Introduction

John Barrett Genge was the grandson of John Barrett, a farmer at Hardington. His mother, Elizabeth, was a teacher at the village school during the 1860s, while his father, John, was a gamekeeper for a time. Despite these advantages, John had an unsettled childhood, losing his father at the age of 6 and his oldest brother at 12. When he was 8, his mother married a farm labourer named William Park, who was only thirteen years older than John. Although William was relatively young, he may have provided some stability for the family, guiding John and his brother, James, towards jobs on the railway, although it is unclear whether they remained in this line of work.

Birth

John, was born at Hardington in 1840, the third child of John and Elizabeth Genge. He was the younger brother of James Barrett Genge.

Parents

John’s mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of John Barrett, a farmer at Hardington Marsh. John’s father, John, initially worked as a weaver and labourer at Hardington before securing a position as a gamekeeper at Staple Fitzpaine in about 1842. Unfortunately, health problems forced John to quit his job and return to Hardington.

Three deaths

John Genge died on 19 October 1846 when John was 8 years old.[1]

When John was 8, his mother married William Park, who was about seventeen years younger than her. William and Elizabeth had two daughters: Rhoda and Maria.

By March 1851, John’s older brother, Francis John, was working on the farm of his grandfather, John Barrett, at Hardington Marsh. Tragically, Francis died from rheumatic pericarditis (inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart) at the age of 17 the following year.[2]

When John was 18, his half-sister, Maria Park, died from influenza.[3]

Stepfather

William Park had a significant influence on the lives of John and his brother, James. By March 1851, the family lived at White Vine, Hardington, where William, James and John worked as farm labourers. By October 1858, William Park had left farm work to become a railway labourer, and James and John followed in his footsteps.[4] By April 1861, the family lived in one of the railway cottages at Hardington Marsh. By that time, both James and John were railway labourers, and James was also a militiaman.

Disappearance

John has not been found after 1861.

References

[1] John Genge’s death certificate.

[2] Francis John Genge’s death certificate.

[3] Maria Elizabeth Park’s death certificate.

[4] William Park was a railroad labourer when he registered the death of Maria Elizabeth on 17 October 1858.