Benson brick wall....

[Kay99]

Arnold/Collin gives his birthplace in 1911 and 1921 as Hampstead  so seems fairly consistant but that dosn't help pre 1891

Kay

[trish1120]

No it doesnt, so I would say a change of surname.

[Kay99]

Fingers crossed that he retained his first/middle name

Kay

[Kay99]

This is the earliest I can see.   The report is a numbers of newspapers

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 16 October 1889

At the Leeds Police Court yesterday 48 men belonging to Leicester, George Clarke of Leeds and Arnold Collin Benson of Old Trafford, Manchester were charged with frequenting the Ellesmere Club for gambling purpose ...  The accused were remanded on bail 

In the Leicester Chronicle 19 October 1889 the report includes -  Defendant Benson said he has been asked to go into the club and have a glass of beer by a friend.  He had never been to the club before and in fact had only been in town since last Thursday.   He was anxious to get away again.

Kay

[dotbenson]

Thanks so much for your help everyone! Very grateful!  I'm assuming that if he had changed his name there'd be no requirement to do that officially - he could just call himself something else? Does anyone know.  I think he was also a freemason at some point, does anyone know what kind of records they hold? Would it be worth trying to contact them?

[BushInn1746]

I think he was also a freemason at some point, does anyone know what kind of records they hold? Would it be worth trying to contact them?

They couldn't help me and I found my Freemason family members online

Anc., UK, Card Catalogue
England, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751-1921

Added: looking at my folder prints, it gives their name, Town/City of Residence at joining and age under their Lodge Title.

[Kay99]

I think this is him

Arnold Colin Benson
Initiation Date:    14 Dec 1910
First Payment Year on Register:    1911
Year range:    1910-1921
Lodge:    Zetland Lodge
Lodge Location:    Salford
Lodge Number:    852
Folio Number:    103
Listed as an Estate Agent

Kay

[BushInn1746]

1902 Gladys Maud Benson [child] of Arnold Collen Benson & Ethel Maud
https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Salford/Salford-Central/stphilip/baptisms_1899-1902.html
 -----------
Mother's Maiden Name: Heywood (GRO Index, Certificate not seen)
 -----------
1957 Ethel Maud Benson Widow, Probate to Arnold Collen Ethelbert Benson

A C E Benson, Probate 1965 and his Wife's earlier death Katherine Mary Benson, listed in The Gazette, online 1947, Probate 1948 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/

Probate / Wills Register at gov.uk (£1.50 each)

[Dundee]

A C E Benson, also indexed at gov.uk
(Wife's earlier death listed in The Gazette, online 1947) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/

A.C.E. is the son Ethelbert who died in 1965, Arnold Collen died in 1935.

Deaths Mar 1965  

BENSON    ARNOLD C E
Aged 66
POOLE    7C   815

Debra