In the 1841 Census, Henry was living with his grandparents, Joseph and Sarah (nee Perrett) and uncle Joseph on Gazards Row (number 91 on the map)
(thanks to Geoff Gwatkin for the copy of the Tithe Map of 1847)
The house was rented from Sarah Poulton. 75-year-old Joseph was a woollen weaver, and 30-year-old Joseph was a shoe maker.
The family were obviously poor as in 1849, Sarah was recorded as infirm and on outdoor relief, and, in 1808, Joseph was unable to pay the Highway Rate.
Henry was the illegitimate son of Mary Bruton. We have no record of baptism of Henry, but Mary was given as his mother on the court records for Henry.
In 1851, Mary, a spooler, and Joseph (now an agricultural labourer) were living with the widowed Sarah (‘pauper’) in Nibley. Henry was present in the household as a visitor.
In 1860, the Banns of Marriage were read for Henry and Caroline Hale. The marriage didn’t take place, but, in 1861, Henry was at Horses Green (circled in blue on the map), lodging with George Russ. Also in the household is Caroline Hale.
In September of that year, Henry was charged with ‘assaulting and carnally knowing Ann Butcher against her will at Stinchcombe on 24th September 1861’ He was sentenced to 14 years penal servitude. He was transported to Australia on the HMS Clyde
He married Susan Flaherty (another transportee) in 1868 and they had two children.
Henry died in 1874, aged 36.
Henry’s mother, Mary, seems to have had a sad life. In 1861 and 1871 she was a pauper inmate at the workhouse in Dursley, and died in 1872, aged 59.
North Nibley One-Place-Study 