The Ballingers were a well established family in Dumbleton.   The Dumbleton Estate Cottage Report of November 1875 shows a Reuben Ballinger living at cottage no. 8 and a William Ballinger living at no. 36.     Another Cottage Report dated April 1892 shows Reuben Ballinger still living at cottage no. 8 and William Ballinger now at no. 37.

Photograph kindly supplied by Mr B P  Walker - a descendant of the Ballingers.

Reuben and Rebecca Ballinger with their grand-children.   Reuben and his wife lived in cottage no. 8 from their marriage on 3 March 1859.

The following note accompanied the photograph sent by Mr B P Walker -

"Reuben and Rebecca (nee Tandy) Ballinger lived at cottage no. 8 from their marriage on 3 March 1859.   Reuben, I was told by my mother, was eventually the equivalent of one of our Forestry Commission agents. In the 1881 Census he is described as an agriculturist. There was a door in the wall to the back of the property to the estate timber yard.
"His father was Tomas Ballinger who married Ann Hall at Dumbleton on 10 February 1831. He was a journeyman blacksmith (described in parish records and Census) but there is no mention of him in 'The Blacksmith's Daughter'. I believe he was involved in the building of the new Dumbleton Hall because he was also a practising cabinet maker. I have seen his tools, smithing and carpentry. There was a mass of them all in beautiful condition.  I also have samples of his work, namely a ladder-back carver chair which I use every day and a briar pipe, two feet long, which I don't use!  He is also reputed to have looked after the timber yard.
"Their daughter Sarah Ann married George Walker on 1 May 1889 and lived at no. 8 until Elizabeth Walker (nee Tandy), who lived at no. 45, died on 1 September 1892. They then moved into no. 45 where the Walker family lived until my Uncle Fred died in 1971.
"My Aunt Mary (Elizabeth Mary 1890-1941) married Harry Turner on 18 April 1929 and lived at no. 8. She died in 1941 and Uncle Harry married Josephine Sallis (the District Nurse living at South Lodge) on 4 August 1942 and continued to live at no. 8.  I understand they adopted a son."