GIL(L) BAD(D)ELEY

Photographs by David Stuckey with permission of Simon Weeks, Friends of Walpole Old Chapel

By May 1759, Gil was apprenticed to Nathaniel Buck, a surgeon of Ipswich - and fellow member of the Walpole Independent Chapel - and after completing his apprenticeship, he practised as a surgeon in Ipswich. On 13 December 1764, Gil married MARY MAY the daughter of gentleman landowner GEORGE MAY, holder of the Creping Hall Manor, Stutton, Suffolk, who had died in February 1764. The marriage took place at St Mary le Tower church, Ipswich - a fact the Ipswich Journal of the day reported with the additional information that Miss May is "an accomplish'd young Lady with a very handsome Fortune".

Gil and Mary Badeley had two daughters named at the Presbyterian Old Meeting House, St Nicholas Street, Ipswich – Mary May in 1766 and Sophia in 1767 – before moving to Norwich, St Martin at Palace Plain and St Giles. Several other children were born in Norwich and Ashwellthorpe and all baptised (and buried) at the Old Meeting House Independent at Colegate, Norwich - picture below.

Sarah born 24 October 1769, baptised 30 October 1769, buried 9 November 1769; Gill born 4 October 1770, baptised 14 October 1770, buried 24 October 1770; Henry Bacon born 3 October 1771, baptised 26 October 1771, buried 7 November 1771; Rebekah born 27 May 1773, baptised 26 June 1773; Jemima baptised 28 October1775, buried 19 January 1776; Gill born 13 July 1777, baptised 25 July 1777, buried 3 April 1779

Gil Badeley and his wife Mary owned Canal House between 1770 and 1778 but there is very little recorded history of his involvement in the parish. He was appointed an Overseer of the Poor for Ashwellthorpe for the year 1772 to administer relief (e.g. money, food, clothing) to those of the parish in need under the Poor Relief Acts in law at the time; he would also collect the poor rate, a local tax paid by householders and some tenants. He also attended the meetings to appoint Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor in 1776.

He sold the Canal House Estate to Mr Joseph Kiddle in 1778 for £2,400 - the lowest calculation of worth in today's money is £238,000 rising to several millions taking different factors into account!

It seems Gil and Mary Badeley remained in Norfolk, probably Norwich, until about 1791 during which time he played a full life in the Norwich city establishment. On Guild Day in June 1787 when a new Mayor of Norwich was sworn in, the Norfolk Chronicle reported that to the Mayor Elect, Aldermen and Common Council at Norwich Cathedral Mr Badeley "saluted the body in an elegant Latin oration as they passed by the Free School on their return to the Guildhall, where, after being sworn into his office with the usual ceremonies, the Mayor addressed the Court".

Drawings of Annual Guild Day Norwich 1705 on Library of Congress website – no known restrictions on publication

Gil and Mary Badeley left Norfolk by 1791 although keeping some contact with East Anglia as he had inherited, via his wife Mary, the Lordship of the Manor of Creping Hall, Stutton, Suffolk, from her father, and had to purchase a certificate each year to enable the shooting of game. So, with their children Mary May, Sophia and Rebekah, they took up residence in Bath and by November of that year Gill Badeley had become the Chairman of a meeting of the subscribers – a position he held for several years - to the Bath New Assembly Rooms to "take into consideration some Regulations relative to the admission of Company to the Dress Balls and other Amusements of these Rooms….." reported the Bath Chronicle. He and his wife played a prominent part in the social and institutional life of Bath for the next two decades.

Daughter Rebekah who had been born in Ashwellthorpe, married a Peter O'Malley Esq. of Prospect, County Galway, on 22 January 1801 at St Swithin, Walcot, Bath – this marriage was reported in the Ipswich Journal. Their eldest daughter, Mary May, married John Marke Esq. of Liskeard, Cornwall at St Michael Archangel, Lyme Regis, Dorset on 27 September 1804.

Gil Baddeley died at his home 7 Oxford Row, Bath on 26 November 1815 aged 70 and was buried at All Saints' Church, Woolley, Bath; he had the most glowing obituary in the Bath Journal:

"On Sunday, died at his house in Oxford Row, Gill Badeley Esq. after a long and very painful illness, which he endured with the most patient resignation. Mr Badeley was a truly valuable member of society; of uncorrupt integrity himself, he abhorred every kind of imposition of fraud, public or private; and was highly serviceable to many persons, by enabling them to resist practices of such nature. He was particularly skilled in the management of trusts and executorships, which he discharged with the utmost disinterested and honourable fidelity. The loss of such a character may be considered as a public misfortune, and will not be easily supplied.

His wife Mary died on 30 August 1821aged 83, leaving a "most desirable and substantial-built dwelling house being No. 7 in that eligible and airy situation of Oxford Row and within one minute's walk of the Upper Assembly Rooms" , stated the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette. Gil and Mary Badeley's unmarried daughter Sophia was the sole Executrix of her mother's Will signed on 4 July that year. There followed auctions of both the Badeley property at 7 Oxford Row, including shares in the Old Bath Fire Office (a "well-established and profitable" insurance company) on the 21 November 1821 and "All the extremely neat and useful household furniture, pier and chimney glasses, eight-day bracket clock, china, glass, plate, plated ware, a few books, linen, a few fine prints and other effect" on the following day.