North Surrey District School, Penge

[Benody1921]

Hello,

I'm looking for an admission and/or discharge record for a Henry Stuart. On the 1871 census he is at the school and I believe he might be my great-grandad's half brother.

There was a Henry Stuart born 5 Aug 1862 at Woodhatch in Reigate to parents Henry Benson and Julia. I don't believe they were married as Henry Benson was married to Isabella Louise Carter at that time.

On the 1871 Census there is a Henry Stuart born about 1863 at the school and I would love to know if that's the same Henry Stuart.

I've tried looking online for records but haven't had much luck. I'm in Canada so I can't get to any of the archives.

[SilverSS44]

Hi i have found Henry STUART ON THE 1871/ scholar/ born Wandsworth, Surrey.
Henry Benson STUART born India was an Army officer, he married Isabella in 1859, cert recorded on Ancestry. Isabella died in 1868 at Norwood which is near the said school. HBS remarried the same year, again cert recorded on Ancestry. He was a Widower.

My Mother also went to the same school in 1912, as her father had died. Her mother was still alive but unable to cope with her and her brothers.

Happy to help
Shirley
by coincidence my mothers birth grandfather was a STUART !

[Benody1921]

Hi Shirley,

Thanks for your reply. I've just discovered these Stuart ancestors and I'm trying to figure them out.

Henry Benson Stuart was my 2nd great-grandfather. He had 3 children with his first wife and then he had a child with someone named Julia (this is the one I suspect was at the school) in between his first two children. Then he had 2 children with my 2nd great-grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth Whiting.

I don't know anything about the school but from what I've read it was created for poor children or orphans. I wonder if the mother Julia died and HB wasn't going to support him. I have no idea but I'd like to find out. I checked the GRO Index for a Henry Stuart born in Reigate in 1862 and there was a Henry Alfred Stuart with the mother's maiden name Johnson.

[SilverSS44]

Hi this is a real teaser. The Norwood where Isabella died was Middlesex not Surrey, so I think i got that wrong. On Henry Alfreds baptism HBS is recorded as a Gentleman.  HBS married a lady called Anna Marie ROURKE later in 1868.

Are you subscribed to Ancestry? I will take another look tomorrow
regards
Shirley

[Benody1921]

It's been very confusing.

Isabella died in 1868 and then he married Anna Mary Bourke a bit later that year. As far as I know, those two didn't have children. She seems to be the only lady he didn't have children with. I haven't been able to find him in the later censuses; only in 1851 and 1861.

On the baptism for Henry Alfred, HB is a gentleman and he is also a gentleman on the birth certificate of his daughter, Mary Stuart, in 1881 (birth registered in 1882).

I am on Ancestry. My tree is Dunn/Gough Family Tree and my username is Benody1921.

[polarbear]

Well, certainly a tangled web!

I can't help with the school but found these records that may or may not be connected.....

Birth of a Julia Benson Stuart with MMN Johnson J qtr 1861 Westminster 01A 298.

Possibly with mother Julia age 2 weeks (?) in Westminster in the 1861 census.

A Julia Benson Stuart marries a Herbert Haddon 11 Apr 1882 in St Dunstan West and states her father is Henry a Soldier Deceased.

Anyway, food for thought.

And.....

I'm curious as to why you have equated George Harry Dunn to the son born Stuart with MMN Whiting in your tree?

PB

[Benody1921]

Ooh the plot thickens. Thank you! I'll look into Julia Benson Stuart next.

Through DNA matching and a lot of research I found George Harry Dunn being born Henry Whiting Stuart, 28 Aug 1883 in Luton, Bedfordshire rather than in Wollescote. The DNA matching led me to the Whitings which then led me to the Stuarts. This also confirms the family story that great-grandad was a Stuart but was taken in by the Dunns but within the family.

[polarbear]

Wow!

PB