Ellen Gift was born in Chiddingly, daughter of Robert and Sarah Russell (nee Thorpe), both from Chiddingly families. Robert and Sarah married in 1846 in Hailsham, and were living in Whitesmith, Chiddingly in 1861 with their first 5 children.
In 1871 Ellen was the 6th of their 8 (soon to be 9), children. Robert was an Agricultural Labourer and Farmer of 7 acres, and the family lived at the Bird in Hand, Whitesmith in Chiddingly.
10 years later, the family was still there, Ellen and 2 brothers with them, and Grandson Walter Thomas, aged 1.
Ellen married James Haffenden on 24th April 1886 in Chiddingly.
James was born in Hailsham, Sussex in 1861, son of Benjamin and Ann Elizabeth, (nee Croft).
In 1881, aged 20, James was a Stoker aboard HMS Euryalus, and was awarded medals for the Egyptian and Sudan campaigns, in 1882 and 1884.
In the 1891 census, James and Ellen were living in Tarring Street. He was a Blacksmith, and they had three sons, James, Ernest and Charles. Daughter Bertha was born later that year.
In 1901 the family was living in St Dunstan's Road. James did Shoeing, and was a General Smith and Plumber, working from home.
By 1911, they were living in Heathfield House, Tarring Road, with sons Ernest and Charles. James was then a General Smith and Plumber, working from home.
All four of James and Ellen's children then lived in Worthing.
In 1921, James and Ellen were living alone together in Heathfield House, Tarring.
He was described as a Blacksmith and Plumber. She had Household Duties'.
Ellen died in 1925.
In 1927, in the Worthing Gazette, this appeared:
HAFFENDEN In never fading memory of our dear mother, Ellen Gift, passed away November 30th, 1925.
Gone from us but not forgotten,
Never shall her memory fade;
May our thoughts for ever linger
Around the grave where she is laid.
Jim, Ern, Charlie and Bertha.
(It may be no coincidence that James remarried in 1927....)
Haffenden is an old Sussex name, apparently of Norse/Viking origin. Denn, in Norse, means farm and hof was a church or temple so the original Haffendens lived in a farm near a Church!
(It does look as if Ellen's family had doubts about her age...she would have been nearer 60 than 50 in 1925)