George Geering - Poligamist Playboy of the late 19th Century Part One

[watersidejim]

I would be interested if anyone could fill gaps in, identify with, or correct this story of a chap who seemed to play fast & loose with his identity. His name was George Geering and he was my Great Great Uncle.
Briefly he appears to have abandoned his first wife, had a child by "Wife" no 2 and then skipped off to New York to illicitly marry a wife no 3 before taking up a quiet life in Weston Super Mare.
It has taken me some time to try to sort out his convoluted life and it goes on a bit, but here goes:

The early years. He was baptised in Birmingham on 1 July 1849 to Henry Geering and Harriet nee Hunt. His parents both originated from Westham/Pevensey in Sussex. The family was to run a major manufacturer of Brass Bedsteads and Safes in B'ham. In the 1851 and 61 Censuses the family including George were living in Birmingham with nothing untoward about the census data.

Wife No. One. On 28 Sept 1870 he married an Ellen Inchley at St Marks B'ham. George describes himself as a Lithographer, father Henry a Bedstead Manufacturer. Ellen had been baptised on 18 Jun 1848 in B'ham and in the 1851 & 61 Censuses is living with her parents Joseph and Ann.
The 1871 Census has George & Ellen Gerring living in Dudley St B'ham, George a Lithographer born in Warwickshire. Nothing amiss here.
In 1875 the Geering family's Apollo Safe Business goes bust in Birmingham (several reports in the London Gazette). Our George is described as a salesman for the company.

Wife No. Two The 1881 Census for Nelson Terrace, Stockton on Tees indicates that George is starting to go astray. He is listed as an Artist (Painter) born in 1851 in Pevensey Sussex with a wife Sarah Geering b 1851 in Cowbridge Glamorgan Wales.  No marriage Certificate found. Strange - what's happened to Ellen and although George's parents came from Pevensey he was born in Birmingham?
The 1891 census lists at Richmond Terrace Penkhull (Part of Stoke on Trent) a George Geering Widower, Lithographer b 1851 Pevensey. No sign of Sarah. There is a daughter Nelly age 9 born Stockton and a niece Elizabeth Jordan, dressmaker b Croydon 1864. I have a birth certificate for Nelly from Stockton born 29 Jan 1882. Father George Geering a Lithographer, mother Sarah Geering nee David.
That gave me a clue to finding out about Sarah. The 1851 & 1862 Censuses have a Sarah David born 1847 in Cowbridge. She also has a sister Elizabeth born 1839. The 1881 Census for Cowbridge lists an Elizabeth Jordan, widow, b 1840 Cowbridge together with her daughter Elizabeth b 1864 Croydon. The younger Eliz will be the one living with George in the 1891.
Sarah died on 5 April 1891 at Penkhull Stoke, death reported by "husband" George Geering a potter's artist.
So it appears that George abandoned first wife Ellen some time before the birth of Nellie by Sarah in Stockton in 1882. In the 1881 census Ellen is at Hickman Rd Aston B'ham as Ellen Greening married living with her widowed father Joseph Inchley and also her sister Emily Prime. She then disappears from the radar until the 1911 Census when she pops up as a licenced victualler running the Railway Station Tearooms at Abingdon Oxfordshire! I'm sure this is her, because the next year there is a probate record for an Ellen Inchley, died 23 Oct 1912 who left £180 to Emily Prime (her sister).
Part Two Follows

[watersidejim]

Wife No. Three This is the best bit! Not long after the death of Sarah wife No Two in 1891, a G Geering plus a Mrs Geering and Miss Nellie travel on the "City of Chicago" leaving Liverpool 17 Feb 1892, arriving New York 27 Feb.
The FamilySearch site has a detailed marriage record for a George Geering on 30 Nov 1892 in Manhatton to a Lydia Abberley Powis. George described as age 40, a widower, born Sussex to a Henry G Geering & Harriet Hunt. Lydia is a widow age 29 b Cheadle, father Geo Abberley, mother Ann Justif. The fact that George continues to say he was born in Sussex is strange.  A different George Geering was born & died in Pevensey Sussex in 1850, maybe our George made a genuine mistake rather than identity theft as he correctly names his real parents.
Mr & Mrs Geering & Nellie travel back to the UK on the "Tritonia" from Montreal arriving Glasgow 5 Aug 1895.
From the Wedding record it is easy to track down Lydia. She was born Lydia Abberley in Cheadle on 25 Feb 1864 to the aforementioned Geo & Ann. They lived at the Vine Pub in Penkhull Stoke on Trent in 1871 & 1881. She married a George Powis in 1883, he died in 1991 in Stoke on Trent.

Settling Down The 1901 Census at Gresley Wood Road, Burton on Trent has George Geering, head b 1849 Pevensey, manager of an Earth Tile Manufacturer, wife Lydia b Cheadle 1864 , Daughter Nelly b 1881 Co Durham and a new daughter Eva Lydia age 1. George now appears to have embarked on a conventional life. In 1911 the family are at Weston Super Mare with George a tile works commercial traveller, Nellie has disappeared and there is a new son George age 6.
A probate record for 23 March 1928 reports George died in WSM on 25 Feb 1928 leaving £973 to widow Lydia. The 1939 Register has Lydia in WSM with Children Eva & George. A probate record in 1944 says she died on 7 Dec 1943 leaving £450 to son George.

So what happened to abandoned wife Ellen between 1881 in Birmingham and her ending up at Abingdon Railway Station in 1911?
What happened to Nellie or Nelly Geering, b 1882 after 1901?

Wow a lengthy story, interesting how George roamed around England and the USA. I'm afraid I got bit hooked on sorting out the jigsaw puzzle of George's life!

Part Two


Wife No. Three This is the best bit! Not long after the death of Sarah wife No Two in 1891, a G Geering plus a Mrs Geering and Miss Nellie travel on the "City of Chicago" leaving Liverpool 17 Feb 1892, arriving New York 27 Feb.
The FamilySearch site has a detailed marriage record for a George Geering on 30 Nov 1892 in Manhatton to a Lydia Abberley Powis. George described as age 40, a widower, born Sussex to a Henry G Geering & Harriet Hunt. Lydia is a widow age 29 b Cheadle, father Geo Abberley, mother Ann Justif. The fact that George continues to say he was born in Sussex is strange.  A different George Geering was born & died in Pevensey Sussex in 1850, maybe our George made a genuine mistake rather than identity theft as he correctly names his real parents.
Mr & Mrs Geering & Nellie travel back to the UK on the "Tritonia" from Montreal arriving Glasgow 5 Aug 1895.
From the Wedding record it is easy to track down Lydia. She was born Lydia Abberley in Cheadle on 25 Feb 1864 to the aforementioned Geo & Ann. They lived at the Vine Pub in Penkhull Stoke on Trent in 1871 & 1881. She married a George Powis in 1883, he died in 1991 in Stoke on Trent.

Settling Down The 1901 Census at Gresley Wood Road, Burton on Trent has George Geering, head b 1849 Pevensey, manager of an Earth Tile Manufacturer, wife Lydia b Cheadle 1864 , Daughter Nelly b 1881 Co Durham and a new daughter Eva Lydia age 1. George now appears to have embarked on a conventional life. In 1911 the family are at Weston Super Mare with George a tile works commercial traveller, Nellie has disappeared and there is a new son George age 6.
A probate record for 23 March 1928 reports George died in WSM on 25 Feb 1928 leaving £973 to widow Lydia. The 1939 Register has Lydia in WSM with Children Eva & George. A probate record in 1944 says she died on 7 Dec 1943 leaving £450 to son George.

So what happened to abandoned wife Ellen between 1881 in Birmingham and her ending up at Abingdon Railway Station in 1911?
What happened to Nellie or Nelly Geering, b 1882 after 1901?

Wow a lengthy story, interesting how George roamed around England and the USA. I'm afraid I got bit hooked on sorting out the jigsaw puzzle of George's life!

[jaywit]

Nellie born 1882 married Charles Ward.

Nellie Geering

Registration Year:
1906

Registration Quarter:
Oct-Nov-Dec

Registration district:
Axbridge

Inferred County:
Somerset

Volume:
5c

Page:
1029


Name

 Samuel James Densley 
 Nellie Geering  <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
 Emily Ethel Hemmens 
 Charles Arthur Ward  <<<<<<<<<<<

  In 1911 they are living in Charles' native county Derbyshire

[Jomot]

I know they were in Penkhull by 1891 but Stockton Register Office has the birth of a Helen Geering in the September quarter of 1891, which is odd as the GRO Index is Middlesbrough.   I've checked & cant find any other Geering births, marriages or deaths in either Stockton or Middlesbrough other then Nelly & Helen.

Stockton Register Office are very helpful so it may be worth giving them a call to see if her father was George.  01642 393939

Her death is registered in Middlesbrough in the December quarter of the same year & she was buried 3 Jan 1892 at New Linthorpe Cemetery, Middlesbrough. 

[avm228]

"No sign of Sarah" in the 1891 census will be because she had (just) died.  The census was taken on the night of 5 April 1891, the date you have for her death.

[Bookbox]

A probate record for 23 March 1928 reports George died in WSM on 25 Feb 1928 leaving £973 to widow Lydia.

Have you seen George's will, or only the probate calendar entry? The calendar entry shows that Lydia was the executrix of the will, not necessarily the sole beneficiary. The entry doesn't tell you anything about who benefited. It simply names the executor and puts an approximate value on the personal estate (for tax purposes). You would need to see a copy of the will to find out who the beneficiaries were.

If you don't already have it, you can order a copy online here ...
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills

A probate record in 1944 says she died on 7 Dec 1943 leaving £450 to son George.

The calendar doesn't record a will for Lydia, but simply a grant of administration to George, who was appointed to distribute her estate. A copy of this grant is unlikely to add much to your knowledge.

[Jomot]

What happened to Nellie or Nelly Geering, b 1882 after 1901?

Nellie Geering married Charles Arthur Ward in Axbridge, Somerset in the Dec quarter of 1906. Charles was a printer & was born Swadlincote, Derbyshire. 

You should be able to find them both in 1911 and from there the 1939. DoB confirmed as 29 Jan 1882

Added: Sorry, just realised jaywit posted this marriage earlier.  But at least the 1939 confirms its her

[..claire..]

Hi

Although the age is out Ellen Geering is in Abingdon in 1901, running a licensed premises at the No 3 Station Yard.

Berkshire Abingdon: No. 3 Station Yard

Ellen INCHLEY   head S   45  Managing Licensed Premises  bn. Birmingham
Rose Cox         servant    19  Barmaid                                    "   Oxon, Oxford

Class: RG13; Piece: 1131; Folio: 94; Page: 33

claire

[watersidejim]

Thanks very much folks for your contributions, very much appreciated. My jigsaw puzzle of George Geering's life is now pretty much complete.
I have now followed through Nellie Geering's life after she married Charles Ward by using the info on the 1911 census & 1939 Register when they were living in Burton on Trent. They both died there in 1969.
I have found that the 1939 Register is a great key for opening up a whole range of information about people.
Thank you Bookbox for your comments on information in the Probate records - point taken
The Helen Geering b 1891 mentioned by Jomot is different to "my" Nellie Geering. I got Nellie's birth cert from Stockton Reg Office two or three weeks ago and it confirms that she was the daughter of "my " George Geering and Sarah Geering nee David, born 29 Jan 1882