A history of the Balleine family

A history of the
Balleine family

Mary Ann Balleine, sister of George Orange Balleine

From The Islander, 1940, by Charles Langton

The name Balleine originally appears in a document of 1187 preserved in the Abbey of Cherbourg in connection with a Petrus de Balena, and it is curious to note that the name Pierre was in frequent use by the family down to the 16th century.

Various phonetic renderings appear from time to time, and one often gets varieties appearing in the same contract. The more common appear to be Balleine, Ballayne, Ballaine, Balleyne, Balayne, Baleyne, Balene, and Balaine.

From the local records several incidents may be given, among which are two variants from the Extente of 1331. Phillips Ballan of St John was then one of the jurors on the financial commission, and Maurice Balen of St Brelade paid 8 sols per annum to the King for a bouvee of land in that parish.

Raulin Balleine is mentioned in Catel 1527 and the Extente of 1528 gives John Balayne who is also called John Le Ballayne in the same document. There was a Laurens de Baleyner living in England who had a law suit with Edward Le Dain re infringement of liberties and privileges, which is probably another variation similar to Le Rocquier for the family of La Rocque.

At the beginning of the 16th century there were three distinct branches in St Peter, probably related but connection between them cannot be definitely proved.

Balleine of Vingtaine du Douet

They were seemingly desended from Thwielin Ballene living in 1528, and it is probable that Sire Guillaume Balene was also related to them. This Sire Guille is called clerc — a title used by ecclesiastics who remained with Rome at the period of the Reformation — but there is no record of his ordination among the Rectors and Vicars of the Bishopric of Coutanches.

The registers, however, are very incomplete at this period so the ommission of the name cannot be taken as evidence in contrary.

In the following year Guilliaume Le Cerf, by right of his wife Sara, sold 1 quartier de froment to Thomas Ballene, son of John, which she had received on account of the escheat of Guillaume Ballene.

About 1629 Philippe Ballene, great nephew of Sire Guille, bought the heritage of Elizabeth Poulet, daughter of the Procurer General Abraham Poulet, and Esther De Carteret.

This property, situated in the town not far from the Royal Court is twice specially mentioned in the records :— " Le Sceau sera tenu en St Heliers en la maison de Philip Balleyne ." " Le Sceau public se tiendra le 4 janvrier a la maison de Philille Ballayne en la ville ."

Many of the members of the family were occupied with municipal and parochial appointments and during the Civil War they were definitely declared Royalists.

The pedigree of this branch printed in the Armorial says that Jacques Balleine, who married Douce Le Brocq, was son of Thomas.

This is wrong, because the Jacques Balleine son of Thomas was not in existence till 33 years later and he belonged to an entirely different branch.

Several Actes d'Heritage and de Catel confirm the point that Jacques, husband of Douce Le Brocq, was son of Jean, son of Elie, and possessed houses and lands in the Vingtaine St Nicholas on the Fief de Roi.

This branch was subsequently represented by Henry Le Brocq whose grandson John Le Brocq was proprietor 1785.

Balleine of the Grande Vingtaine

They were descended from Nicolas son of Nicolas Ballaine, who was alive in 1540, and acquired the Des Pigneaux from the Pinel family.

In the Registry of Contracts is the partage of 1609 between Thomas Balleine and his sister Maria, of the heritages of their father Jean Ballein, son of Michael. These lands are specifically mentioned being situated on the Fief d'Orville at St Peter and as stated to include: Villette aux Routeurs, Grand piece du Mont Huelin, Camp du Houvel, 2 fields "es Fisions," Champ des longues Rues Quenvais, Grand champ de l'Eglise.

This Thomas Balleine further augmented his ancestry heritage by purchase in 1614, from Jean Balleine, son of Pierre, of lands comprising 5 vergees and the house De Niemes to the east of the menage of Nicholas Le Bas, son of Jean, on the Fief des Niemes.

Jean Balleine, eldest son of this Thomas, married Margaret De Carteret, daughter of Phillip De Carteret, Constable of St Ouen, but died in the plague of 1626 leaving son Phillip.

Marie Balleine, daughter of the same Thomas and wife of Elie Messervy, Rector of St Peter 1614-1626, also died in the same year, and it seems that the ravages of this particular visitation caused greater casualities in the island than most of the subsequent plague years.

Elie Messervy, by will dated 16 June 1657, ratified 1 July, gave cabots for the Christian poor ‘’qui seront 1oges dans la maison batir pour les pauvres de St Brelade’’. This will was proved at the Royal Court during the time of Cromwell, because there was no Dean at the period.

Philippe Balleine, son of Jean, son of Thomas and Margaret De Carteret, Centenier of St Peter, married Elizabeth Journeau,daughter of Aaron Seigneur de Catelet, and according to the Rolls of the Royal Court, acquired properties in St Ouen formerly belonging to Journeau of St Mary. He was Seigneur de Catelet and proprietor of the Moulin Cateley and Fief Sauvalle.

In 1735 Pierre Balleine, son of Philippe, lived in a house belonging to Jean Journeau of St Mary, whose heir he was). He was elected Vingtenier of Grande Vingtaine of St Peter in the same year, but a Royal Court quashed the election because he was a Captain of one of the St Peter Companies and they considered the two functions were incompatiable.

Pierre Balleine married Marie De Carteret. His grandson Amice Ballaine, Constable of St Mary and Major of the Royal Jersey Militia, alienated Catelet.

Up to about 1760 the family spelt their surname in the ordinary form, but Amice Balleine, son of Pierre used Ballaine, possibly to differentiate from the other branches

• Jerripedia’s family tree index has links to 12 Balleine descendancies.
• Balleine family page