Genealogy Chat

My ancestor Sarah Hutt was a widowed launderess in Loughton, Essex when she became involved in the following incident.

The Times Thursday June 1st 1854 Welch (An Infant) V. Keane. Mr. Serjeant Shee and Mr. J. Browne appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Petersdorff for the defendant. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, a girl only 16 years old, to recover damages for an assault of a most brutal and aggravated nature, committed upon her by the defendant, who resided at Loughton, in Essex and was described by the witnesses as a gentleman of fortune and a Captain in the army. It appeared from the evidence that on the day in question the plaintiff, who had been for some time cohabiting with the defendant, went into the house of a Mrs Hutt, a laundress, at Loughton, in great distress. She appeared to have been dragged about by her hair. She had wounds, as if caused by kicks on her face and body; her teeth were loosened, and she was covered all over with stripes apparently given by with a whip. As surgeon was called in and by his directions she remained in bed for a fortnight, in much pain. The defendant, when accused of having been the author of these injuries, so far from denying the fact, expressed his intention “to do for her yet,” saying at the same time that the plaintiff had been unfaithful to him. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff – damages £100. -------------- I've looked on the 1851 census page for Sarah Hutt (Hull on the census) and I can't find Captain Keane as a neighbour, but I'd love to find out what happened to this low-life. Hopefully he met a grisly end in the Crimea.

Is this him on the 1861? Name: The Honble G D Keane Age: 44 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1817 Relation: Captain Gender: Male Where born: Dieppes, France Civil Parish: Vessels Town: At Sea County/Island: Royal Navy Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: View Image Registration district: Royal Navy Sub-registration district: Royal Navy ED, institution, or vessel: Charybdis Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 1 Household Members: Name Age H Burbigh 29 Wm H Childers 24 The Honble G D Keane 44 Henry Salmond 21 Love the 'HONOURABLE' part :O( Gail

Same man on the 1851 Name: George D Keane Age: 33 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1818 Relation: Visitor Gender: Male Where born: France Civil Parish: Westminster St James County/Island: Middlesex Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Disability: View Image Registration district: St James Westminster Sub-registration district: St Jamess Square ED, institution, or vessel: 9 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 8 Household Members: Name Age Caroline Horwood 31 George D Keane 33 Ake Kennedy 63 Charles A Perris 31 Simpson Ricketts 34 Ann Tagg 65 Ann Tagg 33

There was an H.F. Keane who retired as a Lt. Col. in the army as well

...couldn't have been all bad LOL, defended the Country, got very high rank in the Navy. Here is his career... Surname: Keane , First Names : George Disney, CB (Hon) Date promoted : Vice Adm: 21/03/1878 Rear Adm: 30/04/1873 Captain: 09/07/1855 Commander: 09/11/1846 Lieutenant: 26/12/1840 Rank & Seniority on Retired Lists as: Rear Adm: 30/04/1873 Awards and Qualifications: : ; ; Date awarded Good Service Pension : 08/04/1870 ; Date awarded Pension for Wounds : ; Notes: Grecian, 12, Actions Against Ti-ping Rebels at Shanghai - April 1854 Best regards, Bob

...with second thoughts the original complaint was about an Army Captain, most of these posts are of a decent Navy man. Maybe slighting the wrong fellow here! Bob

The HF Keane who Gail found would appear to be Hussey Fane Keane. If you google his name, you'll see he was a member of the peerage & married for the first time in 1886, at the age of 64 (?) Seems he was the brother of George above. I don't know how Captain compares with Lt Col in the Army. btw Gail, I read your original post as the Horrible, rather than Honble :-)) Angela

Bob's right. It definitely said Army in the article. Anyway, how could anybody with Disney in his name be that bad? I don't think it was Admiral Hon. George Disney Keane (b. 26 Sep 1817, d. 19 Oct 1891) However, his brother is a far more likely candidate: Lt.-Gen. Hon. Hussey Fane Keane (b. 14 Jun 1822, d. 25 Oct 1895) He was in the Royal Engineers. Lt.-Gen. Hon. Hussey Fane Keane was born on 14 June 1822.1 He was the son of Lt.-Gen. Sir John Keane, 1st Baron Keane and Grace Smith.1 He married Lady Isabella Emma Elizabeth FitzMaurice, daughter of Thomas John Hamilton FitzMaurice, 5th Earl of Orkney and Hon. Charlotte Isabella Irby, on 11 January 1886.1 He died on 25 October 1895 at age 73, without issue. Lt.-Gen. Hon. Hussey Fane Keane was invested as a Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.).

I should think you would want to find him.

Perhaps he had a chip on his shoulder!! :-)))) HUSSEY JANE KEANE Pedigree Female -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event(s): Birth: 14 JUN 1822 Christening: 12 JUL 1822 Saint Mary-St Marylebone Road, Saint Marylebone, London, England Death: Burial: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parents: Father: JOHN KEANE Family Mother: GRACE Angela

...yes I checked the same reference site, popped off without leaving any children. So maybe the career in the Royal Engineers left him firing blanks! ..on the other hand of course if he was a womanising philanderer, he could have planted seed in one of your rellies, that would be something LOL! Bob

He was probably only known as Jane at weekends. ;-) If this girl had been co-habiting with him for some time presumably this means that she was 15 or younger when she moved in with him. Grrrr.

Probably Paul :-) I can't find him on any census except 1891, living in Windsor - his wife isn't with him. I presume he must've been abroad. Do you know the first name of the poor girl (OH has Welches in his tree)? Angela

All I have is the article Angela.

Heres Hussy in 1841 Name: Huprey Jane Keane Age: 15 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1826 Gender: Male Civil Parish: Stoke Damerell Hundred: Roborough County/Island: Devon Country: England Street address: Occupation: View Image Registration district: Stoke Damerel Sub-registration district: St Aubyn Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Huprey Jane Keane 15 View Original Record View original image View blank form Save This Record Attach this record to a person in your tree as a source record, or save for later evaluation. Save Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece 274; Book: 7; Civil Parish: Stoke Damerell; County: Devon; Enumeration District: Frederick Square Barracks; Folio: 2; Page: 1; Line: 3; GSU roll: 241334.

The court case took place in 1844. As Bob has found out, the naval chappie wasn't promoted to Captain until 1855. So we can safely remove him from Paul's hit list :-) Terry

Terence, the court case was 1854!

...I have had a good look for Welch females, several of the right in Devon about the time our blackguard would have been there, a rich, spoilt military teenage youth , especially around Devonport. Here’s my theory.... He is packed off to soldier as young man, probably Barracks in London before being shipped abroad. Two young loves from the wrong side of each others fence, she moves to the smoke to be with him, after all what was in Devon for a flighty young girl at the time! He comes back from his first engagements having stayed true to his flirty serving girl, finds that she has been putting it about.... very naughty, he applies rule of thumb, smacks her about a bit, pays the price, he lives happily ever after, only £100 light. She then marries into her class, while carrying his baby, all of us plebs pay the price..... sooner or later. Hmmm! Bob

Sorry Paul - finger trouble :-) But the dates still take the navy guy out of the picture. Terry