You will see from the family tree drawn up by my late father that we trace our family line to George Baldrey through his youngest son Charles, then his son Percy who was my paternal grandfather. You will notice that my father showed Charles as having been born in London in 1840 so presumably his mother paid visits to England while his father George flatly refused to do so. I attach copies of all the documents that I have that relate to George and his descendants with my notes on each generation.
I have been trying to reconcile the information contained in Caroline Speake's notes on her family.
She has George Baldrey's birth as 1822 which is clearly incorrect However, much of her information agrees with ours, but was George buried in Fort St George or in St Mary's Cemetery. As George was born in 1802 the king must have been Geo III not Geo IV who became Prince Regent in 1811 and King in 1820. In 1811 George Baldrey was 9 years old and maybe a bit big to be bounced on the king's knee.
The Robert BaIdrey mentioned by her as Charles Baldrey's son must have been my Grandfather Percy's elder brother who was mentioned as the oldest male member of the family in the press article of 1891 on George BaIdrey. So we have names of two of Charles' seven sons - Robert and Percy - and his surviving daughter - FIorence. Was he still fathering chiIdren (Beryl) in 1909 after his brother Percy stopped with my father in 1904? I note that the grave reveals that Jane died in 1870.
GEORGE BALDRY
Born at Windsor, Berks. Based on his age at date of death he was born 23.4.1802.
Married 22.12.1823 to Jane Jones at Wallajabad. (This was confirmed in a letter from Rev. P.B. David, Chaplain to the Bishop of Madras, on October 8th 1953)) Jane was born at Cardiff in 1805.
Died 30.11.1869 aged 67 years 7 months 7 days at Madras
Buried St. Mary's, Madras. No record of Jane's date of death.
Garrison Sgt. Major, Fort St. George, Madras
Children: Must have had several but only Charles Thomas Alfred Baldrey is known to us as he is shhown in his obituary and also on his son Percy's Birth Certificate. Charles was born in 1840 some 17 years into his parent's marriage. A Robert Baldrey is mentioned as the oldest male representative of the family in the article in the "Madras Weekly Mail" 24.9.1891 (see this link) which gives an account of George's life but does not name his parentage
In the Family Tree compiled by Cyril Baldrey, Charles is shown as having been born in London in 1840. All accounts of George's life make out that he never returned to England but did Janr do so or is this incorrect?
From: Commonwealth Relations Office, King Charles Street, London S.W.1 21st December 1953
to: C. S. Baldrey Esq, P.O.Box 315, Limbe, Nyasaland, British Central Africa (Nyasaland is now Malawi)
Dear Sir, In reply to your letter or the 27th October addressed to the War Office, which has been forwarded to this office by the Public Record Office, the following is all the information concerning George Baldrey that can be traced among the records preserved. here.
I very much regret that no information concerning his parentage and date of birth is traceable here.
George Baldrey, St. Major 17th Regt. or Chicocole L.I., bach., and Jane Jones, Spinster, were married at Wallajabad on 22nd December 1823. (MAD: 9/121 )
George Baldrey
Born: Windsor, Berks., (no date given) Enlisted: Westminster 21st March 1820 for Madras Infantry, aged 17 years.
Embarked: for Madras on ship "General Harris" on 22nd February 1821.
Transferred to Madras Artillery.
Gunner: 2nd Battn. Artillery, 1st January 1837, aged 35.
George Baldrey
Born: Windsor, Berks., (no date given) Enlisted:
Westminster 21st March 1820 for Madras Infantry, aged
17 years.
Embarked: for Madras on ship "General Harris" on 22nd February 1821.
Transferred to Madras Artillery.
Gunner: 2nd Battn. Artillery, 1st January 1837, aged 35.
Transferred to Effective Supernumeraries November 1838. Sergt. Major: 1839.
Cantonment Sergt. Major: 1842.
Garrison Sergt. Major: Volunteered to General Service 1861, Died at Fort St. George 30 November 1869, age given as 66 years.
George Baldrey also appears in the Army Lists as. Sub-Conductor 1825, and as Conductor 1832. An entry of burial at St. Mary's, Madras on the 1st December 1869 shows George Baldrey as aged 67 years 7 months 7 days Garrison Sergt. Major; Fort St. George, when he died on 30 November 1869 (MAD : 50/252).
A fee of 5s. 0d (including postage) is chargeable for the search and it is requested that this amount may be forwarded to me in due course. Yours faithfully, J R Lloyd Superintendent of Records.
CHARLES BALDREY
From the "Madras Mail" 18/9/1891
We regret to report the death last night, at the General Hospital, of Mr. Charles Baldrey, from paralysis of the brain, at the comparatively early age of 51 years.
The late Mr. Baldrey was the younger son of the late Sereant Major George Baldrey, who about 25 years ago held the post of Garrison Sergeant Major in Fort St. George.
In his youth he went to sea and returning to Madras after some years, obtained an appointment in the Engineering Department of the Madras Railway. In 1868 Lord Napier, the then Governor of Madras, secured for the deceased a post in the Government Lithography Department, where he remained till about 10 years ago, when he was appointed as Superintendent of the Tank Restoration Branch of the Public Works Department. illegible and then joined the Public Works Secretariat as Superintendaent of the Technicality, an appointment he held at the time of his death. For some time the late Mr. Baldrey's health has been bad, and he was compelled to go on leave on medical certificate. The death of his daughter, about a month ago, from cholera tended to make him worse and on Sunday last he was taken to the General Hospital for treatment where he quietly passed away at 9 o'clock last night. Th deceased leaves a widow, well known in musical circles as a high class pinaiste and a teacher of music, and eight children, 1 girl and 7 boys. The remains of the deceased were interred this evening at the General Cemetery, Perambore Barracks Road.
