Where in Wareham? Galton and Stockley.

[June Horsham]

I thought that it might be the cottages that I have highlighted.

Roy

[Paul Caswell]

Thanks Roy, that fits very well with the narrative.

Paul

[RRYFS]

Hi Paul - long time!

I struggled with this, but found the Stockleys (Charles, Martha, James, "Albacon", Emma and Fanny) in 1861, but no Galtons. The Stockleys are the last household on the Ridge schedule. In 1851, the Galtons are there as you say (but only George, Sophia, Harriet and George) on one page, but then on the following page are the "Hockleys" -  Charles, Martha, John, Charles, Levi, James and "Alben". The Galtons are the 2nd household from the start, and the "Hockleys" the 4th from the end, with 8 households in between - if any of that means anything at all! It doesn't really look as if they were next door, though.

The cottages you have picked out, on what is now Barnhill Road look fairly spread out on the map and don't really equate to the description in the report, though I see that the date on the map is 1890, so they may have fallen down by then! When you read a description like this, you begin to understand why some of the large Dorset estates spent the 60s demolishing their cottages whenever they could get the tenants out.

Interestingly enough, I examine the accounts of Arne Parish Council, which includes Ridge.

Richard

[Paul Caswell]

Hi Richard,

Great to hear from you again, and thanks for the hard work. This all seems to fit as well as I could expect, bearing in mind we are going back 150+ years.

I doubt I will find anywhere better and as it is unlikely to be provable one way or another I am happy to stick with Roy's estimate on where and your finds of the Galtons near the "Hockley"s as confirmation I have the right family. It all fits together nicely so I will mark this in my tree as "most likely".

Thanks again all for your work.

Paul

[Paul Caswell]

There is more to the story if anyone wishes it. Next the writer visits Stoborough and is quite scathing about the state of it.

... To do justice to the filthy aggregate of human dwellings passing under that name is scarcely possible. There are hardly half a dozen houses in it fit to be inhabited. ... The street, on either side, is one line of dung and ash heaps. The cottages, which seem to be centuries old, have a dangerous and tumbledown look about them ...

A few miles on he visits a Keates family (another 'common' name in the area). Later he moves on to Corfe Castle.

Paul

[June Horsham]

Paul,

Does he comment on Corfe Castle and elsewhere on Purbeck?  I am interested as some of my family come from that area, particularly the Balsons, Balstons.

Roy

[Paul Caswell]

Not in this document I'm afraid Roy. Searching the whole 19th century newspaper collection for 'Corfe' and 'Balson/Balston' brings up no hits of interest. Sorry. 

Paul

[June Horsham]

Thanks for looking Paul.

Roy