1787, a post which he held until his death in 1833.
Francis married Sarah Squire on 26th May 1785 at St James, Westminster, London. Their only son, William Squire Rufford (1785-1836) was baptised at Lower Sapey on 27th April 1785.
Reverend Rufford died on 19th February 1833. A hundred years later, an alabaster carving representing the Presentation of the Virgin which had been discovered by William Squire Rufford in a carpenter’s shop at Binton in about 1835, was presented to the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Kinwarton, in memory of the Reverend Francis Rufford and of his son.