My great grandfather Albert LIGHTFOOT was born on the 21st April 1879 in the Union Workhouse, Chippenham. On his birth certificate his mothers name is recorded as Mary LIGHTFOOT but there is no father's name. Mary was born Mary RYALL and married John LIGHTFOOT on 26th July 1873 in the Tabernacle, Chippenham. John died three years later in 1876, aged only 22 years. In 1881 Mary is out of the workhouse and living in Fludyen Cottage, St Mary's street, Chippenham. The head of the household is Joseph RICHARDSON, her mother Ann's second husband (Ann died herself in 1879). Albert, 2 years old has taken his mother's married surname LIGHTFOOT. It looked like I would not find out who his father was until he married Susie HILLIER in 1906 and suprise, suprise his father is recorded as one Benjamin BENNETT, occupation labourer. Now it is Benjamin Bennett that I am trying to find out more about. In the 1881 census there is Benjamin BENNETT, aged 27 lodging with a Sarah PACKER in Common Slip, just off St Mary's Street in Chippenham. Surely the coincidence is too great that two years after Albert's birth there is a Benjamin BENNETT living in the next street? The only discrepancy is Benjamin's occupation which is recoded in the census as a carter to seed merchant. The census also records London as his place of birth. In 1883 a Benjamin BENNETT get's married in Chippenham to a Jane PACKER (a daughter or relative of his landlady Sarah?). In the 1891 census Benjamin, head of the household and wife Jane are resident in Common Slip. He is now a mangaer not a carter and his place of birth is listed as London, St Pancras Parish. So there you have it! What I trying to prove is that the Benjamin BENNETT at Common Slip is indeed my great great gandfather. Is there likely to be any bastardy orders that could prove he was Albert's father? Also can anyone help trace Benjamins birth or baptism records in St Pancras London? Any help would be appreciated.
