Looking for info on: BENSTEAD, BENNETT, LEESON, DOWNES in Leicester

[debsmates]

BENNETT, BENSTEAD, LEESON, DOWNES. OF LEICESTER. am searching for any records of my mums family (fathers side)
 ELIZABETH BENNETT BORN IN LEICESTER 1845, HAD 3 CHILDREN HARRY,Born Manchester JESSIE,Born Halifax BEATRICE.Born Leicester. LIVING AT 87 JARROM ST, LEICESTER IN 1891.
 ON THE CENSUS IT HAS ELIZABETH AS WIDOW, I AM EAGER TO FIND HER MAIDEN NAME !
 BEATRICE BENNETT HAD A SON HARRY BENNETT BENSTEAD BORN MAY 18TH 1906 IN LEICESTER, FATHER UNKNOWN ON BIRTH CERT. I AM EAGER TO FIND OUT WHERE THE NAME BENSTEAD APPEARED FROM?
[BEATRICE THEN MARRIED MR LEESON OF LEICESTER AND HAD 2 CHILDREN MARY @ ERNEST. MR LEESON DIED IN WW1 SHOT THROUGH THE HEART IN 1916.
BEATRICE THEN MARRIED ERNIE? DOWNES FROM LEICESTER AND HAD 3 CHILDREN FRANK, MAVIS, HILDA. ALSO ANOTHER SON HORACE (BORN PARTIALLY BLIND) WHOS FATHERS PATERNITY IS OF INTEREST AS HE WAS LEFT MONEY IN A WILL BY A MR WORTHINGTON? HORACE AT ONE STAGE LIVED AT AT 31, PROVIDENCE PLACE LEICESTER @ MY GRANDAD HARRY BENNETT BENSTEAD LIVED AT 35.
IF ANYBODY CAN HELP ME UNRAVELL ALL THIS I WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL.
HARRY BENNETT BENSTEAD THEN MARRIED MARY VOILET SEATON IN 1930 AND HAD 2 SONS WHOM DIED , THEN ERIC BENSTEAD 1934 @ BEATRICE MARY BENSTEAD 1936.
ONE CLUE I HAVE IS THAT AROUND THE EARLY 1930S HARRY BENNETT BENSTEAD LIVED IN A CARAVAN WITH HIS MOTHER BEATRICE AND MANY CHILDREN SOMEWHERE IN SYSTON.
HOPE YOU CAN HELP ! THANKS

[goggy]

debsmates.
Welcome to Rootschat,enjoy!
Don't know of your Benstead,s in particular,but have some little knowledge of the whole lot of the variation,s you will find as you progress.
Started somewhere in Middle Europe,with more variation,s according to the countries where used,came to the Sth East of England probably with invader,s.and spread thru'all Sthn countie,s and also into Yorkshire,Scotland,a few in Ireland,haven't seen any in Wale,s yet tho'.
All the vowel,s seem to be exchangable,I have seen one Bynsted,no more,and even in my present family,spelling isn't sacred!
There was a Sir in the history,surname Benestede,and one who fought at Agincourt,but not related to each other as far as I can see.The Sir Knight didn't have a son to pass the line on so no more Sir,s!
The name is believed to have indicated that these people originally came from""the place where the bean,s grow",but don't get the wind up,ay!!
                  Good Hunting.
                     Goggy.

[Tati]

Hi Debsmates,

Welcome to RootsChat 

I see Elizabeth's husband was Isaac according to 1881:
RG11/3174 127 16
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1881&indiv=try&h=12408489

Isaac, 42, b . Syston
Elizabeth, 36, b Leicester
Annie, 15, b London
Florence, 13, b Nottingham
Harry, 11, b Manchester
Jessie, 6, b. Halifax

Will try to trace them back 

Edited to correct Elizabeth's age  

[Tati]

Unfortunately no inlaws around ...

1871
RG10/3977 82 11
Ardwick, Lancashire
56 Corporation St
Isaac Bennett, head, 33, Police Constable, b. Leicester
Elizabeth, wife, 28, b. do.
Annie, dau, 5, b. London
Flora, dau, 3, b. Nottingham
Harry, son, 1, b. Lancashire Manchester

(I can see Isaac in 1851 - give me a shout if you want the details. HO107/2087 528 15)

[Tati]

I wonder if Elizabeth was Sarah Elizabeth ...

1901
RG13/3009 151 5
Leicester formerly St Mary's
29 Henton Rd
Eli Darker, head, 58, P***man in Shoe Trade, b. Leicester
Sarah E, wife, 56, b do.
Tabitha C, dau, 19, Machinist S(h/k)irt Knickers, b. do.
Beatrice Bennett, stepdau, 18, ditto, b. do.

(marriage Dec 1897 - Eli Darker / Sarah Elizabeth Bennett Leicester 7a 769)

If all else fails, Beatrice's birth cert would tell you her mother's maiden name:
Beatrice Bennett - Mar 1883 
Leicester 7a  311

[Mike from Leicester]

Greeting’s Folks …..

Interesting Burials Records for
Welford Road Cemetery.

Plot No. U. I. 402.:~

I   402   F   BENNETT    Isaac   1891   Jan   22   Aged.51   Jarrom Street   Saint Mary   67385
I   402   F   DARKER   Elizabeth   1917   Jun   27   Aged.72   Bathley   Newark   104473

Plus Interesting Darker  Burial’s ?  :~
 Plot No. C.C. 240.
C   240   C   DARKER   Tabitha   1885   Jul   13   Aged.46   Aylestone Park,   Aylestone   26482
C   240   F   DARKER   Eli   1926   Nov   4   Aged.84   58 Danvers Road   Leicester   62026
C   240   F   HEALEY   Emma   1937   Nov   27   Aged.68   58 Danvers Road   Leicester   66653

Hope this might help in some way.

MIKE.

[debsmates]

thanks mike, this has been a great help..
if you do happen to find out anymore please let me know.. im wondering if elizabeth darker was elizabeth bennett?
thanks deb.