William Bent
Richard Bent > Thomas Bent > William Bent > Norman Faulkner Bent > Norman Frederick Bent > Norman Hector Bent
William Bent was my great-great-great-grandfather.
The son of Thomas Bent and Susannah Rodwell, William was born in about 1813 in Billesdon, Leicestershire and was baptised on 22 November 1813, also in Billesdon.
William was one of about six children and had a twin brother, John.
The son of Thomas Bent and Susannah Rodwell, William was born in about 1813 in Billesdon, Leicestershire and was baptised on 22 November 1813, also in Billesdon.
William was one of about six children and had a twin brother, John.
First Marriage and Children
In 1835 William was living in Coventry, Warwickshire in the parish of St Michael. Had he perhaps gone there in search of work?
On 12 December 1835, he married Charlotte Jeffs in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, a town which is close to Coventry and Birmingham. ****
On 12 December 1835, he married Charlotte Jeffs in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, a town which is close to Coventry and Birmingham. ****
Charlotte and William had two children together:
- George James, christened 5 March 1837 in the parish of St James with Pockthorpe in Norwich; [1]
- William, born about 1839;
In 1837, Charlotte and William were living in Norwich, a weaving town, when their son George was born.
Mills were built in Norwich in the 1800s for the spinning of silk, woollen and mohair yarns and also for weaving those yarns into all kinds of fabrics. At that time Norwich was the largest silk producing centre in England and was noted for its designs made from both cheap and luxurious materials.
Charlotte and William gave their address as "barracks" and William gave his trade as "servant" when George was christened. From about 1791, there was a horse or cavalry barracks on Barrack Street and it seems that this is where the Bent family lived.
Sometime after 1841, William and Charlotte moved to London with their children where William worked as a coachman. They lived in Stanley Mews which seems to have been located in Paddington. I have been unable to find out exactly where it was [9].
Charlotte died in Kensington in London in March 1850.
Mills were built in Norwich in the 1800s for the spinning of silk, woollen and mohair yarns and also for weaving those yarns into all kinds of fabrics. At that time Norwich was the largest silk producing centre in England and was noted for its designs made from both cheap and luxurious materials.
Charlotte and William gave their address as "barracks" and William gave his trade as "servant" when George was christened. From about 1791, there was a horse or cavalry barracks on Barrack Street and it seems that this is where the Bent family lived.
Sometime after 1841, William and Charlotte moved to London with their children where William worked as a coachman. They lived in Stanley Mews which seems to have been located in Paddington. I have been unable to find out exactly where it was [9].
Charlotte died in Kensington in London in March 1850.
Second Marriage and Children
Left alone with two young children, William married again on 15 December 1850. His second wife was Elizabeth Smith and the couple married in Saint Mary's Church in the Parish of Paddington. At the time of their marriage, William was still working as a coachman and living in Stanley Mews [10].
William and Elizabeth had seven children together:
Ada, born about 1851
Charles, born about 1853
Henry, born about 1853
Norman, born about 1856
Elizabeth, born about 1857
Frederick, born about 1860
Arthur, born about 1866
Much of what I know about William and his family comes from the census and licensing records of the time.
William and Elizabeth had seven children together:
Ada, born about 1851
Charles, born about 1853
Henry, born about 1853
Norman, born about 1856
Elizabeth, born about 1857
Frederick, born about 1860
Arthur, born about 1866
Much of what I know about William and his family comes from the census and licensing records of the time.
Residences
William and Elizabeth's oldest child, Ada, was born in about 1851, shortly after they were married. She was born in either Shoreditch or Kingsland so it is likely William was working as a publican in that area at the time.
Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Kingsland, which is no longer discernable as a separate settlement, was historically part of the county of Middlesex and is now an area within the London Borough of Hackney.
Two years later, in 1853, the family was living in Paddington and three years after that, in 1856, they were living in Marylebone. Sometime after 1857, the family moved to Hanover Square where William managed the Old Chesterfield Arms.
Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Kingsland, which is no longer discernable as a separate settlement, was historically part of the county of Middlesex and is now an area within the London Borough of Hackney.
Two years later, in 1853, the family was living in Paddington and three years after that, in 1856, they were living in Marylebone. Sometime after 1857, the family moved to Hanover Square where William managed the Old Chesterfield Arms.
Census Records
These are the pubs William managed:
Jacobs Well, 13 Charles Street, Manchester Square, Marylebone, London W1 (street name changed in 1869 to George Street)
Probably from about 1855, based on children's birth details.
July 1853/Charles Derbridge/Incoming Licensee;
1856/William Bent/Post Office Directory;
1869/Charles Carruthers/Post Office Directory; [1,2]
Old Chesterfield Arms, 7 Shepherd Street, St George Hanover Square, London W1 (located at 11 Shepherd Street prior to 1869)
Probably from about 1860, judging by the children's birth records.
From the 1861 census:
1861/William Bent/Licensed Victualler/48/Billesdon, Leicester/Census ***
1861/Elizabeth Bent/Wife/30/London/Census
1861/Ada Bent/Daughter/10/Kingsland/Census
1861/Charles Bent/Son/8/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1861/Henry Bent/Son/8/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1861/Norman Bent/Son/5/St Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1861/Elizabeth Bent/Daughter/4/St Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1861/Frederick Bent/Son/1/St Georges, Middlesex/Census
1861/Abraham Cook/Waiter/16/Essex/Census
1861/Harriet Marcham/Nurse Maid/19/St Georges, Westminster/Census
1861/Catherine Hayes/Cook/20/Ireland/Census + Lodgers [3]
Bessborough Arms, 33 Bessborough Place, Pimlico, London SW1 (demolished in 1861)
12 Nov 1861 / Licence transferred from Edward Roake to William Bent;
11 Aug 1863 / Licence transferred from William Bent to John Ford; [4,5]
Lord Nelson, 200 Kings Road, Chelsea, London SW3 (now The Trafalgar)
October 1865: William Bent, Incoming Licensee
From the 1871 census:
1871/William Bent/Licensed Victualler/59/Leicestershire/Census *
1871/Elizabeth Bent/Wife/38/City, Middlesex/Census
1871/Ada Bent/Daughter, Barmaid/20/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Charles Bent/Son, Barman/19/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Henry Bent/Son, Barman/19/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Norman Bent/Son/15/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Elizabeth Bent/Daughter/14/Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1871/Frederick Bent/Son/11/Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1871/Arthur C Bent/Son/4.5/Chelsea, Middlesex/Census
1871/Harriett Maicham/Domestic Servant/28/Westminster, Middlesex/Census [6]
Duke of Cornwall, 127 Ledbury Road, Paddington, London W2 (later The Ledbury Arms and in 2013 a restaurant called The Ledbury)
From the 1881 census:
1881/William Bent/Licensed Victualler/67/Billsden, Leicester/Census ****
1881/Charles Bent/Son, Professor Music/29/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Norman Bent/Son, Architect/25/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Elizabeth Bent/Daughter/24/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Arthur Bent/Son/14/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Florence Wood/Barmaid/24/Faversham, Kent/Census
1881/Henry Vijjous/Waiter & Potman/20/Hammersmith/Census
1881/Hariett Marcham/House Keeper/20/London, Middlesex/Census [7]
William Bent died at these premises on 25 October 1886 leaving a handsome sum of £5,092 in his will (equivalent to about £650,000 in 2017).
Jacobs Well, 13 Charles Street, Manchester Square, Marylebone, London W1 (street name changed in 1869 to George Street)
Probably from about 1855, based on children's birth details.
July 1853/Charles Derbridge/Incoming Licensee;
1856/William Bent/Post Office Directory;
1869/Charles Carruthers/Post Office Directory; [1,2]
Old Chesterfield Arms, 7 Shepherd Street, St George Hanover Square, London W1 (located at 11 Shepherd Street prior to 1869)
Probably from about 1860, judging by the children's birth records.
From the 1861 census:
1861/William Bent/Licensed Victualler/48/Billesdon, Leicester/Census ***
1861/Elizabeth Bent/Wife/30/London/Census
1861/Ada Bent/Daughter/10/Kingsland/Census
1861/Charles Bent/Son/8/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1861/Henry Bent/Son/8/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1861/Norman Bent/Son/5/St Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1861/Elizabeth Bent/Daughter/4/St Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1861/Frederick Bent/Son/1/St Georges, Middlesex/Census
1861/Abraham Cook/Waiter/16/Essex/Census
1861/Harriet Marcham/Nurse Maid/19/St Georges, Westminster/Census
1861/Catherine Hayes/Cook/20/Ireland/Census + Lodgers [3]
Bessborough Arms, 33 Bessborough Place, Pimlico, London SW1 (demolished in 1861)
12 Nov 1861 / Licence transferred from Edward Roake to William Bent;
11 Aug 1863 / Licence transferred from William Bent to John Ford; [4,5]
Lord Nelson, 200 Kings Road, Chelsea, London SW3 (now The Trafalgar)
October 1865: William Bent, Incoming Licensee
From the 1871 census:
1871/William Bent/Licensed Victualler/59/Leicestershire/Census *
1871/Elizabeth Bent/Wife/38/City, Middlesex/Census
1871/Ada Bent/Daughter, Barmaid/20/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Charles Bent/Son, Barman/19/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Henry Bent/Son, Barman/19/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Norman Bent/Son/15/Paddington, Middlesex/Census
1871/Elizabeth Bent/Daughter/14/Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1871/Frederick Bent/Son/11/Marylebone, Middlesex/Census
1871/Arthur C Bent/Son/4.5/Chelsea, Middlesex/Census
1871/Harriett Maicham/Domestic Servant/28/Westminster, Middlesex/Census [6]
Duke of Cornwall, 127 Ledbury Road, Paddington, London W2 (later The Ledbury Arms and in 2013 a restaurant called The Ledbury)
From the 1881 census:
1881/William Bent/Licensed Victualler/67/Billsden, Leicester/Census ****
1881/Charles Bent/Son, Professor Music/29/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Norman Bent/Son, Architect/25/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Elizabeth Bent/Daughter/24/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Arthur Bent/Son/14/London, Middlesex/Census
1881/Florence Wood/Barmaid/24/Faversham, Kent/Census
1881/Henry Vijjous/Waiter & Potman/20/Hammersmith/Census
1881/Hariett Marcham/House Keeper/20/London, Middlesex/Census [7]
William Bent died at these premises on 25 October 1886 leaving a handsome sum of £5,092 in his will (equivalent to about £650,000 in 2017).
References
*** marriage cert on file
[1] "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J313-SMT : 21 March 2020), Charlotte Jeffs in entry for George James Bent, 1837.
[1] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/Marylebone/JacobsWell.shtml
[2] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs1856/London1856IJ.shtml
[3] https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/StGeorgeHanoverSquare/OldChesterfieldArms.shtml
[4] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/WestminsterStJohn/BessboroArms.shtml
[5] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs1862/London1862B2.shtml
[6] https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Chelsea/LordNelson.shtml
[7] https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Paddington/DukeCornwall.shtml
[9] William and Elizabeth's marriage cert, copy on file;
[10] Marriage cert, copy on file;
[1] "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J313-SMT : 21 March 2020), Charlotte Jeffs in entry for George James Bent, 1837.
[1] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/Marylebone/JacobsWell.shtml
[2] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs1856/London1856IJ.shtml
[3] https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/StGeorgeHanoverSquare/OldChesterfieldArms.shtml
[4] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/WestminsterStJohn/BessboroArms.shtml
[5] https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs1862/London1862B2.shtml
[6] https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Chelsea/LordNelson.shtml
[7] https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Paddington/DukeCornwall.shtml
[9] William and Elizabeth's marriage cert, copy on file;
[10] Marriage cert, copy on file;