Banting Family Hambledon Hampshire UK 1790-92

The first Banting to put in an appearance to the Hambledon parish records was the baptism of William in 1792.

• His parents John Banting b.1750c and Ann (possibly Ann Scarlett but we are not certain), were living in the hamlet of Clanville, close to Weyhill, itself a village close to the town of Andover.
• They already had 6 children born in Clanville and Weyhill, of whom only 3 had survived to make the move south with them. Harriot b.1779, Charles b.1786 and George b.1790.
• George was baptised in Clanville in 1790, his brother William was baptised in Hambledon in 1792, so they made the move between these 2 years

Weyhill was home to one of the most important fairs in the country in regards to the number of sheep sold, as well as being renowned for the hops and ale it also sold.

It found it’s way into the stories and songs of it’s time and it’s history makes for fascinating reading.

The question therefore is, why leave?

What drove John and Ann to up sticks and move a distance of 35 miles and 11hours walk?

• The fair brought employment and money to the area, see the article that tells how the Corporation of Andover, coveted the revenue the fair raised.
• We know John was a labourer and therefore had little money. Did he travel to an area that was totally unknown to him to seek better employment opportunities or did he have family in the area?

• The children of John and Ann, were born into a Britain where massive change was taking place, the agricultural revolution had led to improvements in production but enclosure had put real pressure on the rural poor.
• The Industrial Revolution added to their misery as factories and mass production ended the role of cottage industries, the ‘second’ income for the agricultural labourer.
• The boom in cotton and the decline of wool and hence the revenue from sheep, plus, the economic burden of the war with France it’sresulting depression and one can find reasons galore why John and Ann may have been driven to move.

But why choose Hambledon?

Another post on Hambledon history may give a clue to this…