William’s life was surprisingly long, given his family circumstances.
In 1841, he was living in Forthay with his (presumed) mother, Elinor, her brother Edward, Priscilla Webb, John Vizard and Mary Humpheyes. Edward died 3 years later. Elinor was deaf and dumb (and almost certainly illiterate). She had two other children that we have a record of, both born in Slimbridge, Henry (baptised 21/3/1832) and Joseph (baptised 17/2/1828). Henry died at the age of one, and Joseph is last seen in Dursley Union in the 1841 Census.
from The Bristol Times and Mirror, 5th April 1851
CHILD MURDER IN NORTH NIBLEY
The village of North Nibley was greatly excited on Thursday last, March 27, by the discovery of two children, found secreted in the flue of a chimney of a house occupied by a person named Organ. It appears that Organ’s boy brought home a walking stick, and fearful his brothers and sisters might take it, attempted to put it up this old flue (which was formerly used for a pot, which being taken away, the flue was left standing). His father, who was present when he made the attempt, said ‘I will get up the chimney in the morning and see what is in it’; he did so, and having put his arm down the flue, found something which, on examining, he found to be a leg and a foot of a child. He put it back again, and sent to the relieving officer, Mr Henry Excell, (who was going to attend the Board of Guardians of the Dursley Union), and who requested him not to state anything of it until he returned; when he did, he brought two policemen with him, who pulled down the wall of the flue, and where they found not only the one before stated, but also a fine perfect child, with a whip twisted round its neck at the bottom of the flue, which was filled up with ashes to cover it. Suspicion immediately fell on a young woman who is deaf and dumb, named Ellen Ponting, who was known to have several illegitimate children, and who, with her mother, now dead, had for a number of years resided in the house, but who had left it about four years since. The children are supposed to have been put there, one about ten years, the other five or six years ago. A coroners inquest was held on Saturday last on the bodies, when several witnesses stated , that Ellen Ponting was very large in the family way; and one woman who acted occasionally as a midwife, and who resided very near her, stated that about the time her mother informed her she might want her that night, but no child was seen. But so confident were the parish officers of it, that the wells, gardens, and other places were searched for it at the time. As no evidence could be adduced to bring it home to her, and her mother being dead, the jury returned a verdict of found dead, but by what means they could not state.
In 1851, William was a house servant at Nibley House. Elenor (variously Ellen, Elinor and Elenor), was a washerwoman at George Robinson’s farm in the parish. She died at the age of 60, in Wotton under Edge.
William married Hannah Painter in St Phillip and Jacob church, Bristol in 1858. William’s father was listed as Lewis Ponting, a carpenter, but I can find no trace of him. In ’61, they was living on the Rudgway, in Olveston, and working as an agricultural labourer.
In’61, William and Hannah were living in Llandaff with their four children. William’s profession was now rabbit trapper. In ’71, the couple had six children. William had been promoted to gamekeeper. They still lived at Norton Cottage, Llandaff.
In ’91, at the age of 50, William was living with his son and wife, and working as a collier, in Ystradyfodwg. The population of the town had grown dramatically, from 1363 in 1841, to 69685 in 1891, due to the development of coal mining in the Rhondda Valley.
I can’t locate William in 1891.
In 1911, William and Harriet were living in 64 Diana Street, Cardiff. Both were old-age-pensioners, reflecting the passing of the Old Age Pensions Act in 1908. William died in September 1917, aged 82.
North Nibley One-Place-Study 