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« on: Friday 30 December 11 00:32 GMT (UK) »
Hello – I’m hoping someone can help me as I’ve hit a brick wall!
I have been researching my Bailey family and came across a great uncle of my dad’s called Reuben Bailey. He was born in 1852 in Brailes, Warwickshire. Being curious about his name I searched high and low for him in the 1861 census and after more than a year (!!) found him in Shipston Workhouse. He was down as Reuben “Briley, aged 8”. His brothers were lodging with an elder brother and his wife. Being curious, and hoping for a happy ending, I hunted the 1871 census and found him lodging with his brother in Church Honeybourne, and he was a Railway Porter, aged 19. Then there was no sign of him, yet again. I wished I’d stopped looking really because I eventually found him – he had been onboard The Cosgrove, sailing for New Zealand. He was married and had a young wife and 2 small children. Sadly, they all drowned off the Cape of Good Hope on 18 November 1874. There is lots of information on the internet about this awful tragedy which involved drowning, fire and even cannibalism – eeuww! I also bought a book from Amazon about it.
What has been puzzling and frustrating me is that I can’t find any mention of his mother, Hannah Bailey b. 1809 in Winderton, Warwickshire, and his father, Richard Bailey, b. 1811 in Brailes, Warwickshire.
I ordered Reuben’s marriage certificate. He married Emma Blackwell in 1871 in Great Linford, Buckhinghamshire – and Richard Bailey, Labourer, is written on there so he must have been alive then? His elder brother, George Bailey, was a witness, he too had moved to Great Linford.
I have Hannah and Richard Bailey in the 1851 Census (their surname had been mistyped as “Railey”!), living in Barcheston.
I’m really sorry that this is such a lengthy message, but if anyone can help me find out what happened to Hannah and Richard Bailey after 1851 I’d be eternally grateful. I really can’t work out why Reuben ended up in the workhouse.
Wendy