George BALLINGER

[Greaves]

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.

[Milliepede]

George BELLinger died 1896 Highworth was born 1825. 

I can't see a George BALLinger death in 1896. 

A family tree has the George born 1821 Latton son of William & Dianne Cuss dying in the US Pennyslvania.

The tree also puts him in the US from 1850 onwards

[Greaves]

Try Q3 1896 Highworth 5a 2

I have the certificate.

I think that the tree on Ancestry is wrong, like so many trees on that site. His wife Jane is in England until her death in 1892. And the pair are together living in Cricklade until at least 1871.

I'm afraid I despair of poorly researched trees on Ancestry.

[MaureeninNY]

 

I dislike doing these sorts of things but...you do know what he was convicted of/and that he was also convicted in 1865?

Maureen

[Greaves]

MaureeninNY - no I don't know for what offence he was convicted. I have seen the record, but was unable to decipher the handwriting. I managed "attempt to commit", but was unable to read the last word beginning with b. I assumed it was burglary, but I am aware that there is another word beginning with b and ending with y, with a double g in the middle. If it was the latter I wouldn't be too bothered or shocked, but assuming that is what you think it is, what makes you so sure that it is the latter? Was there a convention not to spell the whole word out?

If it was the latter, it might well explain why his wife described herself as a widow even though he was still alive.

[MaureeninNY]

Well,yes,the "double g" in 1880 .

 I think his sentence was so heavy because of his prior offenses. If you look on FMPast newspapers (free to search) and just put in his name and keyword Cricklade you'll see a bit more.

Maureen

[Greaves]

Wow! Thanks very much, for finding these articles for me, which I need to download and study properly.

What a very unpleasant man. The earlier offence is really disgraceful.

When I realised it was b-word with the double g, I assumed he was being committed with homo sexuality. But looking at some of those headlines, are we talking about animals? The articles are not explicit, though the headlines are suggestive.

[MaureeninNY]

 

Oh heck... not the "gg". My fault.

One article: Swindon Advertiser and North Wilts Chronicle February 9, 1880
says "an abominable offence with a female dog".

Maureen

[Greaves]

Grief