I am interested in the Geering story as I have just discovered a Susannah GEERING in the 1700s entering the AVERY family in the West Dean/Piddinghoe area. A dreadful story, but just out of interest I looked to see what happened to them all.. In the 1841 CENSUS the household in Bedlam Green, Guestling, included Richard, 45, Mary Ann, 40, Philly [Philadelphia] 20, William, 20, George, 14, Benjamin, 10, Edwin, 7, Mary, 5, Andrew, 1, and James, 1month. This was the only GEERING family in Guestling. James, who was murdered, appears nowhere in Sussex, but I assume he was a servant somewhere. In June quarter of 1841 there is the marriage of William and Philadelphia Borns. Strangely she died in the same quarter as George Geering, which makes you wonder! So it looks as though in the 1841 Census William and Philadelphia were husband and wife, and James aged 1m. was their baby. Had they moved out before the murders? Or was Philadelphia an unsung victim too? In 1851, just out of interest, there are the following William, aged 30, widower, children Fanny, 7, and George, 5 Benjamin, his brother, aged 21, living with them. In other households there are the following, all living in - Andrew, 11, a servant . Went to sea, before 1861 James, aged 10, a servant Mary Ann, 16, a servant . Still a servant in 1861 Edwin, 18, a servant Possibly William took them all in after his parents' deaths. Benjamin was an Agricultural Labourer and self-sufficient. But with the death also of Philly, perhaps the 3 younger ones went straight out into Service. At 8 and 9 years old plenty of children did. Best wishes Barbara