I have a pretty full history of this side of my family. My gg grandfather, George Virgin was born in 1824 in Membury Devon and was part of a family of tenant farmers(dairymen) who saw themselves as a cut above, not just your common ag lab, so kept relationships within the group. He married Ann Beer, daughter of another dairy farmer, and produced a rather predictable family.
However, having followed George's life up until his wife's death in 1880 and his entry in the 1881 census with his remaining unmarried children plus his recently widowed son Henry plus his kids, he disappears. No sign of him in 1891 and the only thing I know about him is from his death certificate in 1896.
BUT, I recently came across a newspaper from 1884 cutting naming him and am intrigued.... it said
A QUESTION OF IDENTITY – Benjamin Lamb Powne v Stuckey’s Banking Company. – Plaintiff, a surgeon living at Chard, sued the defendant for £6 2s, on a garnishee summons. – Mr James Taylor appeared on behalf of the company, and said that there were no funds in the bank to the account of Geo. Virgin, the defendant in the case in which Dr Powne had to appear. – Plaintiff said that Virgin formerly lived at Chard, and had now moved to Membury. – Mr Taylor said that the Company were not certain that the George Virgin, of Membury, was the same person who had money in the bank. – His Honour said that the name of George Virgin was very uncommon and peculiar, and the answer of Mr Taylor was so evasive that he should assume that the money in the bank belonged to Virgin, of Membury. He therefore gave judgement for Plaintiff
The way I read this is that Dr Powne was trying to recover costs arising from a case (?) in which George was defendant. He couldn't get the money from George so went after the bank.
My query is - what was the case George was involved in? Whatever happened to him that Dr Powne couldn't recover the costs directly? And where was he in 1891?
If anyone can shed any light on this at all, I should be very grateful