Person:Jane Primet (1)

Jane Primet was baptised on 23rd September 1787 at Great Wymondley in Hertfordshire, daughter of Sarah Primet, formerly Dixon, and her husband Thomas Primet. Jane was the youngest of their eight children, two of whom had died as infants before Jane was born. Jane appears to have witnessed her older sister Sarah's marriage at Great Wymondley in 1801.

Jane was married on 9th June 1817 in the nearby town of Hitchin to William Bentley. They went on to have nine children baptised at Hitchin between 1818 and 1830, although at least three died as infants. All the children's baptisms describe William as a gentleman. The baptisms between 1818 and 1824 give the family's abode as Sun Street, just off the Market Place in the centre of Hitchin. Some time between 1824 and 1826 the family moved onto nearby Tilehouse Street.

Back in Great Wymondley, Jane's mother died in 1822 and her father died in 1829.

The 1841 census finds William, Jane, five of their children and two servants living on Tilehouse Street. William was described as a conveyancer. The tithe survey for Hitchin taken that same year also shows that the family lived at 88 Tilehouse Street, a substantial town house.

The 1851 census finds William, Jane, two children and two servants at Tilehouse Street. On this occasion, William described himself as a "conveyancer not at the bar". Ten years later he described himself as a solicitor in the 1861 census. William died just a couple of months later, on 2nd June 1861. He was 69 years old. His death was reported in local newspapers, describing how he had been a prominent figure in the town, managing the savings bank. He had apparently been in poor health for some time. He left a will and his estate was described as "under £7,000" - a sizeable value for the time.

Jane survived William by just over two years. She appears to have left the house on Tilehouse Street and moved to Bancroft, the other side of the town centre. She died on 9th September 1863, aged 76.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Registers of Great Wymondley. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies).

   1787
   Jane of Tho[ma]s & Sarah Primet P[rivately?] Sept[embe]r 23

2. ↑ England. 1841 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 HO107; Piece 445; Book 2; Folio 3; Page 1, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: Tilehouse Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   William Bentley, male, 45 [1791-6], Conveyancer, born in county
   Jane Bentley, female, 50 [1786-91], born in county
   Henry Bentley, male, 23 [1817/18] Attorney & Solicitor, born in county
   Mary Bentley, female, 21 [1819/20], born in county
   Eliz[abet]h Bentley, female, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   Catherine Bentley, female, 15 [1821-6], born in county
   Walter Bentley, male, 11 [1829/30], born in county
   Eliza Crawley, female, 25 [1811-16], F[emale] S[ervant], not born in county
   Mary Norris, female, 18 [1822/3], F[emale] S[ervant], not born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1710; Folio 124; Page 24, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Tyler [sic] Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   William Bentley, head, married, male, 59 [1791/2], Conveyancer not at the Bar, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Jane Bentley, wife, married, female, 61 [1789/90], Gentlemans Wife, b. Great Wymondley, Hertfordshire
   Eliz[abeth] Bentley, daughter, unmarried, female, 27 [1823/4], Gentlemans Dau[ghter], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Cath[erine] Han[nah] Bentley, daughter, unmarried, female, 25 [1825/6], Gentleman Dau[ghter], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Eliz[abe]th Hummerstone, servant, unmarried, female, 25 [1825/6], House Serv[ant], b. Therfield, Hertfordshire
   Jane Willis, servant, unmarried, female, 18 [1832/3], House Serv[ant], b. Duxford, Cambridgeshire

4. ↑ 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 819; Folio 53; Page 28, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Tile House Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   William Bentley, head, married, male, 69 [1791/2], Solicitor, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Jane Bentley, wife, married, female, 72 [1788/9], b. Much Wymondley, Hertfordshire
   Mary Midwinter Bentley, daughter, unmarried, female, 38 [1822/3], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Elizabeth Bentley, daughter, unmarried, female, 36 [1824/5], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Catherine Hanah Shaw, daughter, married, female, 35 [1825/6], b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Alice Jeeves, unmarried, female, 55 [1805/6], Nurse, b. Hitchin, Hertfordshire
   Ann Sharp, unmarried, female, 19 [1841/2], House Servant, b. Preston, Hertfordshire
   Alice Bryant, unmarried, female, 18 [1842/3], House Servant, b. Hinksworth [sic], Hertfordshire

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

   d. Jane BENTLEY, September Quarter 1863, Hitchin Registration District, Volume 3a, page 197, aged 76 [1786/7]

6. ↑ Burials register, in Church of England. Parish Registers of St Mary's Church, Hitchin. (Hertford: Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies).

   Burials 1863
   No. 60
   Name: Jane Bentley, Widow
   Abode: Bancroft Street
   When buried: Sep[tembe]r 16
   Age: 77 y[ea]rs [1785/6]
   Name of Minister: W[illia]m F. Reynolds

7. ↑ The Herts Guardian, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, Tuesday 15 Sep 1863.

   DEATHS.
   On the 9th inst, at Hitchin, Jane, widow of William Bentley, Esq, solicitor, aged 76.