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  1. #21
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    I think you may struggle to identify the uniform, one other thought is the shipping line of John Baker Walker of Middlesborough

    The other titbit I picked up about your family is Bigamy........
    I found John BENSON WHITEHEAD or whatever he called himself on the 1851 Scotland Census he was married to Caroline aged 22, a daughter being born Caroline Matilda or Benson in 1851 in Hay Breconshire, It is most likely that he met Charlotte in the town. she remains on the census returns until

    There is an older child William B BENSON b 1837 which suggest another marriage.....

  2. #22
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    Thanks for that shipping hint, geneius – I’ll follow that one up.

    That John BENSON WHITEHEAD has led me on a merry dance, I can tell you!
    I can’t find any record of him legally leaving Caroline before marrying Robert’s mother Clementina (on this 1860 certificate he describes himself as ‘widower’); Caroline was still living in 1881 in the home of her daughter & son-in-law; here she is noted as ‘formerly theatrical manager’s wife’.
    Prior to the marriage to Caroline he was married to Mary Ann Tyrer Parish in 1840 – so far no death record for her has surfaced. I’m not sure how the William Benson fits in, but it does make me wonder if there was yet another wife before Mary Ann!

    John was a Comedian in the travelling theatre shows of that time. In 1851 Clementina was living in the home of her aunt in Gloucestershire – that record took some devious thinking to unearth as her name was transcribed as Clement T Enoch. She had spent most of her childhood in a Yorkshire Quaker boarding school. John originally came from Yorkshire; the two consistencies in all of his official documentation is having been born in Knaresborough, and being a Comedian. His name is very flexible between Benson / Whitehead and combinations of the two. At least his occupation was unusual enough to make him stand out.

    Robert Benson believed for all his life that his father had died when he was around 4 years old. Also, iIt wasn’t until he needed a copy of his birth certificate that he discovered that he was actually born a Whitehead. John & Clementina had always acted under the name Benson. I think Clementina, for whatever reason, just decided to leave her husband and make her own way in the world. This she did very capably with her writing skills. She didn't remarry until John Whitehead had died in 1870.

    I took a dive back into an old family photo album, and came across another David Rees portrait of Robert in the exact same suit, but without the cap. I do wonder if it is a school uniform, and if his step-father packed him off to boarding school once he and Robert’s mother were married and lived in Newington, London. I think I need to dive into some old London maps and see if I can find any mention of schools on them.

  3. #23
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    I took a dive back into an old family photo album, and came across another David Rees portrait of Robert in the exact same suit, but without the cap. I do wonder if it is a school uniform, and if his step-father packed him off to boarding school once he and Robert’s mother were married and lived in Newington, London. I think I need to dive into some old London maps and see if I can find any mention of schools on them.
    First reaction to this is what did he look like without a hat on? Loads of hair balding etc as this may also be an indicator to his age.

    Whatever John's name is and how he used it, Comedian in all forms suits him!

  4. #24
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    Have you looked at the original baptismal entry for Caroline Matilda BENSON. bp 5 March 1851 St Thomas', Stockton-on-Tees, a transcription I have seen suggests she was the 2nd daughter

    Rummaging has produced this entry

    Clementina Jane Benson WHITEHEAD 1862 Whitechapel v 1C p 374.

    The All Saints,Stepney,London,England baptismal entry reads born 14 January 1862 baptised 30 March 1862 father John Comedian of 20 Metroplitan Buildings Mile End

  5. #25
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    Red face



    You certainly are on this case, geneius – thank you!

    Looking at the two photos I think the suits are identical. That taken without the cap has him looking slightly older to me, but I think they both must have been taken within the time frame of after they were living in Edinburgh (1871 Census) and when he was taken on as an apprentice and sent to sea in February 1875. I’m still leaning towards it being a school uniform.

    I have a copy Caroline Matilda Benson’s birth certificate, although the details on it don’t agree with what you have seen. What I have gives her birth date as 2 December 1850 at Alnwick, Northumberland. She is the daughter of John Whitehead Benson (Comedian) and Caroline (formerly Robinson). They also had a son John Benson Whitehead born 11 May 1855 at Westoe, Durham. Same details for the mother but father is John Benson Whitehead (Comedian) . . . how flexible his name is!!! Also very much on the move with his theatrical life, I think.

    Clementina did have a daughter in 1862; she was christened on 30 March 1862 but I can’t find any death record for her. Our family didn’t know of her existence, so I’m assuming Robert had no memory of her life. This makes me think she must have not lived very long. If you happen to turn up her death cert. I’ll be forever grateful!

  6. #26
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    Clementina did have a daughter in 1862; she was christened on 30 March 1862 but I can’t find any death record for her. Our family didn’t know of her existence, so I’m assuming Robert had no memory of her life. This makes me think she must have not lived very long. If you happen to turn up her death cert. I’ll be forever grateful!
    https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

    1863 WHITEHEAD JANE CLEMENTINA ENOCH F 1 NEWINGTON EDINBURGH CITY/MIDLOTHIAN 685/05 0237

    Is this the reason the couple parted company?

  7. #27
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    #25
    I have a copy Caroline Matilda Benson’s birth certificate, although the details on it don’t agree with what you have seen.
    You have the Birth certificate from the General Registrars Office. I have looked at the baptismal record!

    Caroline Matilda Benson
    Name note 2nd daughter
    Gender Female
    Birth year -
    Birth place -
    Baptism year 1851
    Baptism date 05 Mar 1851
    Residence Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, England
    Place Stockton on Tees Durham
    Father's first name(s) John Whitehead
    Father's last name Benson
    Father's name note Comedian
    Mother's first name(s) Caroline
    Mother's last name Benson

    This is why it is so important to check all sources and look at the original entry. E mail this link for the Parish Register entry you will be advised of the cost which should be minimal

    https://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/

  8. #28
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    #25

    David REES seems to have traded from 298 Clapham Road, Lambeth during the period 1869 - 1878, I still think looking at Riobert that the photo is more of the time 1875 ( aged 15) to 1878 ( aqed 18) and is not a school photograph. It could have been commissioned by the stepfather as he enlisted as an apprentice

  9. #29
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    Wow – what a lot of new information you’ve given me!
    I wasn’t aware of the Scotlands People website, but have now registered with them. I definitely think the death of her daughter must have added to Clementina’s decision to leave John Whitehead. He didn’t marry her until after Robert was born – I wonder if she went into this relationship with stars in her eyes after having such a sheltered upbringing with the Quakers. He strikes me as a bit of a ‘ladies’ man’, so perhaps that along with realising the wandering lifestyle wasn’t suited to bringing up a young son, then losing her daughter was enough to tip her into committing to being sole provider for Robert. This can’t have been an easy life in those times, but I get the feeling she was a very strong woman.

    Clementina worked for a Dr Cameron in Edinburgh for a time while she was writing, so having that death record also helps to date the time she was there.

    Regarding the birth of Caroline Matilda Benson – I knew there were likely to be minor discrepancies with transcriptions, but find it difficult to understand how all the facts could be so wrong. So I’m now wondering if they actually had one daughter b 1850 who died within the next year, then gave a second daughter the same names??? More investigations coming up, I think!

  10. #30
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    I'm now wondering if I should re-post the photos on the Uniforms forum - do you think this would be an acceptable thing to do?

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