There are two lines that I have been able to trace in Hampshire, both involving many Leonard Backlers where neither line appears to be linked.  The other line is descended from William Backler of Haverhill – see the blog page Hampshire Backlers – Leonard Country – via Haverhill.  This line is descended from George Backler, born on 3rd January 1799 in Whippingham on the Isle of Wight.  He married Pamela Churcher, who was born in 1803 in Alverstoke.  I wanted to research this line to see if any of the Hampshire Backlers travelled to Bristol, which is not that far away and may lead to connections into my own family tree, where I have gaps.

George and Pamela had three sons and a daughter in Alverstoke: Joseph Summers Backler in 1828, who died in 1886 in Alverstoke, who was noted as a labourer in HM Dockyard in the 1861 census and who was recorded as an agricultural labourer in the next census, Leonard Charles Churcher Backler on 3rd January 1830, who died in Portsea in 1855, another George Backler (born 1832, who died between 1881 and 1891) and Temperance Backler in 1839.  Temperance married Thomas Churcher on Christmas Day 1856 at St. Thomas, Portsea.  In the 1851 census Joseph and Temperance were living at Jack in the Woods farm at Alverstoke, with their uncle Charles Churcher (born 1806) and their aunt Sarah (born 1814).  On another tack, the older George was indicted for fraud and conspiracy, along with Richard Butlin.  No evidence was offered on the fraud charge, but they pleaded guilty to conspiracy at the Old Bailey on 27th November 1837.  Butlin was confined for one year and George was recommended to mercy, but confined for six months.  I guess from this result that  Butlin was the ringleader.  The younger George was acquitted of embezzlement on 14th October 1872 in Southampton and maybe I can find out more about this case too.

UPDATE 10th September 2020:  Find My Past have released new Portsmouth area records and these reveal that Charles Churcher Backler was born in 1834 in Alverstoke and baptised the following year.  It is possible that this is Leonard Charles Churcher mentioned above, but the birth date is four years later, so worth noting.

Joseph Summers married Emma Gilman (born 1838, died between 1871 and 1881) in 1856 in Alverstoke and in the 1861 census they were living at Ann’s Hill, Alverstoke.  Emma was missing from the 1881 census and Joseph was noted as a blacksmith and a widower, when the family were living at 1 Hobbs Cottage, Forton Road, Alverstoke and Ann Gillman, Joseph’s mother-in-law aged 93, had moved in.  They had children in Alverstoke: two daughters, Henrietta Emma Backler (1858 – died 18th December 1928 Eastleigh), Pamela Temperance Backler (born 1865), a dressmaker in the 1881 census, and one son Leonard George Backler (1859 – 1921 Alverstoke), a bricklayer in the 1881 census.

Henrietta Emma married William George Archer on 8th December 1873, who was a soldier with the rank of Sergeant Major in the 1881 census.  By the time of the 1911 census, Henrietta was a widow and a domestic servant, noted as having had seven children.

Leonard George, a bricklayer, married Kate Louisa Salmon (born 1859 Portsea – died 1932 Alverstoke) on 18th April 1886 at St Mary’s, Alverstoke.  When Leonard George died on 27th October 1921, they were living at 6 Toronto Place, Forton and probate in the sum of £464 18s was granted to his wife Kate.   Leonard George and Kate had three sons and a daughter, all born in Gosport: John Tubby Backler in 1887 who moved to Willesden, Joseph Backler in 1896, Leonard Backler in 1897 and Kate Backler in 1897 who died in Portsmouth in 1973.

Leonard Charles Churcher, a mariner on HMS Encounter, married Jane Dowse (1832 Alverstoke – 1902 Alverstoke) on 27th May 1852 in Alverstoke and they had a son called Leonard Charles Backler in 1854 in Forton.  Leonard Charles married Sabina Olive French (1859 Aldershot -1950 Gosport) and they lived in Christchurch.   In the 1861 census Leonard, aged 6, was living with Edward Skinner and his wife Jane Skinner at 6 Forton Road, Alverstoke.  He was incorrectly recorded as a son-in-law, when it should have been step-son to Edward, as his mother had re-married.  When Leonard Charles died on 12th September 1921, probate was granted to Sabina in the sum of £315 13s 2d, when they were living at 35 North Street, Gosport and his profession was a bootmaker.  Leonard Charles and Sabina had a son Leonard Backler (born 1884 Gosport), a daughter Olive Marino Jeanette Backler (1880 – 1919), who lived in Christchurch and a further son Frederick Arthur French Backler (born 14th May 1893 in Gosport – died 14th January 1971 Gosport).  Frederick married Robina Pringle (born 3rd September 1895 in Edinburgh – died at Lennoxvale, Harrison Road, Auchengate, Troon on 17th August 1944).  Her father was Robert Gordon Pringle from Edinburgh and I wonder whether he had anything to do with the famous clothing manufacturers, but this is quite a common name in Scotland, so maybe not.  When Robina died they were living at 9 Gordon Road, Gosport.  Frederick was described as a Master at Arms in the Royal Navy and she left him £198 16s 8d.

UPDATE 10th September 2020:  The new Portsmouth area records show that Olive Marino Jeanette Backler was baptised in 1903 at Holy Trinity, Gosport.

The younger George Backler married Harriett Grantham on 10th February 1864 in Alverstoke, when his occupation was that of a Butcher.  In the 1861 census, George was 29 (born Hardway, Hants) and Harriett was ten years younger (born Waltham, Hants) and they were living at Henry Street, Alverstoke.  By the time of the 1881 census, they were living at 3 Prince Alfred St., Alverstoke and they had a son, George Frederick Backler, a grocer’s assistant aged 14 and a daughter, another Temperance Backler, aged 12.  Ten years later Harriett was a widow, described as a laundress, along with Temperance and George F. was now a Gardener.

UPDATE 10th September 2020:  The new Portsmouth area records show two further daughters, Miriam Backler, who was baptised in 1865 and Temperance Fanny Backler who was baptised in 1863.  The baptisms of all four siblings took place at St. Matthew, Gosport.  George Frederick married Eva Kate at the same church in 1893.  They had three children for sure:  George William Backler, baptised along with Harriet Kate Backler in 1895 at Christchurch, Gosport and then Leonard Backler baptised the following year, 1896, in Alverstoke.   There is also Edith Alice Backler, baptised in 1898 at Christchurch, Gosport, born the previous year, whose parents are George and Kate (probably Eva Kate) and the timescales match.

The descendants of  George Backler have remained in Hampshire and I need to explore further to see if it is possible to trace the origin of this line in earlier generations.