The 1881 census lists them at the same address, but by 1891 they had moved to 51 High Street, Barnstaple in Devon and they did not change their address in the next ten years. However Henry left the building trade as he was a German yeast agent in 1891 and continued to work at this until at least 1901, when the census shows him being a worker at home. He died in 1903 in Barnstaple.
They had six children, all born in Swansea - Sarah Ann in 1860 who married in 1877 in Swansea, Thomas in 1865, George two years later, Elizabeth Jane in 1869, Minnie Louisa in autumn 1872, and lastly Harry in the winter of 1874. Thomas and George moved to Bristol before 1891 to work, but Elizabeth Jane died when she was three years old. Minnie probably moved to Barnstaple with her parents and became a dressmaker, working for herself sometime after 1891, and was still single in 1901. Harry also went to Barnstaple with his parents and was a telegraph messenger in 1891.
There were no children and the marriage did not last long as they were separated by 1891 with George living at 20 Peter Street, very near to Avon Street when the census was taken. He was sharing, or possibly living with, a 26 year old nurse called Elizabeth Andrews from Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. In all there were 18 people living at that address in 4 households.
Isabella does not appear to be listed in that census but in September of that year Isabella was living in Kingsmead Square according to newspaper reports on the death of her sister-in-law Hannah, who was judged to have been murdered by her husband, Harry Dainton. George was in the Royal United Hospital in Bath in 1901 and died shortly afterwards, which allowed Isabella to remarry before the end of 1901.
They had moved by the time the 1891 census was taken, but only a few yards to a cottage in the rear of 21 Milk Street which was a street which ran parallel to Avon Street. Hannah did not have an occupation at that time, according to the census. Unfortunately she did not live long, and her later married life, at least, was not a happy one.
She was found drowned in the River Avon near Green Park about a quarter of a mile from her home on the 8th September 1891 when aged just 35 and was buried in the dissenters section of Locksbrook cemetery. An inquest was held on the 11th September and the cause of death was given as 'Drowning in the River Avon on Tuesday 8th September 1891. Wilful Murder against Henry Dainton'.
Harry had only been released from gaol five days before after being sentenced for beating Hannah and only five months before had been before the magistrates for a similar offence, apparently the third or fourth time that this had occurred. Harry was tried for murder at Wells Assizes on Tuesday the 24th November 1891. The jury took 12 minutes to reach the verdict without even leaving the court and he was found guilty after a trial lasting a whole day. Not surprising as both the coroner at the inquest and the judge at the assize virtually told the juries what the verdict should be.
Three weeks later Harry was hanged by James Billington on Tuesday 15th December 1891. Most of the evidence was circumstantial so it is possible that the death was an accident as no one, except probably Harry, actually saw Hannah die.
They had six children. Alfred Henry Dainton was born on the 16th December 1877, almost exactly seven months after his parents married. He was working for Mr Pratley, a fishmonger in Southgate Street, in 1891 and saw his father shortly after his mother died and gave evidence at the trial. Because of this he was bullied by other boys and Mr Pratley adopted him and later on he was sent to Canada and was living at Wallaceburg in July 1894.
Charles William Dainton, "Charlie", was born 2 years later on the 1st November 1879 and the third son, George Thomas followed in 1881, probably after the census in March. George was sent to Canada by the Dr. Barnardo's Homes and was living in Ontario in 1902. An entry in 'Ups and Downs' published by Barnardo's in Toronto in 1902 says that George Thomas C Dainton was awarded a medal for six years service in one situation.
Then followed the first girl - Elizabeth who was born in the second quarter of 1884 and was living at the Blind, Deaf and Dumb School, 8 & 9 Walcot Street, Bath in 1891. The census entry says that she was blind from childhood, (at age 7!). The matron of the school was Juliet Peebles Harrison, age 45, from Suffolk and there were 2 governesses - Fanny M New, 30, from Langley, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire; and Mary Ann Hawkes, 33, from Stamford Hill, Middlesex. There was also a cook, parlour maid, house maid and an organist / teacher in residence. In all there were 28 inmates of both sexes aged from 7 to 20. Elizabeth died in the winter of 1894, probably still living at the school.
The last two children were Edward in 1885 and Ellen who was only 3 when made an orphan. Edward was sent to Canada to work on a farm like his elder brothers, probably before 1901 and Ellen ended up in Mullers Orphanage, Ashley Down, Horsfield, Bristol, possibly being sent there just after her parents died.
His wife continued to live in the house until one of the heaviest air raids on Bath occurred on 26th April 1942. This killed over 400 people including Emily, two lodgers called James Arkle, 36, and John O'Shea, age 19, the son of Cornelius and Ellen O'Shea of Knockanroe, Kanturk, Co Cork. ( John was injured in the raid and died later at the Royal Unite Hospital, Bath.) There was apparently another lodger called Hubert Hardick who was also killed in that raid. All of the casualties in that raid were buried in the County Borough Cemetery, Bath.
The next two children were John in 1892 and Florence in 1894 and the family had probably moved to 1 Richard's Place, Waterloo Buildings by this date. Edith was born in 1897 and the last child, Charles, was born in 1899. Another move occurred before the 1901 census as this shows them living at 13 Albert Terrace, Lyncombe & Widcombe and William's was then working for the Great Western Railway, but still as a mason. Their eldest son, William G, was a painter's apprentice and living with his parents.
