John Bellinger

c1799-1883

John was baptised in 1799 in Greenham Berkshire, the son of Charles and Hannah (aka Anne) Bellinger (nee Waite) who were married in 1795 in Bucklebury Berkshire.

 His father: Charles was baptised in 1769 in Greenham, the son of Charles and Ann Bellinger (nee Digweed). He died aged 82 in 1849 and was buried on the 4^th September in Greenham St Mary.

 His mother: Hannah was baptised in 1777 in Bucklebury Berkshire, the daughter of John and Hannah Wait (nee Clift). She died aged 85 in 1862 and was buried on the 7^th February in Greenham St Mary.

 John was recorded as an Agricultural Labourer in 1841 and a Shepherd in 1851, 1861 and 1881.

 John’s 1^st wife and family:

Sarah Bolsher was born c1816 in West Woodhay. She married John in 1840 (marriage registered in Newbury) and they had the following children:

Thomas 1841

Henry 1843

George c1846 (died aged 11 in 1858, buried 22^nd April at St Michael and All Angels Enborne)

William 1849

Sarah Ann 1852 (died aged 8 weeks, buried 16^th December 1852 at St Michael and All Angels Enborne)

 In the 1841 and 1851 census records John was recorded living in Skinner’s Green Enborne with his family.

The 1841 census records the family as John (40), Sarah (25) and a John Bolsher (7).

The 1851 census records the family as John (51), Sarah (35) and their sons Thomas (9),  Henry (7), George (5) and William (1).

 Sarah died aged 36 in 1852 not long after giving birth to her daughter Sarah Ann. She was buried on the 24^th October at St Micheal and All Angels Enborne.

 John’s 2^nd wife:

Sarah Hazell was baptised in 1819 in Greenham Berkshire, the daughter of Joseph and Phoebe Hazell (formerly Major, nee Tidbury) who were married on the 12^th April 1817 at St Mary’s Church Thatcham, both were widowed.

Joseph and Phoebe also had another daughter, Harriet, she was baptised in 1821 in Greenham.

 Sarah’s father: Joseph Hazell married his 1^st wife Hester Collins on the 23^rd August 1795 at St Mary Thatcham, both were from Greenham. They had the following children: James 1795, John 1799, Phoebe 1801, Charlotte 1803, Ann 1806 and Joseph 1810. Hester (recorded as Esther) died aged 38 in 1815, she was buried on the 6th July at St Mary Thatcham.

Sarah’s mother: Phoebe’s 1^st husband was Jeremiah Major (surname recorded as Meajer), they were married on the 13^th May 1799 at St Mary Thatcham. They had the following children: Richard c1799, George 1800, Anne 1801,  John 1804, Jeremiah 1805, Thomas 1807, Israel 1809, John 1811 and David 1813. Jeremiah died aged 44 in 1813, he was buried on the 4^th October at St Mary Greenham.

John and Sarah:

John married Sarah Hazell (surname recorded as Hazle) in 1859  (marriage registered in Newbury)

Sarah had at least two illegitimate children before she married John. Harriet born in 1841, baptised in Greenham in 1841 and Elizabeth born in 1845, baptised in Greenham in 1847.

John and Sarah had two children, Charles, born in 1857 (born before his parents married) and George, born in 1859. Both boys were baptised in 1859 in Greenham.

The 1861 and 1871 census records again record the family living in Skinner’s Green, Enborne

In 1861 the household consisted of John (58), Sarah (40), Sarah’s daughter Elizabeth Hazell (16) and John’s children Henry (17), William (11), Charles (3) and George (1).

In 1871 only John (71), Sarah (49) their two sons Charles (13), George (11) and Sarah’s grandson Henry William Hazell (2) were recorded in the household.

John was widowed in 1873, Sarah died aged 53, she was laid to rest on the 7^th May at St Michael and All Angels Enborne.

In 1881 John was recorded living with his married son William (31) and his family at Wash Farm, Newbury.

He died aged 83 in the Newbury Workhouse on the 30^th December 1882, he was laid to rest in the Newtown Road Cemetery on the 3^rd January 1883.

Author: C Gambles
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