Dr John Bellyse The Younger
1786 to 20 December 1860
BEL00003
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Dr John Bellyse, of Dorfold, Nantwich, and of Audlem, founder of the Waterloo
Cup for coursing, mentioned by Nimrod in the Chace, the Road, and the Turf,
born 1774, married Hannah (who died 23 August 1851), eldest daughter of Richard
Dod Baker, of Highfields, Audlem, and died 2 December 1850, having had issue. (Burke, John and Burke, Sir Bernard (1836)(Eighteenth Edition, 1972), Bellyse Baker of
Highfields in Burke’s Landed Gentry, Volume 3, pages
35 to 38).
However his monumental record at Audlem
church records his date of death as 20 December 1860 (see below).
1786
John Bellyse, the son of John and
Sarah (nee Hayward) Bellyse (BEL00002) was
born in or about 1786 in Audlem. According to Burke’s, he was born in 1774, but
the census records suggest he was born in about 1786 or 1787 (Census records).
1808
John Bellyse married Hannah Baker
(BAK00101)
on 27 September 1808 at Mucklestone, Staffordshire
after eloping (Muckleston Parish Records).
The elopement reimagined using
artificial intelligence
The old man’s son, the second Dr
Bellyse, inherited his father’s passion for coursing and, before he retired to Dorfield Cottage, always kept greyhounds. The young man’s
marriage caused tongues to wag in the district when he eloped with Hannah Baker
from Highfields. They went no further than was necessary and were married at Mucklestone Church. The following morning, having read the
farewell letter, Richard Baker her father, decided that a visit to the old
cockfighter would not go amiss. He found the gentleman reading by the open
window and expressed himself with some force on the subject
of the good doctor’s son. Bellyse waited for a period of silence before
observing “the gander’s as good as the goose, sir” and returned to his book”. (Audlem, The History of a
Cheshire Parish and its five townships,
1997)
John Cockfighting Bellyse’s
son's entry into the Baker family was not without colour. He eloped with
Richard's daughter, Hannah, in the time approved manner. She climbed from the
bedroom window and they departed by post chaise. The
following morning, having read her farewell letter, Richard set forth to the
doctor’s abode, the house now occupied by Dr Thornton. He came upon Bellyse
sitting reading by his open window and, not unnaturally, expressed himself with
some force on the subject of the good doctor's son,
John. Bellyse waited for a period of silence before observing, “The ganders as
good as the goose, Sir”, and returned to his book. Peace was restored, Richard
giving the newlyweds a rather fine inlaid coffer. When Canon Bellyse retired as
vicar of Audlem, he very kindly returned it to Highfields! John followed his
father in the practise; his son, Richard Baker Bellyse, remembered on the
monument in Audlem Square, was the third and last Dr Bellyse of Audlem. John
also inherited his father's love of sport. He was one of the founders of the
Waterloo Cup and is depicted in the well
known print of the first meeting. (Baker, J Bellyse
(1982), Highfields,
Audlem: Sixteenth Century Home of the Dod and Baker Families, Audlem
District History Society, page 19).
Bellyse’s son, John, eloped with
Hannah, the daughter of Richard Dod Baker, then master of Highfields, in time
approved fashion. The lady climbed from the bedroom window and the pair made
off by post chaise. Peace between the families was quickly restored. Three
generations of the Bellyse family served the people of Audlem as their family
doctors. (Nantwich Chronicle, 9 December
1982)
1812
Dr John Bellyse the
Younger undertook a post mortem after a gruesome
murder at Hankelow on the night of 12 April 1812 (Audlem,
The History of a Cheshire Parish and its five townships,
1997). There
was a gruesome murder on the night of 12 April 1812 of George Morrey at his
farm, now the site of Hanke low Court. Neighbours heard the noise of a struggle and his body was found on the bed in an upstairs room
lying on an axe with his throat cut. A razor was found in a pond outside. The
initial investigation was by William Dooley, the parish constable and John
Groom, an attorney. John Lomas, a servant and lover of Morrey’s wife was
arrested and taken to Chester Castle. The post mortem
was undertaken by Dr John Bellyse Junior and an inquest was held in the White
Lion. John Lomas and Edith Morrey were both convicted at Cheshire and John
Lomas was hanged. Edityh was pregnant and she was
executed in April 1813 after the birth of the boy. (Latham F A, Editor
(1997), Audlem, The History of a Cheshire Parish and its five townships,
Local History Group, page 43). There
were doubts about the conviction, which are the subject of Neild, Maureen
(1993), The Rope Dance.
1827
(Chester Chronicle, 21 September 1827)
1828
A surgeon (July 1828 and 7 June
1841)
Dorfold Cottage, Nantwich, Cheshire
Sandy Lane, Audlem
1837
John lived at Sandy Lane, Audlem (Electoral Register)
The celebrated Dr Bellyse was
referred to regarding four handicapped horses in a race at Newcastle under Lyme
(Nimrod (1837), The Chace, the
Turf and the Road, page
168).
1841
1841 Census, Sandy Lane, Mount Pleasant,
Audlem
John Bellyse, 50, surgeon
Richard Bellyse, 30, surgeon
Hannah Bellyse, 55
Louisa Bellyse, 15
Eliza Bellyse, 10
1851
1851 Census – Sandy Lane, Audlem
John Bellyse, head, 64, surgeon
general practitioner, born in Audlem
Hannah
Bellyse, 64
Richard B Bellyse,
41
Eliza Belize,
grand-daughter, 19
Mary Clarke, Servant,
50
Harriot
Reeves, 20, servant
1860
Hannah Bellyse died, aged 74, on
20 December 1860 and is buried at St James’ Churchyard, Audlem (Monumental Record, Find
a Grave Index). He was buried on 26
December 1860 at Audlem (Audlem Parish Records). There is an obituary in the Manchester Courier and
Lancashire General Advertiser, 29 December 1860, page 11. Bellyse John. Effects under
£450. 17 April. The Will of John Bellyse formerly of Audlem but late of Dorfield Cottage in the Parish of Acton both in the County
of Chester Surgeon deceased who died 20 December 1860 at Dorfield
Cottage aforesaid was proved at Chester by the oaths of Richard Baker Bellyse
of Audlem aforesaid Surgeon Edwin Swinfen Bellyse of Nantwich in the said
County MD and Frederick Chetwode Hoskins Bellyse of
Audlem aforesaid Gentleman the son and the Executors (Probate Record).
1862
(Chester Chronicle, 6 September 1862)