Ernest Charles Benn

Ernest Charles Benn - I have identified this person through the census records, he was the only Ernest C Benn in Liverpool and was born in 1888 so he is of the right age.

He was born on the 29th May 1888 to William and Elizabeth Benn. His christening record for 13th March 1889 only shows his first name of Ernest. It shows that his father was a shipwright and they lived on Enid St.

baptism record, image source: Ancestry.co.uk

1891 Census - 35 Enid Street
William Benn, head, married, 38, Shipwright, born Liverpool
Elizabeth, wife, married, 37, no occupation, Launceston Cornwall
William T Benn, son, 15, pawnbroker assistant, Liverpool
Elizabeth S Benn, daughter, 9, Scholar, Liverpool
Harry Benn, son,5, Scholar, Liverpool *
Ernest C Benn, son, 3, no occupation, Liverpool

1891 census Image source: Ancestry.co.uk

1901 Census - 35 Enid Street (transcribed on Ancestry.co.uk as Bernn)
William Benn head, married, 58, carpenter shipwright, Liverpool
Elizabeth Benn, wife, married, 49, no occupation, Liverpool
Elizabeth S Benn, daughter, single, 18, no occupation, Liverpool
Henry Benn, son, 14, no occupation, Liverpool * this is Harry from the 1901 census
Ernest Chas Benn, son, single, 12, no occupation, Liverpool
Mabel Benn, daughter, single, 9, no occupation, Liverpool
Nellie Benn, daughter, single, 7, no occupation, Liverpool

1901 census Image source: Ancestry.co.uk

1911 Census - 36 Tavistock Street
Eliabeth Benn, head, widow, 55, housekeeper, own accont, at home,, Launceton (Plymouth) British (the information about number of children was filled in by mistake. It has been crossed out but still clearly shows that Elizabeth had 7 children, 2 of whom have died.)
Ernest Charles Benn, son, single, 22, Coal dealer, employer, Liverpool, British
Nellie Benn, daughter, single, 17, dress maker, worker, Liverpool

1911 census Image source: Ancestry.co.uk

So, I have him tracked down in civilian life, but his wartime experience seems to be more elusive.

The CWGC has one entry for E.Benn, click her to see this entry in the CWGC database. (opens in new window)


The collection of medal cards has one Ernest C Benn but his number and regiment do not match the CWGC E Benn, also the card does not record his death (although they don't always)

*****UPDATE*****

Again, my progress with this search has been made with the help of various members of RootsChat.com WW1 board.

There was a marine death index for Benn, no first name, died 1918 whilst serving on the Olympic.

I checked the marine BMDs and found that this was Harry Benn, died 20th March 1918 on the Olympic of accidental drowning. His home address was 36 Tavistock Street - so he was the brother of our Ernest C Benn...

or was he?

I was pointed in the direction of a family grave in Toxteth Cemetery which bears the inscription

In loving memory of
our dear mother
Elizabeth BENN,
died 6th Jan. 1927, aged 72 years.
 Also Ernest BENN,
who was lost at sea 20th March 1918,
aged 28 years.
Also Margaret BENN,
died 26th Dec. 1911, aged 28 years.
*Peace, perfect peace.*
In loving memory of
 my dear husband
Harry BENN,
died 18th April 1931, aged 44 years.
*He giveth His beloved sleep.*

**************UPDATE*************
I found the inscription for the gravestone on the excellent database on this site:
http://www.toxtethparkcemeteryinscriptions.co.uk
and then got the further info below from this site:
http://www.toxtethparkcemetery.co.uk

 

Surname	Forename	Age	Rank	Address	Buried
BENN	Margaret	28 years	Wife	42a Parkfield Road	31 December 1911
BENN	Elizabeth	72 years	Widow	34 Dingle Lane Toxteth Park	10 January 1927
BENN	Henry	44 years	Boatsman	36 Tavistock Street Toxteth Park	23 April 1931
HANRAHAN	Margaret Ann	70 years	-	142 Vine Street Liverpool	21 September 1933

***********************************
So, the record on the marine deaths register should be Ernest, not Harry? This would explain why he hasn't got a war grave if he was in the Mercantile Marine accidental drowning wouldn't have qualified even when he was on a troopship.

Checking the records shows that Harry Benn was married in 1910 to Margaret, widowed in 1911 (see the gravestone inscription) then served in the Mercantile Marine and survived the war. He remarried to Catherine Connelly in 1918 at which time his occupation was 'quartermaster' and he signed his name as both Henry and Harry.

I can only assume that the brother's records were mixed up when Ernest died, I have found a Mercantile Marine ID Card for Harry which has a photo of him (below) but I have yet to find one for Ernest.

Harry Benn, taken from his MM ID Card.
source: findmypast.co.uk