Hello my fellow detectives, iam trying to locate the parents of a William Benge born 18 Dec 1819 at Boughton Monchelsea.(NZ Death certificate and newspaper obituary) in his death certificate in 1908 Greytown, NZ it says Elvey, Walter and Mary Benge (nee Miller) were his parents but unable to find them, and now believe this may not be right?
Would like to find any Benges and Stonham's buried at Boughton Monchelsea which may give clues to his parents names.
William Benge married (cannot find marriage entry on freeBDM either) to Mary Ston(e)ham daugher of John *Jack Stonham and Elizabeth, also of Boughton Monchelsea. It appears two children were born with both parents surnames, suggesting that they didn't marry.....
William and Mary Benge's children are as follows......
Mary Ann Benge Stoneham born c1846 Maidstone Married Jun qrt 1868 at Maidstone to William Sunnuck she died Sep qrt 1873 and Maidstone.
William Benge Stoneham born c1849 died c1849 Maidstone
William Benge born dec qrt 1855 Maidstone
Henry Benge born 13 March 1858 Maidstone
Susanah Mable Benge born 19 Jun 1860 Maidstone.
Its obivious to me that the Stonham family lived in the same Village (Boughton Monchelsea) as the Benges.
Mary's parents were Jack and Elizabeth Stonham Jack died c1892 and is buried at Boxley and Elizabeth is buried c1850 at Boxley
in the 1841 census William Benge snr was living at Tovil age 30 working at a paper mill no other family members recorded.
Are there other Benges in Tovil 1841 census or Boughton Monchelsea.
in the 1851 census family is misspelt and is Under William Bange a farm labourer
in the 1861 census it says William 40 a farm labourer born Rochester (not Boughton Monchelsea?)
So another curious thing is that it appears that William Benge born 1819 is a only child, but i surspect there should be others around this time. Perhaps there could be a bapt records for this family.
I have found a bapt entry for William and Mary's daughter Mary Ann Benge Stoneham on the 9th Oct 1846 at Maidstone
she died as Mary Ann Sunnuck c1873 Maidstone, where is she buried?
Welcome your help or idea's clearly at a dead end here!
