Born in Crawley's Court, Bradford Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Langford was the second surviving son of John Langford, who came to Birmingham from Wales in 1815, started business in 1828 as a chairmaker.
After attending a private school in Brixhall Street, Deritend (1829-33), Langford entered his father's chair-making business at ten, and was apprenticed when thirteen in 1836.