William Bentley of Leicester??? (I do at least know he was an FWK)

[Davedrave]

I would appreciate some help with a puzzle. I have been reading an old RootsChat post which is interesting but problematic and to make matters worse I’ve come across a very perplexing record on FindMyPast. This is the old post:

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=474512.0

It is long, but the part I am interested in and would appreciate an opinion on (mostly pages 1 and 3) is the possible link between William Bentley and Thurmaston/Shepshed/Wolverhampton. I have Bentleys in Thurmaston who were frameworks knitters, and “my” William, who lived in Thurmaston, was also connected with the part of Leicester with which the old post was concerned. (My William is not this one, but it seems likely that they could be related. He was also an FWK.)

What has now utterly perplexed me is that when I looked in Thurmaston for the burial of a Thomas Bentley born in Thurmaston about 1762, FindMyPast came up with a Baptist burial in 1828 in Shepshed (not Thurmaston as stated!). If anyone has a chance to read just the bits of the old post about William Bentley, parents Thomas and Mary etc, and Shepshed (as well as Wolverhampton) they’ll appreciate why my head is spinning.

(I had thought that Thomas Bentley baptised in Thurmaston in 1762 might have been the one who married Mary Barfoot there 1806 and then had William in the same year and other children up to 1812, but if Mary was really 74 when she died in 1830 it seems most unlikely. More to the point, why is the record from Shepshed showing up as in Thurmaston on FindMyPast?)

Dave

[Mvann]

Hi Dave

I'll have a look see if I've got anything on my tree.

Jon

[Mvann]

Right I have had a quick look and some of those names I have on my tree, but I think I have them connected to a Bentley family in Belgrave. One thing to be careful of is that on the early census, south Thurmaston was part of Belgrave. I think north Thurmaston came under either syston or barkby Thorpe

[trish1120]

I will admit I havent read the old query but isn't this your Thomas/Mary in 1851?

Thomas Bentley   69 Head Mar Frame Work Knitter born Wolverhampton
Mary Bentley   66 Wife Mar born Thurmaston
Sarah Bentley   30 Daug Unm Seamer born Thurmaston
Ann Bentley   8 Granddaughter born St Margts

Much better ages for a couple who married 1806.

1861 Thomas is born c 1782 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and Mary c 1786 Thurmaston.

F/S has a MARY Barfoot bapt 18 October 1784 Thurmaston to THOS/ELIZ

+
A possible THOMAS Bentley bapt 3 April 1782 Wolverhampton, Staffordshire to JOHN/MARY

Trish

[Davedrave]

Thanks for the replies. That 1851 Census seems to clinch it, and my Shepshed idea was rubbish, since he left a will and was a farmer. I’ve still no idea why the “Thurmaston” burial on FindMyPast is actually a Shepshed record. Maybe just a bizarre coincidence.

Dave