Author Topic: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury  (Read 2445 times)

Offline DeniseBS

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Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« on: Wednesday 21 February 18 20:01 GMT (UK) »
Hi

I am looking at the family of Thomas Bennett and Edith Monkton married at Melbury Abbas in 1731, although both from Fontmell Magna. This couple had two sons Walter 1732 and William 1735 both baptised in Fontmell Magna. Around 1748 the family moved to the parish of St James, Shaftesbury. In June 1767 all three males swore oaths on Settlement Certificates (Ancestry) saying they resided in St James, Shaftesbury but had all been born in Fontmell Magna.

Walter had married Jane Clench in St James in 1754 and by 1767 they had five children, namely Robert c 1755, John c 1757, Walter c 1758, Thomas c 1761 and Hannah c 1765. I know Hannah died a month after the Settlement Certificate had been made out and that Walter most likely married Kezia Hunt in Motcombe in 1785 and settled back in his father's home parish of Fontmell Magna, but what happened to Robert, John and Thomas?

There are burials in St Andrew, Fontmell Magna which fit both Robert and John, although I am hoping it is not Walter's son John. There is a possible burial in Fontmell Magna for the mother Jane in 1820, but none for the father Walter.

I have a John Bennett, Cordwainer living in Southampton who gives his home parish as Fontmill near Shastone on an apprentice record in 1784. Fontmill is likely a mistranscription for Fontmell and I know Shastone is another name for Shaftsbury. He died in the first qrtr of 1841 aged 87 which makes his born c 1754 if the age given was correctly. He named one of his sons Walter and he also had a Jane and a William.

Any information greatfully received or if anyone is connected to this family I would love to hear from you.

Regards

Denise

Offline nanny jan

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 21 February 18 20:40 GMT (UK) »
Have you looked at the various records here:

http://www.opcdorset.org
Howard , Viney , Kingsman, Pain/e, Rainer/ Rayner, Barham, George, Wakeling (Catherine), Vicary (Frederick)   all LDN area/suburbs  Ottley/ MDX,
Henman/ KNT   Gandy/LDN before 1830  Burgess/LDN
Barham/SFK   Rainer/CAN (Toronto) Gillians/CAN  Sturgeon/CAN (Vancouver)
Bailey/LDN Page/KNT   Paling/WA (var)



All census look-ups are crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline DeniseBS

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 21 February 18 22:44 GMT (UK) »
Hi Nanny Jan

I have been going through the Dorset OPC pages for Shaftsbury, Fontmell Magna and surrounding parishes. Thank you for taking the time to reply to my query.

Cheers

Denise

Offline ciderdrinker

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #3 on: Monday 26 February 18 10:13 GMT (UK) »
Hello
Have you seen the will on ancestry of John Bennett of Black Venn of the parish of Fontmell Magna Gentleman in 1778.
Made 17.10.1772
It names his seven children -Frances ,Ann,Thomas,Betty,Abraham,Mary and Elizabeth.
plus what looks older sons James Bennett and John Burge Bennett(and Johns four sons)
Beloved wife Ruth is also mentioned.

It looks like Frances d of John was baptised at Shaftesbury 20.11.1709

There is a also an Admin for Walter Bennett of Shaftesbury 1792 but goods are released to William and Phillip Bennett.(Phillip was baptised 17 Dec 1735 at Shaftesbury so not yours)

Ciderdrinker



Offline DeniseBS

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 27 February 18 19:31 GMT (UK) »
Hi Ciderdrinker

I think the Bennett family I am looking for is related to the one you mention who came out of Wiltshire, but that they are a junior branch of that family.

John C Bennett wrote in 2008:
"The Bennetts of St. James Parish, Shaftesbury, were tanners since 1539; but by 1658 there were several branches, and we can be certain only that the top line of the family were still tanners at that date. The family was probably descended from Bennett of Pythouse[10], Tisbury, Wiltshire--landowners and agents of Crown and Church in south Wiltshire since 1225. It makes sense a St. James Bennett would marry the daughter of the shoemaker, who would certainly have crafted boots of tannery leather. There are a few options for her possible parents: Thomas Bennett (Tanner) and Joane?, Robert Bennett Sr. (a tanner?) and Mary?, Anthony Bennett (occupation unknown) and Elizabeth, or John Bennett and Unknown [...] I have done further research on the Bennet tanners of Shaftesbury St. James. It is believed they stemmed from the Bennetts of Pythouse before 1540. My ancestors moved from Shaftesbury St. James to Fontmell Magna circa 1680 to work at the Fulling Mill at Springhead (Estmill). Their descendants came back to Shaftesbury as tanners in the mid-18th century. These were the ancestors of Charles James Fox Bennett, Premier of Newfoundland."

I have tried to find more posts and/or a family tree by John C Bennett with no luck. The ancestor of Charles James Fox Bennett that he mentions is a John Bennett, Quaker, who I believe is the brother of Walter's father, Thomas.

My difficulty at the moment is trying to prove that the John Bennett born c 1756, cordwainer, who ended up in Southampton is indeed the son of Walter Bennett and Jane Clench from Fontmell Magna/St James, Shaftesbury.  DNA has proved our connection with the Southampton Bennetts, now I would like to take it back a step further.

Thanks again

Denise

Offline NewMember12

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 13 October 19 16:06 BST (UK) »
Hi

I am looking at the family of Thomas Bennett and Edith Monkton married at Melbury Abbas in 1731, although both from Fontmell Magna. This couple had two sons Walter 1732 and William 1735 both baptised in Fontmell Magna. Around 1748 the family moved to the parish of St James, Shaftesbury. In June 1767 all three males swore oaths on Settlement Certificates (Ancestry) saying they resided in St James, Shaftesbury but had all been born in Fontmell Magna.

Walter had married Jane Clench in St James in 1754 and by 1767 they had five children, namely Robert c 1755, John c 1757, Walter c 1758, Thomas c 1761 and Hannah c 1765. I know Hannah died a month after the Settlement Certificate had been made out and that Walter most likely married Kezia Hunt in Motcombe in 1785 and settled back in his father's home parish of Fontmell Magna, but what happened to Robert, John and Thomas?

There are burials in St Andrew, Fontmell Magna which fit both Robert and John, although I am hoping it is not Walter's son John. There is a possible burial in Fontmell Magna for the mother Jane in 1820, but none for the father Walter.

I have a John Bennett, Cordwainer living in Southampton who gives his home parish as Fontmill near Shastone on an apprentice record in 1784. Fontmill is likely a mistranscription for Fontmell and I know Shastone is another name for Shaftsbury. He died in the first qrtr of 1841 aged 87 which makes his born c 1754 if the age given was correctly. He named one of his sons Walter and he also had a Jane and a William.

Any information greatfully received or if anyone is connected to this family I would love to hear from you.

Regards

Denise

I really hope you're still active on here. If so, then I possibly have some information that could be useful. I am related to this family and looking to find out more info. Thanks and please get back to me.

Offline DeniseBS

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 13 October 19 19:41 BST (UK) »
Hi

Yes I am still active and also still actively researching the Bennett's. Would love to hear what information you have to share.

Have had numerous DNA connections to Bennett relations since the original post, but mainly from John Bennett and Betty Adams in Hampshire. This John being the person I mentioned at the end of that post, the cordwainer who lived in Southampton but was originally from Fontmell Magna, Dorset.

Denise

Offline dantemortem

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Re: Bennetts, Tanners of Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury
« Reply #7 on: Monday 11 April 22 16:07 BST (UK) »
I'm also descended from various Bennetts from this area, among them John Bennett with will 1773, noted above. his Wikitree profile
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bennett-11578

But I am also interested in a Robert Bennett of Shaftesbury born, say, 1590, who married Dorothy Gilbert in Shaftesbury in 1612, probably as JCB says, derived from the same source, the Bennetts of Pythouse. I think he was the father of the Robert Bennett jr. who married a Joan Muncton in 1641, perhaps related to Edith?