Other Events:

• Census: 1881, 24 Daniel St, Bathwick, Somersetshire, England
• Residence: May 1897, Matson, Gloucestershire, England
• Census: 2 Apr 1911, Priory Farm, Goodrich, Herefordshire, England

Birdie married Tom Hubert BENNETT on 20 May 1897 in Matson Parish Church, Matson, Gloucestershire, England. Tom was born on 29 Jun 1868 in Ingestone, Foy, Herefordshire, England; died on 16 Jun 1950 in West Ealing, Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Birdie Esther Marie BENNETT was born on 11 Sep 1899 in Manor Street, Braintree, Essex, England; died on 30 Mar 1970 in Cuckfield Hospital, Cuckfield, East Sussex, England.
2. Leslie Powell BENNETT was born on 28 Nov 1900 in Braintree, Essex, England.
3. Donald Graham BENNETT was born in Jan 1908 in Braintree, Essex, England.

Other Events:

• Residence: 1861, Bathampton, Somerset, England; Relation to Head of House: Son
• Census: 1881, 24 Daniel St, Bathwick, Somersetshire, England
• Census: 1891, 1 Westgate St, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
• Census: 1901, Barrow Hill, Churchdown, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
• Residence: 1906, Tudor House, The Cross, Westgate, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
• Residence: 1910, Tudor House, The Cross, Westgate, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
• Residence: 6 Aug 1914, Heathville, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England

Notes:

Liz, Many thanks for that excellent advert which I had not seen. Would it be OK with you if I uploaded it to JAF's personal page in my Ancestry tree? I see Ancestry as a useful "vault" for preserving digital data, especially photos and scans of documents. I no longer regard CDs and even hard drives as safe in the long term having already over the past 10 years lost a lot of work. Ancestry, I think, is set to endure for a long time and is certainly better than me at backing up and preserving. And the more these images proliferate the more chances they will stay around. Although I was horrified to read recently that government archivists and record offices are now beginning to use digital archiving as an excuse for destroying the physical records to save expenditure on space and retrieval (less staff required). A good example of that development is the plan by the Irish government to destroy the land registery records now that have all been digitised. But I digress. John Ambrose Fisher is technically not an ancestor of mine, but the father of my great great-uncle's wife. Some of his descendants are of course related to me by blood. Thanks for the extra information on the Fisher family, which I shall add to my tree. There is a possible interesting connection here as far as "drink" is concerned. Tom Bennett, while not in the drinks trade himself, certainly had family connections to it. His father, James Bennett, was a farmer but liked to use his money to invest in worthwhile local enterprises. One of his projects was to help set up the Alton Court Brewery in Ross, and both he (he is my great great-grandfather) and my great-grandfather and grandfather were successively chairmen of the company. Tom's eldest brother went into the brewing industry, and one of his sister's married the chief brewer at the Alton Court Brewery. So it's possible the Fisher's had a pre-existing commercial connection with the Bennetts. The Alton Court Brewery was very successful in its day but by 1947 was in trouble. My grandfather was the last chairman and had the unenviable task of overseeing the selling of the company to the Stroud Brewery in Gloucestershire. They, of course, stripped the assets and closed down the site in Ross putting everyone out of work, something for which my grandfather was much resented in the town for a long time although I gather there was really no alternative but to sell. Small town breweries were not able to survive in the new post-war economy. Tom Bennett and Emily Louisa Fisher's daughter Birdie Esther Marie Bennett moved to London and eventually to Sussex. She was at some point heavily into local government and was mayor (of Burgess Hill I believe) at some point. I know my great-aunt Gladys Mary Bennett (she was always known as "Girlie", and two of her brothers were "Boy" and "Laddie") kep in close touch with Birdie throughout her life but after she died there was very little connection, if any, between our Bennett side and Birdie's. In the 1990s I located Birdie's bank manager husband, Kenneth Oldland, shortly before he died and he put me in touch with his son in Australia who very kindly supplied my with data on Birdie's descendants. But I think he may now be dead. All this was pre-internet and involved actual letters or phone calls. Once I've assimulated all the new data I'll get back to see about any documents or photos we can share. I inherited Girlie's photo album and there are lots of (unfortunately) unidentified people in them, some of who may well be her Fisher/Bennett friends. I was sent some photos of Tom and Birdie's Australian descendants (as in the 1990s) which I have not yet put up on Ancestry, but must do so soon. When I scan them I'll make sure I send you copies. Best wishes, Nigel mail@nigel-edwards.fsbusiness.co.uk 5 Feb 2010

John married Esther Ada FISHER about Jun 1869 in Bedminster, Somerset, England. Esther (daughter of Henry FISHER and Mary Ann SLADE) was born about 1847 in Bath, Somerset, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Census: 1881, 24 Daniel St, Bathwick, Somersetshire, England
• Census: 1891, 1 Westgate St, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
• Census: 1901, Barrow Hill, Churchdown, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
• Census: 1911, Thornfield, Hucclecote, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England

Notes:

In the BMD index it gives Esther's maiden name as Fisher. This could be a mistake.

Other Events:

• Residence: 1841, St Michael, Somerset, England
• Census: 1851, 10 Northgate St, Bath, Somerset, England
• Residence: 1851, Bath St Michael, Somerset, England; Relation to Head of House: Head
• Residence: 1861, Bathampton, Somerset, England; Relation to Head of House: Head
• Census: 1871, 10 Northgate St, Bath, Somerset, England
• Residence: 1871, St Michael, Somerset, England; Relation to Head of House: Head

Robert married Caroline BOWEN on 3 Mar 1835 in Bathampton, Somerset, England. Caroline was born about 1821 in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales; died between 1861 and 1871. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• Residence: 1841, St Michael, Somerset, England
• Census: 1851, 10 Northgate St, Bath, Somerset, England
• Residence: 1851, Bath St Michael, Somerset, England; Relation to Head of House: Wife
• Residence: 1861, Bathampton, Somerset, England; Relation to Head of House: Wife

Notes:

Occupation: Painter and Glazier, master

Henry married Mary Ann SLADE in 1842 in Bath, Somerset, England. Mary was born about 1825 in Bath, Somerset, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]