Bright's and Bentley's Of Huntingdonshire.

[Cottingham]

Can anyone help?

We are trying to research the families of Bright and Bentley from the St. Ives, Huntingdonshire and surrounding areas.
We have an Olive Berenice Bentley Bright b. 1885, Needingsworth, Huntingdonshire. Her mother was Elizabeth Bentley b. abt 1858 and father was William Bright b. abt 1845, both in the surrounding area of St. Ives.
If you have any information about any of these people or a possible connection, then I'd like to hear from you. 
Thanks.

[bedfordshire boy]

1891 census

Main St, Somersham

William Bright head marr 45 coal agent b St Ives
Lissie Bright wife 33 b Woodhurst Hunts
Evangeline B Bright dau 8 scholar b Needingworth
Bertrande B B Bright son scholar b Needingworth
Olive B B Bright dau 5 scholar b Needingworth
Bernard B B Bright son 2 b Needingworth
Marguerita N? B B Bright dau 1

In 1881 which you will probably have checked on www.familysearch.org there is William Bright 35 widower coal dealer born St Ives with children William 13, Elizabeth 10, Frances 8, Betsy 6, and Charles 4.

1871 census

Holywell cum Needingworth

William Bright head marr 27 farmer 25 acres b St Ives
Rebecca Bright wife 28 b Barley, Herts
William Bright son 3 b Needingworth
Phoebe Bright dau 10m b Needingworth

per FreeBMD
Marriage Sept quarter 1881 St Ives registration district William Bright and Mary Elizabeth Bentley
Death Sept 1/4 1878 Rebecca Bright
Birth Sept 1/4 1870 Elizabeth Phoebe Bright
Marriage Sept 1/4 1867 William Bright and Rebecca Prime

Do you have the marriage cert of William and Elizabeth Bentley - was he described as widower?  It should also show his father's name, which may be:

1861 census Holywell cum Needingworth
High St
Frank Bright head marr 54 farmer 30 acres b Needingworth
Elizabeth Bright wife 55 b Needingworth
Frances Bright dau unmarr 21 b Needingworth
John Bright son unm 19 b Needingworth
William Bright son unm 16 b Needingworth


1861 census  RG9/977 Folio 110
Church St Woodhurst
George Bentley head marr 36 potato dealer b Oldhurst
Charlotte Bentley wife 36 b Oldhurst
Mary E Bentley dau 3 b Woodhurst

This family appear in 1871 and 1881 - Mary Eliz aged 13 in 1871 and Elizabeth aged 23 in 1881.

I also have the 1841 census but before looking at that you may want to verify the above, as the William Brights in 1861 and 1871 may be totally wrong.

Regards

David

[Cottingham]

Thank you for your reply.

Since you replied to our post the first time, we have been able to research this family further and it appears that William Bright who is aged 45 in the 1891 census did marry before he married Lissie. So therefore the information seems to tally up.

It also seems that Lissie was also known as Elizabeth Mary or Mary Elizabeth Bentley, before she married William Bright.

If it would be possible could you look up these families that you mentioned in your last post, in the other census's  that you may have.

Thank you.

[bedfordshire boy]

Apologies for the delay in responding - I moved to France on 9th April and must have totally missed your request for a follow up! I will be back to you!

But... since I've been here I've discovered a long lost ggg grandmother's marriage so I've finally found her maiden name - Bright, from Somersham! I waiting for a couple of look ups from Huntingdon Record Office as the parish register has not been filmed by the LDS or transcribed. We may have a connection.

Regards

David

[bedfordshire boy]

1871 RG10/1528 folio 19B
Lane, Old Hurst
George Bentley head marr 45 dealer born Old Hurst
Charlotte Bentley wife 45 b Old Hurst
Mary Eliz Bentley dau 13 scholar b Old Hurst
George E Bentley son 9 scholar b Woodhurst
Benjamin Bentley son 7 scholar b Woodhurst
Ellinor Bentley dau 3 b Old Hurst

the next entry was
High St, Old Hurst
Thomas Bentley head marr 35 labourer b Old Hurst
Sarah Jane Bentley wife 31 b Old Hurst
William Bentley son 5 b Old Hurst
John Bentley son 1 b Old Hurst
John Bentley boarder widower 78 pensioner b Old Hurst

In 1881
Cottage, Old Hurst
Charlotte Bentley head widow 55 b Old Hurst
Elizabeth Bentley dau unm 23 dressmaker b Woodhurst
George E Bentley son unm 19 dealer in pigs b Woodhurst
Benjamin Bentley son unm 17 ag lab b Woodhusrt
Ellen Bentley dau 13 scholar b Woodhurst
Julia Bentley dau 9 scholar b Old Hurst

Could you let me know what other Hunts look ups you are seeking, with the exception of 1851 which has been produced as a transcript by Hunts FHS but which I don't have.

Regards

David

[Cottingham]

Hi,

Thanks for getting back to me, with this information.

If it would be possible could you please look up these Bentley Families, in the 1861 and the 1841 Census.

Also, could you please look up a Charlotte Leeden (Whom I believe is the Charlotte who married George Bentley) b. Old Hurst. If you could find her in the 1841 census, would like to know where and who she was residing with.

Thank you so much for all the information that you have sent me so far, and look forward to hearing from you again soon.

[bedfordshire boy]

This may come through piecemeal as I go through the censuses

1861
RG9/977 Folio 110
Woodhurst
George Bentley head marr 36 potatoe dealer b Oldhurst
Charlotte Bentley wife 36 b Oldhurst
Mary E Bentley dau 3 b Woodhurst

RG9/976 folio 18B
Old Hurst
William Bently head marr 52 ag lab b Old Hurst
Mary Bently wife 49 b Broughton Hunts
Thomas Bently son unm 25 ag lab b Old Hurst
William Bently son unm 21 ag lab b Old Hurst
Mary Bently dau unm 17 maid servant b Old Hurst
Ruth Bently dau 14 b Old Hurst

Folio 18
Old Hurst
Isaac Bently head marr 26 potatoe merchant b Old Hurst
Susan Bently wife 23 b Pidley Hunts


RG9/1023   Folio 30
6 Coldham lane, St Andrew the Less, Cambridge
John Bentley head marr 67 lab b Old Hurst Hunts
Sarah Bentley wife 59 b Old Hurst

High St Caxton Cambs
Edward Bentley head marr 36 ag lab b Old Hurst
Elizabeth Bentley wife 32 b Papworth St Everard Cambs
Edward Bentley son 16 ag lab b Buckden Hunts
Daughters Jane 15; Harriett 12; Avery 10; Elizabeth 8; Mary A 6; Fanny 3; Sarah 3 mths; all born Caxton

Hopefully 1841 will help sort out who belongs to who!

regards

David

[bedfordshire boy]

1841

HO107/448-09 folio 4
Edward Bentley 45 shoemaker
Mary Bentley 40
George Bentley 15
Hanah Bentley 13
Rebecker Bentley 8
Isaac Bentley 5
Benjamin Bentley 2

Next entry
William Bentley 30 ag lab
Mary Bentley 30
Francisann Bentley 7
Tom Bentley 5
William Bentley 1

Folio 5B
Joseph Bentley 35 ag lab
Joseph Bentley 9

Folio 6B
Edward Bentley 70 ag lab
Mary Bentley 70

All of them born in Hunts

Folio 6B
Sarah Leeding 50 born in Hunts
Charlotte Leeding 15 Not born in Hunts (the "N" is not very clear but it has no tail so I assume it is not a Y)

This was the only Charlotte of any age, male or female, in Old Hurst, and there were no other Leeden/Leedings. In 1861 there were only 26 Leedens in the index (which would not include Leedings and other variations) and 18 of those were born in Hunts and most of them in Somersham.

Shout if you need any follow ups as a result of the 1841 findings.

Still looking for John b c1793 who may have been your George's uncle, just to tidy up ends!

Regards

David

[bedfordshire boy]

1841
HO107/86/9 Folio 14A
Castle St,  Cambridge St Giles
John Bentley 46 labourer
Sarah Bentley 40
Neither born in Cambs

1851
HO107/1760 Folio 851B
Pleasant Row, Cambridge St Giles
John Bently head marr 58 Greenwich pensioner b Oldhurst
Sarah Bently wife 48 b Oldhurst

(I can do Cambs 1851 but not Hunts)

I'll leave interpretation to you!

david