George BALLINGER was born in Latin in 1821 to William BALLINGER and Dinah CUSS, being baptised at St John the Baptist in Latton on 28 Nov 1821 and again on 03 Feb 1822. In the 1841C he was living with his parents at Latton, before marrying Jane LOVESEY at St Sampson in Cricklade on 10 Nov 1846. The 1851, 1861 and 1871 found the couple and their children living at various addresses in Cricklade.
Then on 05 Feb 1880, he was sentenced to 10 yrs imprisonment at the Wiltshire assizes, with the 1881 census finding him as an inmate aged 61 at HMP Portland. He is described as married and a farm labourer, who was born in Down Ampney. I believe that this is my George as Down Ampney is only a few miles from Latin and is a place associated with his parents, where they lived before moving to Latin. Meanwhile in the 1881C, his wife Jane is living with her widowed mother in Cricklade.
The 1891C finds George apparently in the workhouse at Stratton, St Margaret, Highworth, where he is described as married. In the same census, his wife Jane is living with one of her married daughters at Rodbourne Road, Swindon, where she is described as a widow. Why would Jane be described as a widow, given that George was apparently still alive. Jane dies in Q1 1892 in Highworth, whilst George dies in Aug 1896 at the workhouse at Stratton, St Margaret, Highworth.
I am now having doubts about whether the George who died in the Stratton workhouse is the one who was married to Jane. It is not clear to me what happened to the couple after George's imprisonment in 1880. Did they get back together? Were they living together before George was admitted to the workhouse? I have sent for Jane's death certificate, in the hope that the informant will shed some light on the matter. It would also help if I could find a burial record for George, as I know where Jane was buried.
I would be grateful for any ideas on the post 1880 arrangements and indeed if anyone could find any more records relating to the couple after 1880. A newspaper report on George's imprisonment would be great, as would a record of when he was released. And of course his burial record.