Person:George Biley (1)

George Biley claimed to have been born around 1815 at Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, although no birth or baptism record has yet been found for him. His first confirmed sighting is in 1841, when he was living on Hockliffe Road with his father William and a woman of similar age to his father called Ann Biley, who may therefore have been his mother. George was working as an agricultural labourer.

In 1843, George was married to Harriet Webb at St Leonard's church at Heath, which at that time was a chapelry within the parish of Leighton Buzzard, later becoming a separate parish (as Heath and Reach) in 1866. They settled on Hockliffe Road in Leighton Buzzard and appear to have had at least nine children together. In the 1851 census they also had George's widowed father William living with them. George generally described himself as a agricultural labourer, although on a couple of occasions he was more specific and described himself as a shepherd.

Harriet died on 23rd October 1873 at Hockliffe Road, aged 51.

Just under two years later, George remarried. His second wife was a widow called Eliza Linney, formerly Hickinbottom, whose first husband had died in 1871. They appear together in the 1881 census. George died shortly after the 1881 census. Eliza survived him by about nine years.

1. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 5; Book 21; Folio 4; Page 3, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   William Biley, male, 65 [1771-6], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   Ann Biley, female, 60 [1776-81], born in county
   George Biley, male, 25 [1811-16], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county
   James Biley, male, 20 [1816-21], Ag[ricultural] Lab[ourer], born in county

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1756; Folio 170; Page 4, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   George Biley, head, married, male, 35 [1815/16], Farm Labourer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Harriet Biley, wife, married, female, 28 [1822/3], b Heath, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 10 [1840/1], Straw Plait Maker, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   William Biley, son, unmarried, male, 7 [1843/4], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ann Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 5 [1845/6], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Biley, daughter, female, 2 [1848/9], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Emma Biley, daughter, female, 1mo [1851], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   William Biley, father, widower, male, 77 [1773/4], Farm Labourer (Shepherd), b. Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire

3. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1006; Folio 36; Page 26, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   George Biley, head, married, male, 45 [1815/16], Agric[ultura]l Laborer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Harriett Biley, wife, married, female, 38 [1822/3], Agric[ultura]l Laborer Wife, b. Heath & Reach, Bedfordshire
   Ann Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 15 [1845/6], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 12 [1848/9], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Emma Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 10 [1840/1], Straw Plaiter, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   James Biley, son, male, 8 [1852/3], Scholar, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Jos[ep]h Biley, son, male, 6 weeks [1861], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1562; Folio 62 & 63; Page 30 & 31, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   George Biley, head, married, male, 50 [1820/1], Shepherd, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Harriett Biley, wife, married, female, 46 [1824/5], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Emily Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 20 [1850/1], Straw Plaier, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   James Biley, son, unmarried, male, 18 [1852/3], Labourer, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Joseph Biley, son, unmarried, male, 10 [1860/1], Scholar, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Ellen L. Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 3 [1867/8], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Biley, daughter, unmarried, female, 2mo [1871], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1641; Folio 99; Page 38, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   George Biley, head, married, male, 70 [1810/1], Shepherd, b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
   Eliza Biley, wife, married, female, 65 [1815/6], b. Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. George BILEY, June Quarter 1881, Leighton Buzzard Registration District, Volume 3b, page 235, aged 69 [1811/12]