George Reginald Balleine
Encyclopedia
George Reginald Balleine (1873 – 1966) was a well-known historian and writer in the Island of Jersey
.
, George Orange Balleine, and the brother of Robert Wilfred Balleine and Cuthbert Francis Balleine, George Reginald Balleine was born in Oxford
, and was educated by his father at home until 1885, when he went to stay with his grandfather in Jersey. There he attended the Grammar School at St Aubin
until 1886, when he went to Victoria College
. During his time there he gained the Queen's History Prize. He left in 1891, going to Queen's College, Oxford, and gaining a 2nd class degree in Modern History. In 1886 he was ordained a deacon
in the Church of England
, and the 1897, a priest. He was Curate at St Mary's Whitechapel, then St Paul's, Penge. He became the Metropolitan Secretary to the Church Pastoral Aid Society
in 1904, the Vicar of St James, Bermondsey
in 1908. In 1925, he was also appointed Rural Dean of Bermondsey. He remained there until his retirement in 1938, when he returned to Jersey to property inherited from his uncle. During the German Occupation
, he was honorary librarian at the Société Jersiaise
, curate at St Aubin on the Hill church, and Ministre Desservant at St Brelade's Church
on the death of his cousin, the Rev. J.A. Balleine, in 1942, in which position he remained for the duration of the war.
He died in 1966, his ashes were interred in St Brelade's Churchyard.
. Writing (in Simon Whom he Surnamed Peter) of the feeding of the five thousand
that "where the bread came from, no one can say, but it seems unlikely that it was supernaturaly multiplied", and of Jesus walking on the water, he takes it that the Fourth Gospel
tells of Jesus walking by the sea, the story changing in the telling.
, gleaned from his time as Honorary Librarian for the Société Jersiaise, was extensive. However, his reliance upon the documents available at the time have led to weaknesses in some areas. These are notably his 1939 article on Witchcraft
in Jersey (ABSB), where he draws heavily upon the now discredited ideas of Margaret Murray
in his selection and presentation, and on the Reformation
in Jersey, where historian Jason St. John Nicolle has criticised his position as oversimplifying the complexities of that period. Nevertheless, his work has provided a solid bedrock for later historians of the Island to build upon, and his Biographical Dictionary of Jersey remains unsurpassed for its depth of research. His writing is always readable, lucid and clear.
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
.
Biography
The son of the Dean of JerseyDean of Jersey
The Dean of Jersey is the leader of the Church of England in Jersey. He is ex officio a member of the States of Jersey, although since the constitutional reforms of 1948 the Dean may not take part in parliamentary votes...
, George Orange Balleine, and the brother of Robert Wilfred Balleine and Cuthbert Francis Balleine, George Reginald Balleine was born in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and was educated by his father at home until 1885, when he went to stay with his grandfather in Jersey. There he attended the Grammar School at St Aubin
Saint Aubin, Jersey
Saint Aubin is a port in the Channel Island of Jersey. It opens out to a bay of the Gulf of Saint-Malo.Originally a fishing village at the opposite end of Saint Aubin's Bay from the town of Saint Helier, Saint Aubin is now the hub of the parish of St. Brelade. Its name refers to Saint Aubin of...
until 1886, when he went to Victoria College
Victoria College
Victoria College is or was the name of several institutions of secondary or higher education, including:* [Victoria College, Chulipuram], Sri Lanka* Victoria College, Alexandria, Egypt* Victoria College in Victoria, Texas...
. During his time there he gained the Queen's History Prize. He left in 1891, going to Queen's College, Oxford, and gaining a 2nd class degree in Modern History. In 1886 he was ordained a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, and the 1897, a priest. He was Curate at St Mary's Whitechapel, then St Paul's, Penge. He became the Metropolitan Secretary to the Church Pastoral Aid Society
Church Pastoral Aid Society
is an Anglican evangelical mission agency which works with a wide variety of churches across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Its aim is to ‘enable churches to help every person hear and discover the good news of Jesus’. It provides a range of tools, training and resources to churches to develop...
in 1904, the Vicar of St James, Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
in 1908. In 1925, he was also appointed Rural Dean of Bermondsey. He remained there until his retirement in 1938, when he returned to Jersey to property inherited from his uncle. During the German Occupation
Occupation of the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi Germany for much of World War II, from 30 June 1940 until the liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands are two British Crown dependencies and include the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey as well as the smaller islands of Alderney and Sark...
, he was honorary librarian at the Société Jersiaise
Société Jersiaise
La Société Jersiaise is a scholarly society in Jersey which was founded in 1873, it promotes and encourages:* The study of the history, the archaeology, the natural history, the language and many other subjects of interest in the Island of Jersey...
, curate at St Aubin on the Hill church, and Ministre Desservant at St Brelade's Church
St Brelade's Church
St Brelade's Church is one of the twelve ancient parish churches in the island of Jersey; it is sited on the west of the island in the parish of St Brelade, in the south-west corner of St Brelade's Bay...
on the death of his cousin, the Rev. J.A. Balleine, in 1942, in which position he remained for the duration of the war.
He died in 1966, his ashes were interred in St Brelade's Churchyard.
Writings
Balleine's writings were extensive, and mirrored his interests in history, and the evangelical party of the Church of England.Theological
Despite his evangelical roots, he was no fundamentalist, taking a very liberal position on the miracle stories of the New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. Writing (in Simon Whom he Surnamed Peter) of the feeding of the five thousand
Feeding the multitude
Feeding the multitude is the combined term used to refer to two separate miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.The First Miracle, "The Feeding of the 5,000" is the only miracle which is present in all four canonical Gospels...
that "where the bread came from, no one can say, but it seems unlikely that it was supernaturaly multiplied", and of Jesus walking on the water, he takes it that the Fourth Gospel
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
tells of Jesus walking by the sea, the story changing in the telling.
- Simon Whom He Surnamed Peter
- The Layman's History of the Church of England
- A History of the Evangelical Party in the Church of England
- Children of the Church
- The Young Churchman
- Sing with Understanding
- Past Finding Out (The Story of Joanna SouthcottJoanna SouthcottJoanna Southcott , was a self-described religious prophetess. She was born at Gittisham in Devon, England.-Self-revelation:...
)
Jersey History
His knowledge of Jersey historyHistory of Jersey
The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy that held sway in both France and England. Jersey lies in the Bay of Mont St Michel and is the largest of the Channel Islands...
, gleaned from his time as Honorary Librarian for the Société Jersiaise, was extensive. However, his reliance upon the documents available at the time have led to weaknesses in some areas. These are notably his 1939 article on Witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
in Jersey (ABSB), where he draws heavily upon the now discredited ideas of Margaret Murray
Margaret Murray
Margaret Alice Murray was a prominent British Egyptologist and anthropologist. Primarily known for her work in Egyptology, which was "the core of her academic career," she is also known for her propagation of the Witch-cult hypothesis, the theory that the witch trials in the Early Modern period of...
in his selection and presentation, and on the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in Jersey, where historian Jason St. John Nicolle has criticised his position as oversimplifying the complexities of that period. Nevertheless, his work has provided a solid bedrock for later historians of the Island to build upon, and his Biographical Dictionary of Jersey remains unsurpassed for its depth of research. His writing is always readable, lucid and clear.
- Articles in the Annual Bulletin of the Société Jersiaise (ABSJ)
- Articles in The Pilot Magazine
- A Biographical Dictionary of Jersey
- The Bailiwick of Jersey
- A History of Jersey
- The Tragedy of Philippe d'Auvergne
- All for the King