Walter Geary. Head Water Bailiff at Broadlands Estate, Romsey

[JohnCH]

Walter (1891 - 1971) was my grandfather and I should like to know of anyone who can remember him  in the Romsey area for research I am doing about his life. He was a great character and I feel sure he will be remembered by some.
He married Florence Wheeler, who died in 1948. They had two children Joanne and Ron and lived at The Causeway alongside the River Test at Romsey. Walter became Head Water Bailiff on the Mountbatten Estate at Broadlands. His time there spanned fifty years (he retired with a B.E.M. in 1963).  In the photograph Walter Geary is fishing with BBC broadcaster Franklyn Englemann (foreground) on the River Test near Middle Bridge where he had a fishing hut. Walter became quite a legend! Please leave a message if you can kindly help my research.

With thanks.  JohnCH.

[Orielbenfro]

Could your Walter Geary have been the grandson of George Frederick Geary of Romsey. If so my wife is descended from this line back through Charles, Jack and James in Michelmarsh.
Oral history always was that the Geary's had worked Broadlands.
George's daughter Kate Emma Geary would marry Edwin Wyndham Thomas At Alverstoke. Their son Edwin Wyndham Davis Thomas mrd Clara Mary Boobyer at Tenby the daughter of William Boobyer and Mary Ann Oriel.
Interested in mutual assistance.
Rgds
Orielbenfro
ORIEL a welsh window on a surname

[JohnCH]

Thank you so much for your reply. Maybe this will help. Walter, my grandfather was the son of John, a master thatcher and Sarah Geary (nee Vane).  Sarah was born at Michelmersh. John Geary, who was initially from Kings Somborne and later lived in Brook died in 1911 and Sarah his wife in 1944. Walter had a brother, William George (b. 1887). I think George was the name he was known by. But what happened to him I have been unable to find out.  He married Emily Topping and had two daughters. Does any of this tally with your information? When Walter was alive I was still quite young and not so interested to enquire about these things then, and never heard much about his side of the family.

[Sue Yorks]

Hi, I have just noticed your article on Walter Geary, really interesting.  Walter's mother, Sarah (nee Vane) was my 2nd cousin twice removed, hence Walter would have been my 3rd cousin once removed!

I note that you have Sarah's death being in 1948.  I have tried to find the registration of her death but as yet have had no luck whatseoever.  Did she remarry after the death of John?  Could you possibly tell me where she died?

Sadly I can't really add to the information you have regarding Walter, he sounds like a real character though.  My own father (Leslie G T Vane) would have defiinitely known of him though, dad was water bailiff and gamekeeper for the Humbert estate at Kimbridge near Romsey.

I guess you have the info. on Walter's brother William George (b.1887), his marriage and children etc.

Hoping to hear from you,

Kind regards,
Sue

[JohnCH]

Hi Sue. Thank you so much for your interesting reply. I have posted more questions about Sarah Vane on the Hampshire section and have also posted the newspaper report of her burial. No, she never remarried and I think she died at Romsey. Walter lost his 93 year-old mother and his wife Florence [57]  in 1948.
Do you perchance have any photographs of the family from around that time? Sarah was buried at Kings Somborne graveyard in an unmarked place. Regarding William George and his family, I have been completely unable to find out anything at all and I never met, or heard anything about them. I should love to hear anything you have please? Grateful thanks for your contact. I shall willingly answer any further questions. Best regards.  John.

[Sue Yorks]

Hi John,

Many thanks for getting back to me so quickly, it is greatly appreciated.  The newspaper article on Sarah is brilliant, nice to add to my tree.  She certainly lived to a great age, she must have been quite a strong lady, I imagine life wouldn't have been easy for her and John.

I am guessing that you are the John that also has his tree on Ancestry...would I be right?  I have my tree on there also.

As a matter of interest, I am connected to the Geary family twice, John's brother Thomas married my 2nd cousin 3 times removed, Ellen Louisa Wren.

I am going to have a dig around and see what info. I can find on William George, I guess you already know that he married Emily E Topp in 1912 and as far as I can tell he had 2 daughters, Winifred born 1914 and Phyllis in 1922 in the Stockbridge RD.  I assume the 8 year difference in the ages between the girls was due to WW1.

I will let you know if I find anything else that might be of interest to you.

Kind regards,
Sue

[Sue Yorks]

Hi again John,

Just been looking for the registration of Sarah, however the one I have found is in 1944........Mar 1944 Romsey 2c 117, age 90.  I have trawled through from 1944 to 1950 and that is the only one.

regards,
Sue

[JohnCH]

Hi again Sue.

Thank you so much for that new information about William George's family. I knew none of that and have always wondered. I now recall Walter going to Stockbridge from time to time - he normally never travelled anywhere - and so he must have been visiting. The name Winifred and Phyllis are also familiar from the occasional mention, but I never knew who they were. No, I have never heard of Emily either, so that is very helpful, thank you.

I don't suppose you know anything about the occupation of WG. or when he died?  Would Phyllis or Winifred still be living? I suppose it is possible. I believe the Gearys originally came from Ireland - does that tally with your research?

Yes I have small a tree on Ancestry and probably a more relevent one on Genes United. Perhaps you'd like to see them.

I believe that your 1944 date must be the correct one, as there are unlikely to be two Sarah Gearys and I cannot recall where I got my 1948 date from. It may have become muddled up with Walter's wife's death - as these things do.

I am really MOST grateful for all your help and have learned such a lot from your information so far.  Kind regards,  John.

[Sue Yorks]

Hi John,

Regarding Winfred and Phyllis, the ony information so far is that Winifred married Albert E Stapley in 1938 under the Winchester RD and Phyllis married William Dodds in 1946, also in the Winchester RD.  As yet I have found no children for either marriage however I shall look later.

I believe William George's wife, Emily Elizabeth Topp, was  born in Andover in 1888.

Hope this is helpful.

Sue