bending my mind!

[girrawheen]

I am doing a search for a friend in her 70s who does not have internet connections. Her family has more brick walls than mine! Looking for anything concrete on John Bending. All our info on him comes from the info he suipplied on the birth certificate of one of his children. He says he was;
b. Feniton, Devon, 1830
m. Eliza Gray 22nd Sept 1870 Feniton, Eliza b Feniton 1851. (20 year age gap between John and Eliza)
Additonal in ifo is that their first child was born in Australia oct 1871
We think they came over on the Swiftsure in 1871. Eliza travelled under her maiden name of Gray. I can find no record of their marriage. I have found several John Bending in census but all married to other women or still in England when our John Bending was in Australia. We have not been able to trace John Bending in Australia after 1881 when the last child was born to the couple. Eliza then seemed to be with another partner by about 1887. We can find no death record of John Bending in Australia. He worked as a miner in remote areas so could have died without being identified or just gone missing in wild country. If we could just sort out the England side of his life perhaps that will give us some clue as to who his parents were etc. Does anyone have any info which could help? Girrawheen.

[KathNZ]

Could you please give more details e.g. children's names, birth dates and where in Australia they were born

[Mutley]

As you say, there are several. Genuki has information regarding Feniton, maybe they came from somewhere close by.
https://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Feniton/ParishMap.html

[geneius]

Hello

A John BENDING b 1830 Coombpyne Devon ( 12 miles form Feniton) can be found at

1841 HO 107 200 17 & 1851 H0107 1862 65 17 Axminster area

BENDING Richard b 1793 Ottery Devon
BENDING Sarah 1795 Coombpyne
BENDING John 1830
BENDING Robert 1832
BENDING Thomasin 1835
BENDING Thomas 1837 declared as all born Coombpyne

I can not trace a marriage in 1870 of John BENDING = Eliza GRAY

[Nicolina]

Could he have been married previously? the 1861 Census RG09/1451/90/3 has a John BENDING, born about 1831, living at King Street, Stoke Damerel, Devonport wife wife Phoebe and 8 month old son Richard G. John's place of birth is difficult to read but looks as though it could be Coombpyne. This ties in with the 1841 Census HO107/200/4/3 which gives:

Coombpyne, Combpyne, Devon
Richard born about 1796
Sarah born about 1796
John born about 1831
Robert born about 1832
Thomasin born about 1834
Thomas born about 1837

all born Devon.

these are the only Census records that I've found.

[Nicolina]

there is a possible marriage for John BENDING in Newton Abbot District, Dec Qtr. 1859 Vol 5b Page 275. On the same page is Phoebe BOLLEN.

[geneius]

Hello

I have picked up the same 1861 census when john is desc as a Ships Carpenter, followed this through
there is another child Thomasin b 1864 New Brompton Kent

Phoebe next appears as the wife of Alfred HODGES on the 1871 census RG10 906 Gillingham

However there is a death entry John BENDING dec 1864 Medway

[girrawheen]

Hi KathNZ, Children we know of, (there could be more)
Alice Bending b 15/10/1871
Alfred Bending 24/10/1873
William Bending b 1/2/1875
John Bending b 10/1/1879
James b abt 1880 d 1880
Elizabeth b abt 1881 d 1881
All children born in Qld. Alfred born on a cattle station near Charleville. Other kids born Ravenswood, and possibly Chillagoe and Georgetown. Will have to get back to you on that. All children have John Bending listed as father and Eliza Gray listed as mother. We have traced all of above. One other child was born to Eliza Gray, Francis Bending b27/3/1887. Father's name missing from historical info I got through BMD Historical Index search. We think this child might be the child of Jhon Doyle but not sure. My friend would love to know where and when her great grandfather died. Also it would be great to find out more about the English rellies.
Jen.

[girrawheen]

Hello

A John BENDING b 1830 Coombpyne Devon ( 12 miles form Feniton) can be found at

1841 HO 107 200 17 & 1851 H0107 1862 65 17 Axminster area

BENDING Richard b 1793 Ottery Devon
BENDING Sarah 1795 Coombpyne
BENDING John 1830
BENDING Robert 1832
BENDING Thomasin 1835
BENDING Thomas 1837 declared as all born Coombpyne

I can not trace a marriage in 1870 of John BENDING = Eliza GRAY

elsabels

Hello, I found that one too but think I can discount him because of a marriage later. However I am keeping an open mind because I can't find this one in the 71 census. Thanks, Jen

[girrawheen]

Could he have been married previously? the 1861 Census RG09/1451/90/3 has a John BENDING, born about 1831, living at King Street, Stoke Damerel, Devonport wife wife Phoebe and 8 month old son Richard G. John's place of birth is difficult to read but looks as though it could be Coombpyne. This ties in with the 1841 Census HO107/200/4/3 which gives:

Coombpyne, Combpyne, Devon
Richard born about 1796
Sarah born about 1796
John born about 1831
Robert born about 1832
Thomasin born about 1834
Thomas born about 1837

all born Devon.

these are the only Census records that I've found.

It's just possible. I am keeping thjis one in mind because I don't think John Bending and Eliza Gray ever actually got married. He could have left a wife and family to leave with the much younger Eliza. Thanks, Jen