John
(Barrenger) Ballinger was born circa 1813 in Kensington, London. He was a
whitesmith, aged 29 when he appeared in the Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court)
on 5th July 1841 charged with burglary and stealing tools from a Mr. Leach
of Marlboro Street. An informant, Duncan Lang, had asked him to make
the keys.
John
had appeared before the court twice previously. He had been imprisoned for
two months on a charge of vagrancy, and served another two months on suspicion
of burglary.
John
received a life sentence. He left Woolwich aboard "Isabella" on
29th January 1842 and arrived in Hobart 21st May 1842.
On
arrival the ship's surgeon stated that John was generally well-behaved during
the journey, other .
John's
convict record states that he was 29 years of age, protestant and able to
read and write. .
On
arrival the ship's surgeon stated that John had been generally well-behaved
throughout the journey.
John
was classified as Class 3, the period of primary probation he had to serve
was 2� years, which was to be spent at Browns River (Kingston) convict
depot, he worked as a blacksmith.
On
the 12th June 1843 John's first offence since arrival was marked on his conduct
record. He was caught communicating with and begging from persons passing
the works depot an consequently had to serve one month hard labour in chains.
On
1st February 1843 he was "disobedient of orders" and sentenced to
24 hours in solitary confinement.
Misconduct
in having 3 files and other articles in his possession on 29th July
caused John to serve another thirty days hard labour in chains.
On
21st December 1844 John had served his period of primary probation, and left
the confines of the convict depot to serve the rest of his sentence.
He
was sent to Cleveland to work and reported in at the police barracks
on 29th January 1845, two months later he was sent to Launceston.
On
5th April 1845 idleness and neglect of work caused John to serve another 14
days in solitary confinement.
John
applied for his Ticket of Leave on 11th July 1849, the request was refused.
There is only one more offence cited on John's convict record, on 19th December
1849 he was charged with misconduct in riding on his bullock cart on a public
road, John served another seven days in solitary confinement.
John
was sent to work for J Powell of Morven in November 1849 and then on
April 1850 he was assigned Jane Jordan of Patterson's Plains.
John
received his Ticket of Leave on 30th April 1852, five months later he was
recommended for a conditional pardon, he was granted the pardon was approved
21st June 1853.
He
used the surname Barrenger and gave his age as 42 (he was actually 48) when
he married Jessie Dale (17 year old daughter of Samuel
Dale and Ann Watkins) in the Catholic church at Launceston on 26th October
1861.
Jessie
and John had six children
between 1861 and 1873, by 1876 their marriage had apparently broken down,
Jessie gave birth to the first of seven children
she was to bear to George Claxton.
John
"Barrenger" died in Launceston on 22nd May 1897.
On
1st September 1898 Jessie Barrenger (nee Dale) married George Claxton.