Person:Bonser Singleton (1)

Bonser Singleton was born in 1854 at Allington in Lincolnshire, the fifth of eleven children of Eliza Worth Singleton, formerly Bonser, and her husband Robert Singleton, a coachman and groom. Bonser's parents obviously decided to give him his mother's maiden name as a first name. Bonser appears in the 1861 census living with his parents and siblings in Allington.

By 1871 Bonser had left home and was working as an apprentice for a shoe maker at Great Gonerby, a couple of miles east of Allington.

In 1872, Bonser's mother Eliza died, aged 46. She died at Aston on Trent in Derbyshire; Bonser's parents had moved away from Allington shortly before her death. Bonser clearly travelled up to Aston on Trent around the time of her death, as he was the informant on her death certificate.

On 29th April 1877, aged about 23, Bonser married a cigar maker called Selina Wright at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Boston. They had a son, Frederick Robert, born at Boston the following year. He was followed early in 1879 by a daughter called Ada. The family then left the Boston area and moved fifty miles west to Nottingham. Their daughter Ada died in Nottingham later in 1879. Another son, Herbert George, followed in 1880, but he too died as a baby.

The 1881 census finds Bonser and Selina living at 7 Trent Street in Nottingham. Bonser was described as a boot maker, whilst Selina was still working as a cigar maker. Bonser's brother Frederick was living with them at the time. Bonser and Selina's son Frederick was not with them. He was living back in Boston with Selina's sister Mary and her husband, who appear to have brought him up, as he was still living with them in the 1891 census.

Bonser and Selina went on to have six more children in Nottingham: Florence Mary in 1881, George Henry in 1883, Bertha in 1885, William in 1886 (who died as a baby), Gertrude in 1889 (who also died as a baby), and Rose in 1890.

The family had financial difficulties in 1886, with Bonser's boot and shoe business being declared insolvent. Bonser said that illness in the family at the time had been one reason the business had been in trouble.

By 1901 the family was living in Nottingham at 41 Broad Marsh, where Bonser and Selina would live for the rest of their lives.

Bonser's father died in 1901 at Bainton in Northamptonshire.

In the 1911 census Selina reported that she had had ten children, of whom five were still living, suggesting there was another child who had died beyond those noted above.

Selina died at home at 41 Broad Marsh on 4th October 1928, aged 78. Bonser survived her by six years. He died on Christmas Day 1934, aged 80.

1. ↑ Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Bonser SINGLETON, June Quarter 1854, Newark Registration District, Volume 7b, page 308, mother's maiden name Bonser

2. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 2481; Folio 12; Page 18, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: West Allington, Lincolnshire
   Robert Singleton, head, married, male, 42 [1818/9], Groom, b. Foston, Lincolnshire
   Eliza Singleton, wife, married, female, 35 [1825/6], b. East Stoke, Nottinghamshire
   Samuel Singleton, son, male, 14 [1846/7], Ag[ricultural] Boy, b. Foston, Lincolnshire
   Mary Eliz[abe]th Singleton, daughter, female, 10 [1850/1], Scholar, b. West Allington, Lincolnshire
   William Singleton, son, male, 8 [1852/3], Scholar, b. West Allington, Lincolnshire
   Bonser Singleton, son, male, 5 [1855/6], Scholar, b. West Allington, Lincolnshire
   James Singleton, son, male, 3 [1857/8], Scholar, b. West Allington, Lincolnshire
   Richard Singleton, son, male, 2 [1858/9], b. West Allington, Lincolnshire

3. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 3362; Folio 62; Page 26, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: High Street, Great Gonerby, Lincolnshire
   George Allen, head, married, male, 51 [1819/20], Shoe maker, b. Sedgebrook, Lincolnshire
   Elizabeth Allen, wife, married, female, 52 [1818/19], b. Nottingham
   Henry Clay, grandson, male, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Allington, Lincolnshire
   Bonsor Singleton, apprentice, unmarried, male, 16 [1854/5], Shoe maker, b. Allington, Lincolnshire

4. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 3362; Folio 4; Page 1, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 7 Trent Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   Bonser Singleton, head, married, male, 26 [1854/5], Boot Maker, b. West Allington, Lincolnshire
   Selina Singleton, wife, married, female, 30 [1850/1], Cigar Maker, b. Bolton
   Frederick Singleton, brother, unmarried, male, 15 [1865/6], Boot Maker, b. West Allington, Lincolnshire

5. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 2701; Folio 103; Page 17, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 7 Trent Street, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Bonser Singleton, head, married, male, 35 [1855/6], Boot Maker, Employer, b. Allington, Lincolnshire
   Selina Singleton, wife, married, female, 39 [1851/2], b. Boston, Lincolnshire
   Florence M. Singleton, daughter, female, 9 [1881/2], Scholar, b. Nottingham
   George Singleton, son, male, 8 [1882/3], b. Nottingham
   Martha Singleton, daughter, female, 6 [1884/5], b. Nottingham
   Rose Singleton, daughter, female, 9mo [1890], b. Nottingham

6. ↑ England. England. 1901 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG13; Piece 3166; Folio 92; Page 4, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 41 Broad Marsh, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   Bonser Singleton, head, married, male, 46 [1854/5], Boot Maker, own account, working at home, b. Allington, Lincolnshire
   Selina Singleton, wife, married, female, 51 [1849/50], b. Boston, Lincolnshire
   Florence Singleton, daughter, single, female, 19 [1881/2], Machinist Shirt, worker, b. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   Bertha Singleton, daughter, single, female, 16 [1884/5], Machinist Shirt, worker, b. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   Rose Singleton, daughter, single, female, 11 [1889/90], b. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   George Singleton, son, single, male, 18 [1882/3], Cabinet Maker, worker, b. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

7. ↑ England. 1911 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom: The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), (formerly the UK General Register Office.))
   Class RG14; Piece 20508; Schedule 171, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 41 Broad Marsh, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
   5 rooms occupied
   Bonser Singleton, head, male, 56 [1854/5], married, Boot Maker, own account, working at home, b. Allington, Lincolnshire
   Selina Singleton, wife, female, 61 [1849/50], married 34 years, 10 children born alive, 5 children still living, b. Boston, Lincolnshire
   Rose Singleton, daughter, female, 20 [1890/1], single, Machinist Ladies Neck Wear - Blouse Manuf[actu]r[e], b. Nottingham

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. Bonser SINGLETON, December Quarter 1934, Nottingham Registration District, Volume 7b, page 423, aged 80 [1853/4]

9. ↑ Nottingham Evening Post, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 2, 27 Dec 1934.

   DEATHS.
   SINGLETON. - Bonser, on Dec. 25th, of 41 Broad-marsh, in his 81st year. Resting.-Sons and daughters. Interment Sat., 11.30, Wilford Hill.

10.   Nottingham Evening Post, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 3, 3 Nov 1886.

    FAILURE OF A NOTTINGHAM BOOT AND SHOE DEALER.
    The first meeting of creditors in the matter of Bonser Singleton, of Trent-street, and 3, Parkinson-street, boot and shoe dealer, was convened to be held at the offices of the Official Received (Mr. Hy. R. Thorpe), High Pavement, Nottingham, this morning. There was not a quorum present, and no resolution could be passed. The summary of debtor's statement of affairs showed debts due to unsecured creditors to the amount of £262 9s. 9d. The assets, consisting of stock-in-trade, book debts, household furniture, &c., were estimated at £32 10s. 10d., but £4 0s. 9d. was due to preferential creditors, leaving £28 10s. 1d. as assets, and a definiency of £233 19s. 8d. Failure was attributed to illness in family, want of capital, and bad trade. - The Official Received, in his observations, stated that the stock-in-trade appeared to be very small, as was also the item for household furniture of £5. The debtor appeared to have been insolved for two years or more, and to have been carrying on a struggling trade wit too little capital. - Mr. Stroud, who appeared for the debtor, said he had no offer to make. A brother-in-law of the debtor was willing to purchase the household furniture at a valuation. Several proofs of debts were passed.