Surname interests:BESSELL and STANDEN

[Bvc]

I am interested in any information on the Bessell and Standen families who at one time lived in Bedminster. Charlotte Ann Standen ( nee Andrews born in Stapleton) lived with John Martin Bessell (born 1834 in the Bristol area) in London and after her death, her son James Standen moved from London to Bedminster. James was an organ builder, John Bessell was a stone mason. I would like to know whether there were any family connections.

[Surfers]

Hello there l have information of the Bessell family from Mitcham Surrey.

Charles Bessell born 1767 died 23/5/1845. Married Frances Brooks.

Children
 John Bessell 1798.
Edward Corbert 1799
Bowen 1801
Mowbray 1803 my x 4 gr grandfather.

Caroline Jane 1805
Hulme 1806.

Not sure if this is what your looking for.

Chrissie

[Bvc]

Thanks for this information, I will keep it in mind although I am sure my Bessell family originated in Bristol. Regards Brenda

[Surfers]

Hi Brenda l do have a family group sheet if you would like a copy. l will go through my tree tomorrow and see if the other name is on there.

my addy is

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Chrissie

[kazdoggi]

Hi, I have some info on John Martin Bessell from Bristol.

The John Martin Bessell I have on my tree was baptised on 17 May 1812 aged 3 years at St Phillip and St Jacob in Clifton Bristol.  His parents were Jefferis Bessell and Elizabeth Martin.   I have a marriage for him on the 7 January 1834 at St Paul's Bristol to Ann Wheeler.  They had a son also named John Martin Bessell baptised 25 June 1837 in Bristol also aged 3 years.

I believe John Martin Bessell (the son) married in London.

Hope this info is helpful, and I'm more than happy to share any other info I have that may prove useful to you.

cheers Kaz

[Bvc]

Hello Kaz, how delightful to hear from you. I suppose the Bessell family do not really belong to me since I cannot trace that John Martin jnr and Charlotte Andrews ever married, indeed he already had a wife still living when they met.
I have John Martin jnr as born in 1832 [taken from age on census records]. On 26th August 1851 he married Frances Ann Hughes in St Giles in the Fields [aged 17 if he really was born in 1834]and they had a daughter Frances born in 1858. The marriage does not seem to have been a success and on all later census the couple are living apart. John Martin jnr died at 8 Tudor Grove, Hackney on 13th Dec 1876 of pnemonia. He is variously described during his life as a stone mason or stone sawyer.
Charlotte Andrews married Samuel Henry Standen in Bristol in 1838. She was from a Bristol family and since John Martin Bessell also came from Bristol I have been vaguely looking for some connection between the families in Bristol. However it might just be coincidence that when Charlotte and John met in London they discovered that they both came from Bristol.
I am endlessly fascinated by the hidden links between our ancestors. If the Andrews and Bessell families knew each other in Bristol, that may be why Charlotte and John got together, it may also explain why James Standen moved to Bedminster later in life, maybe he had relations there on the Andrews side. Why did John Bessell move to London in the first place, you would think that there was sufficient work for a stone mason in Bristol. I suppose I shall never know but it is fun imagining their lives.
I am glad to have details of the earlier Bessells. I think John jnrs father must have died young as he seems to have been brought up by his grandmother. I will look into all this and if I need further help I will get in touch. Best wishes Brenda.

[kazdoggi]

Glad to help.

Yes, John Martin Bessell was brought up by his grandmother, according to the census records.  His father remarried in 1847 in London to Elizabeth Cowland, and they had one son Edward Martin Bessell born 1848.

It's a shame if my Bessell's don't belong to you, but if it's helped you sort that out, well that's great.

cheers Kaz

[Bvc]

Hello, Do you happen to know when John Martin's first wife Ann Wheeler died, although I have looked I can't find a relevant death?
Charlotte Standen nee Andrews was my great great grandmother. She married Samuel Henry Standen and their daughter Frances was the mother of my grandfather. Charlotte had an unfortunate life, her first husband Samuel died at the age of 40 from the effects of lead poisoning, he made organ pipes. She then married again, a man called William Pickup who died not long after. It was after his death that she took up with John Bessell jnr and always referred to herself as his wife although I have so far been unable to trace any marriage and as I said, his first wife outlived him. She also outlived him. She had seven children, five of whom predeceased her, including one who was born six months after her first husband died and who himself died aged 1 year. Really makes you value modern medecine. Regards, Brenda.

[kazdoggi]

Hi Brenda,

No I'm sorry, I don't know when Ann Wheeler died.  However, John remarried in Dec 1847 in London to Elizabeth Cowland, so presumably she would have died prior to this.  I'll check my records however, just in case I haven't put it in my database.

Seriously how these women survived is beyond me.  A child every other year, and for most of the women in my family, pioneers of a new country living in conditions that I can't imagine.  They were made of the right stuff.

Kaz