Person:Sarah Benning (1)

Sarah Benning was born in 1854 in Luton, Bedfordshire, daughter of Elizabeth Benning, formerly Britnall, and her husband Matthias Benning, a labourer. When Sarah was less than a year old, her father was prosecuted for abandoning his family and leaving them to be supported by the parish authorities in Luton. He was sent to jail for one month.

Just over a year later, on 14th March 1856, Sarah's father died from gunshot wounds, aged 24. He apparently shot himself accidentally, knocking his gun against a doorway, just after a visit from two men serving him with a warrant of distress for unpaid rent.

Neither Sarah nor her mother have been found in the 1861 census. By 1871 Sarah's mother was living with a William Durrant, although they do not appear to have married. Sarah was living with them at Tower Hill in Luton, and working as a sewer. In 1874, Sarah had a daughter named Clara Jane.

In 1878, aged about 24, Sarah was married at Christ Church in Luton to a James Smith, who had been living next door to her on Tower Hill in 1871. James worked as a straw plait bleacher and iron foundry labourer. Initially, Sarah and James stayed on Tower Hill, later moving to the southern part of town, settling at 69 Chase Street. Sarah worked as a straw hat sewer and machinist in Luton's straw hat industry. She apparently had 14 children, but 7 of these had died by the time of the 1911 census.

Sarah's mother Elizabeth (who appears to have lived with a William Durrant and taken his surname, albeit no sign of an actual marriage has been found) later came to live with James and Sarah. Elizabeth died in 1903.

James died in 1910, aged 57. Sarah continued to live at 69 Chase Street. After the First World Ward, Sarah shared the house with a couple called Frederick and Rose Plater.

Sarah died in 1931, aged 76.

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

   b. Sarah BENNING, June Quarter 1854, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 423, mother's maiden name Britnall

2.   Bedfordshire Mercury, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 3, 3 Mar 1855.

   LUTON
   PETTY SESSIONS, FEB. 26th, 1855...
   Matthias Benning, labourer, Luton, was charged by Mr Joseph Anstie, Relieving Officer of the same place, with deserting his wife and family, and leaving them chargeable to the said parish. Committed for one month.

3.   Cambridge Independent Press, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
   Page 7, 22 Mar 1856.

   BEDFORD...
   Inquests before Ezra Eagles, Esq., Coroner...
   At Luton, on the 17th instant, on Matthias Benning, of Luton, labourer, who accidentally shot himself, on the 14th instant. Geo. Fawcett went with Ebenezer Croker to serve a warrant of distress for rent on the deceased. As Benning was going out at the door, Fawcett heard the report of a gun, and the deceased returned into the house. Benning said he had a gun in his pocket, and, as he was going out, the gun hit against the door-post and went off. The barrel of a gun and a stock were lying in the doorway, separated from each other. Mr. Tomson, surgeon, was sent for directly. Joseph Cook went to see him several times afterwards, and Benning explained to him that the circumstance was accidental. Cook believed that the deceased had been locked in his house ever since the previous Friday afternoon. The injury was an inch or two below the armpit, and three of No. 4 shot were extracted. Mr. Tomson attended him until his death, which arose from the shock given to the nervous system by the injuries. He was twenty-four years of age.-Verdict: "Accidental Death."

4. ↑ 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 1570; Folio 43; Page 22, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Tower Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Durrant, head, widower, male, 40 [1830/1], Laborer, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   George Durrant, son, unmarried, male, 16 [1854/5], Laborer, b. Dunstable, Bedfordshire
   Charles Durrant, son, male, 10 [1860/1], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Benning, wife, widow, female, 41 [1829/30], Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Benning, daughter, unmarried, female, 16 [1854/5], Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1648; Folio 106; Page 20, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 12 Tower Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Smith, head, married, male, 29 [1851/2], Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Smith, wife, married, female, 26 [1854/5], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   W[illia]m Ja[me]s Smith, son, male, 2 [1878/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ 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 1273; Folio 69; Page 14, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 5 Chobham Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   5 or more rooms occupied
   James Smith, head, married, male, 40 [1850/1], Straw Plait Bleasher, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Smith, wife, married, female, 36 [1854/5], Straw Hat Machinist, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Smith, daughter, single, female, 16 [1874/5], Straw Hat Finisher, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, son, male, 12 [1878/9], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Charles Smith, son, male, 9 [1881/2], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Stanley Smith, son, male, 4 [1886/7], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Smith, son, male, 2 [1888/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Durrant, lodger, widow, female, 60 [1830/1], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ann Simpson, lodger, married, female, 56 [1834/5], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ 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 1517; Folio 17; Page 25, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 69 Chase Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   James Smith, head, married, male, 49 [1851/2], Iron Founders Laborer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Smith, wife, married, female, 45 [1855/6], Straw Hat Machinist, worker - at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Charles Smith, son, single, male, 19 [1881/2], Iron Founders Laborer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Stanley Smith, son, single, male, 14 [1886/7], Iron Founders Labourer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Smith, son, male, 11 [1889/90], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Nellie Smith, daughter, female, 7 [1893/4], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Horace Smith, son, male, 5 [1895/6], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Elizabeth Durrant, mother-in-law, widow, female, 72 [1828/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

8. ↑ 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 8995; Schedule 114, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 69 Chase Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Sarah Smith, widow, female, 55 [1855/6], single, married 31 years, 14 children born alive, 7 children still living, Machinist - Straw Hat, worker - at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Stanley Smith, son, male, 24 [1886/7], single, Labourer - Plait Dyer, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Smith, son, male, 22 [1888/9], single, Fishmongers Assistant - Fish Frier, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Nellie Smith, daughter, female, 17 [1893/4], single, Machinists - Straw Hat, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Horace Smith, son, male, 15 [1895/6], single, Plait Stringer - Straw Hat, worker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

9.   Bedfordshire, England. Electoral Registers 1832-1986 (Bedfordshire Archives / ancestry.co.uk).

   1912, 1913, 1914, 1915
   69 Chase Street: Smith, Sarah
   
   1918, 1919, 1920
   69 Chase Street: Smith, Sarah / Plater, Frederick / Plater, Rose
   
   1921, 1922
   69 Chase Street: Smith, Sarah / Plater, Frederick / Plater, Rose / Plater, John
   
   1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928
   69 Chase Street: Smith, Sarah / Plater, Frederick / Plater, Rose
   
   1929
   69 Chase Street: Smith, Sarah / Smith, John / Plater, Frederick / Plater, Rose
   
   1930
   69 Chase Street: Smith, Sarah / Plater, Frederick / Plater, Rose

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

    d. Sarah SMITH, March Quarter 1931, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 545, aged 76 [1854/5]

11.   Luton Times and Advertiser, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 8, 18 Sep 1903.

    DEATHS.
    Sept. 12, at 69, Chase-street, Luton, Elizabeth Durrant, aged 74 years.