The Benton Family of Plaistow, West Ham, Essex
Benjamin John Benton - Oldest son of Benjamin BENTON and Elizabeth LAYBANK
Benjamin John was born 6 April 1820 at West Ham. He married Eleanor Bridget Morris GWALTER on
4 June 1838 at St Dunstan's Church, Stepney. Benjamin was aged about 18 and Eleanor about 22. They had two children before
Eleanor died late in 1840. Benjamin married six years later, on 10 September 1846 to Charlotte SHARP at St Dunstan's, Stepney.
Benjamin and Charlotte were both aged 26. They had seven children.
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Eleanor GWALTER=======v=========Benjamin John=========v======== Charlotte SHARP
1816-1840 1838 1820-1914 m:1846 1820-1914
| |
| |
|------------------| |--------|--------|-----------|---------|----------|-----------|
Benjamin John James Gwalter George Clara Mary John William Elizabeth Rosanna
1839-1921 1840-1916 1847-1920 1849-1928 1852-1937 1853-1855 1858-1858 1858-1931 1861-1891
| | | | | | | | |
m:1865 m:1862 m:1877 m:1866 m:1874 m:1888 m:1885
Louisa Emala Annie Timothy Robert John Thomas
MILLS PORTA HULL ETHERIDGE GILMORE FLOOD MACKAY
| | | | | | |
|
Benjamin John BENTON was born 6 April 1820 at West Ham. He was baptised in All Saints Church, West Ham on 5 May 1820.
Baptism for Benjamin John at All Saints, West Ham in 1820 |
Benjamin married Eleanor GWALTER on 4 June 1838. His address was 7 John St and his occupation was grocer.
They had two children before Eleanor died in late 1840 at about the same time as James was born but I cannot find a parish burial for
her.
| Name | Birth | Death |
|---|
| Benjamin John BENTON |
Jun 1839 |
3 Sept 1921 |
| James Gwalter BENTON |
Dec 1840 |
9 Dec 1916 |
Both children were baptised at the same time at St Dunstan, Stepney on 9 May 1847, several years after they were born.
Baptism for Benjamin John at St Dunstan, Stepney in 1847 |
Baptism for James Gwalter at St Dunstan, Stepney in 1847 |
1841 Census
Benjamin is listed in the 1841 census as living with his parents, aged 25 and occupation "Bank". His
son Benjamin, aged 2 is with him but not James Gwalter who does not appear to be recorded in the census. His wife Eleanor had recently died.
Marriage to Charlotte Sharp
Benjamin, now a widower, married on 10 September 1846 to Charlotte SHARP at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Benjamin was now a Coal Merchant.
Benjamin and Charlotte went on to have seven children, the first three were born in Stepney, the younger four in Victoria, Australia.
| Name | Birth | Death |
|---|
| George Richard |
26 June 1847 |
1920 |
| Clara Amelia |
9 August 1849 |
|
| Mary Charlotte |
3 September 1851 |
1937 |
| Family emigrated to Australia |
| John William |
1853 |
1855 |
| William |
1858 |
1858 |
| Elizabeth Martha |
1858 |
1931 |
| Rosanna |
1 Jun 1861 |
|
George, Clara and Mary were baptised at Stepney St Dunstan.
1851 census
By 1851 Benjamin had married Charlotte Sharp. They were living at 38 "White Horse" St, Stepney. Benjamin's son James Gwalter was living
with them, as well as two children from Charlotte.
This time Benjamin's oldest son Benjamin is missing from the census. He was boarding at a school in Potter
Street, Harlow, Essex. Today there is the Potter Street Primary School at this address.
Emigration to Australia
Soon after their daughter Mary Charlotte was baptised in October 1851, the family emigrated to Victoria, Australia. The two older boys from his
first family emigrated also. They all settled at Mornington, south of Melbourne, where descendents of the family remain today. The Benton
family are regarded as one of the pioneer families in the district, with a road, shopping centre and a school bearing their name.
The school website for instance has this to say about Benjamin
John BENTON:
"Origin of our name: Benton Junior College. Benton Junior College, a Victorian Government primary school, was named in recognition
of the pioneering contribution made by the early Benton family. Benjamin John Benton, born in Essex England, brought his family to
Australia aboard the “Elizabeth” arriving in the Mornington area in about 1851. Benjamin was a man of many skills. He farmed the land
and worked with James Firth making roads in the area. They put in the pylons for the Mornington Pier and also carted wood to the pier
to be shipped to Melbourne to fuel the bakers' ovens."
Death of Charlotte and Benjamin John
Charlotte (née SHARP) died in Mornington on 28 February 1877, aged 59. She is buried in the Pioneer Section of the Mornington
Cemetery.
Five years after her death, Benjamin married Anne DRAKE.
Benjamin died on 27 February 1914 at his home at 20 La Trobe St, Prahran, Melbourne, aged 94. His death certificate shows his
mother's name as Maria LAYBANK.
The BENTON graves in the Pioneer Section at Mornington Cemetery. The grave on right is of Benjamin and Charlotte. |
The grave of Benjamin and Charlotte. |
The headstone. |
The BENTON grave for the children of Benjamin and Charlotte . |
Return to top
The Children of Benjamin BENTON and Eleanor GWALTER
Benjamin John BENTON
Benjamin John (the second) was born in Stepney, London in 1839 and baptised at St Dunstan, Stepney on 9 May 1847. He emigrated to
Melbourne, Australia with his father and family in 1852, settling on the Mornington Peninsula. He married Louisa MILLS in 1865. They had
11 children:
| Name | Birth | Married | Death |
|---|
| Ellen |
4 Jan 1866 |
1885: James FIRTH |
8 Feb 1923 (railway accident) |
| Mary Jane |
21 Jan 1867 |
1887: William WILSON |
1940: Burnley |
| Louisa |
3 September 1851 |
1889: John HOWITT |
|
| Benjamin |
9 Dec 1870 |
1905: Caroline WISEMAN |
10 Jan 1946 |
| Amelia Elizabeth |
1872 |
1914: George PAVEY |
13 Mar 1953 |
| Elizabeth Martha |
20 May 1875 |
17 May 1897: William STONE |
1 Sep 1956 |
| Richard Gwalter |
20 Aug 1877 |
1901: Florence MIFFLIN |
15 Jan 1956 |
| Henry James |
26 Sep 1879 |
- |
30 May 1903 |
| Sarah |
14 Feb 1882 |
1910 Lewis WISEMAN |
1961 |
| Martha Laybank |
24 June 1884 |
1919: Alexander MacIntosh BARRIE |
1967 |
| Charlotte Fanny |
21 Aug 1886 |
- |
1893 |
The family tree looks like this:
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Eleanor GWALTER=======v=========Benjamin John
1816-1840 1838
|
|------------------|
Benjamin John James Gwalter
1839-1921 1840-1916
| |
m:1865 m:1862
Louisa Emala
MILLS PORTA
| |
|
|---------|--------|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|----------|
Ellen Mary Louisa Benjamin Amelia Elizabeth Richard Henry Sarah Martha Charlotte
1866-1923 1867-1940 1868-? 1870-1946 1872-1953 1875-1956 1877-1956 1879-1903 1882-1961 1884-1967 1886-1893
| | | | | | | | | | |
m:1885 m:1887 m:1889 m:1905 m:1914 m:1897 m:1901 m:1910 m:1919
James George D:1922 Caroline George William Florence Lewis Alexander
FIRTH WILSON John WISEMAN PAVEY STONE MIFFLIN WISEMAN BARRIE
1829-1903 1858-1926 HOWITT 1886-1923 1876-1953 1872-1948 1878-1961 | 1879-1931
| | | | | | | | |
|
Louisa died 27 August 1886 at Schnapper Point, Mornington, aged 38. Benjamin John outlived his wife by 35 years, dying in Mornington
on 3 September 1921. He was buried on 5 September in Mornington Cemetery.
Return to top
James Gwalter BENTON
James was born in Stepney, London in 1840 and baptised at St Dunstan, Stepney on 9 May 1847 along with his brother Benjamin. He emigrated to
Melbourne, Australia with his father and family in 1852, settling on the Mornington Peninsula. He married Emala Rosena PORTA in 1863.
They also had 11 children:
| Name | Birth | Married | Death |
|---|
| James |
9 Aug 1864 |
- |
1949 |
| John Gwalter |
16 Mar 1867 |
- |
22 Oct 1954: Melbourne |
| Eliza Ann |
4 May 1865 |
1893: William George BENSON |
25 Dec 1956; New Zealand |
| Ada Eleanor |
1872 |
26 Oct 1891: Edward Snowden WAKEFIELD |
1960 Melbourne |
| William Joseph |
22 Apr 1874 |
Mary Ellen McGAN |
16 Jun 1944, Fairfield, Vic |
| Benjamin Thomas |
8 Nov 1875 |
1902: May Beatrice BYSOUTH |
1947 North Fitzroy, Vic |
| Evelyn May |
9 May 1878 |
27 Dec 1902 William Johnson GOODALL |
|
| Florence Maude |
15 Jan 1880 |
8 Jan 1903, Waverley, Sydney |
|
| Samuel Ingram |
6 Feb 1882 |
- |
1888 |
| Emala |
7 Sep 1883 |
- |
1890 |
| May |
6 May 1885 |
Melville Charles IRESON |
|
Their family tree is:
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Eleanor GWALTER=======v=========Benjamin John
1816-1840 1838
|
|------------------|
Benjamin John James Gwalter
1839-1921 1840-1916
| |
m:1865 m:1862
Louisa Emala
MILLS PORTA
| |
|
|---------|--------|--------------------------|-------------|----------|---------|--------|--------|---------|-------|
James John Eliza Ada William Benjamin Evelyn Florence Samuel Emala May
1864-1949 1867-1954 1869-1956 1872-1960 1874-1944 1875-1947 1878-? 1880-? 1882-1888 1883-1890 1885-?
| | | | | | | | | | |
m:1893 m:1891 m:1901 m:1902 m:1902 m:1903 m:1920
William Edward Mary May William William Meville
BENSON WAKEFIELD McGAN BYSOUTH GOODALL FRASER IRESON
?-1933 1870-1946 1874-1954 1876-1950 1878-1939 | |
| | | | |
| | | |------------------------------------|
| |-----------------| |--------|-------|------|------|--------| |
Rosina Leopold Edith William Emily Mavis Ester Wilhemina Lindsay Robert
1897-1983 1893-1966 1896-1971 1902-1952 1903- 1902-1932 1912- 1915- 1915- 1902-1986
| |=========| |========|
| | | |
m1:1918 m2:1942 m1:1917 m2:1935
Florence Madge Charles Reginald
BRETNALL PETTY McCORMACK CARNELL
1900-1930 1902-1983
| |
|
At some point in time, Emala moved to Sydney, where in June 1901 she acquired the "water licence" for the Four-In-Hand pub in
Paddington from Edward Haines. She was not the publican there for long, as she transferred the licence to Charles Shute in May 1902. On
12 Dec 1904 she acquired the licence for the "Morning Star Hotel" in Clarence St.
Emala Rosena BENTON died at 90 Bayswater Rd, Sydney on 12 Aug 1909 and is buried at South Head Cemetery, plot H/103.
Death notice for Emala BENTON |
Church burial record for Emala BENTON |
The Four-In-Hand Pub on the corner of Sutherland and Elizabeth St in Paddington |
90 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay where Emala lived in 1909, yellow building second from left. |
It appears that James Gwalter remained in Melbourne while Emala was being the Publican in Sydney. He died in Essenden, Melbourne on
9 December 1916.
Return to top
The Children of Benjamin John BENTON and Charlotte SHARP
George Richard BENTON
George Richard was the oldest child of Benjamin and his second wife Charlotte. He was born in Stepney, London on 22 June 1847 and
baptised at St Dunstan, Stepney on 3 October 1847. He emigrated to Melbourne, Australia with his father and family in 1852,
settling on the Mornington Peninsula. He married Annie Caroline HULL in 1877. George died at Hastings, Vic on 27 June 1920 and Anne died 8 April 1824. They had 11 children:
| Name | Birth | Married | Death |
|---|
| Leonard Ambrose |
1876 |
|
1889) |
| Harriet Sharp |
22 Oct 1877 |
|
|
| George William |
17 April 1879 |
|
1894 |
| Annie Caroline |
1880 |
|
|
| Clara May |
1882 |
|
|
| Arthur Edward |
1884 |
|
1945 |
| Ernest Kempster |
1886 |
|
1905 |
| Albert James |
1888 |
|
|
| Florence Charlotte |
1889 |
|
|
| Lettie Martha |
1891 |
|
|
| Ellen Mary |
1892 |
|
|
The family tree is:
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Benjamin John==========v==========Charlotte SHARP
1820-1914 1846 1818-1877
|
|-----------|---------|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------------|
George Clara Mary John William Elizabeth Rosanna
1847-1920 1849- 1851-1937 1853-1855 1858-1858 1858-1931 1861-1891
| | |
m:1877 m:1866 m:1874
Annie Timothy Robert
HULL ETHERIDGE GILMORE
| | |
|
|---------|--------|------------|--------|--------|---------|-----------------------|------------------|-------|------|
Leonard Harriet George Annie Clara Arthur Ernest Albert Florence Lettie Ellen
1876-1889 1877-1945 1879-1894 1880-1949 1882- 1884-1945 1886-1905 1888- 1889-1981 1891- 1892-
| | | | | | | | | | |
m:1908 m:1909 m:1915 m:1921 m:1925 m:1913 m:1916
Samuel Frederick Ivy Alison Arthur Norman William
WOODHAM STOCKTON ALDEN TELFORD DENCE REID STRACHAN
?-1923 | | | 1904-1968 | 1889-1962
|---------|----------|----------| | |------|------|-------|-----| |-------|-----| | | |
Vera Rita Lyla Thelma Alfred George Irene Leonard Edna Myrtle Dulcie Lorna Ronald Raymond Keith
1909-1992 1911-1963 1913-1925 1915-1997 1910- 1916- 1918- 1923-1941 ? ? 1916-1943 1918-2001
| | | | |
m:1937 m:1928 m:1935
Harold Allen Clarence
MacKAY RENALSON MERRETT
| | 1910-1968
|
|
Return to top
Clara Amelia BENTON
Clara Amelia was the second child of Benjamin and his second wife Charlotte. She was born in Stepney, London on 9
August 1849 and baptised at St Dunstan, Stepney on 2 September 1849. She emigrated to Melbourne, Australia with her
father and family in 1852, settling on the Mornington Peninsula. Clara married Timothy ETHERIDGE on 24 December 1866.
Timothy died in Prarahn, Melbourne on 5 March 1918. Clara Amelia died at 30 Latrobe St, Melbourne on 27 August 1928.
They had eight children:
| Name | Birth | Married | Death |
|---|
| David |
1868 |
1888: Amelia Violette Beatrice WEBB |
1935 |
| Charlotte Esther |
1870 |
1900: John McNALLY |
1941 |
| George Richard |
1872 |
|
1877 |
| Clara Emma |
5 June 1876 |
15 Feb 1908: Arthur COXON |
1943 |
| Albert Henry |
1879 |
|
|
| Arthur Edward |
1884 |
1902: Elizabeth Maud Mary STONE |
1946 |
| John Benjamin |
1881 |
1910: Rose CONNOR |
1960 |
| Martha Amy |
1884 |
1907: David Williams |
12 July 1972 |
| Arthur William |
1887 |
|
1889 |
The family tree is:
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Benjamin John==========v==========Charlotte SHARP
1820-1914 m:1846 1818-1877
|
|-----------|---------|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------------|
George Clara Mary John William Elizabeth Rosanna
1847-1920 1849- 1851-1937 1853-1855 1858-1858 1858-1931 1861-1891
| | | | |
m:1877 m:1866 m:1874 m:1888 m:1885
Annie Timothy Robert John Thomas
HULL ETHERIDGE GILMORE FLOOD McKAY
| 1844-1918 | | |
|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------------------|-----------------|------------|----------|
David Charlotte George Clara Albert John Martha Arthur
1868- 1870- 1872-1877 1887-1943 1879-1946 1881-1960 1884-1972 1887-1889
| | | | | | | |
m:1888 m:1900 m:1908 m:1902 m:1910 m:1907
Amelia John Arthur Elizabeth Rose David
WEBB McNALLY COXON STONE CONNOR WILLIAMS
1868- | 1878-1919 1876-1945 1887-1979 |-----------------|
| | |--------------------| |-----------| |----------| |
| | | | | |
|-------|-------|-------|-------| |------ --|---------|---------|---------|-------| |--------| |--------| |-------| |
David Ernest David Horace John Lila Phyllis Gordon Edna Alma Amy Winifred Howard Albert William John Maurice Rees
1889-1889 1890- 1891-1898 1895- 1896-1902 1902-1902 1903-1987 1905-1996 1908-1985 1910-1961 1912- 1909- 1915- 1903-1986 1904- 1911-1998 1914-1994 1910-
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
m:1932 m:1936 m:1931 m:1937 m:1930 m:1937 m:1943
Godfrey Muriel William Harold Victoria Estelle Mollie
DENNETT MORCOMBE TURNER SUTTON COOPER WRIGHT CARTER
-1961 1909- | 1912-1987 1901-1968 | |
| | | | |
|
Return to top
Mary Charlotte BENTON
Mary Charlotte was the third child of Benjamin and his second wife Charlotte. She was born in Stepney, London on 3
september 1851 and baptised at St Dunstan, Stepney on 12 October 1851. She emigrated to Melbourne, Australia with her
father and family in 1852, settling on the Mornington Peninsula. MAry Charlotte married Robert GILMOUR on 7 July 1874.
Robert died at Footscray, Melbourne on 5 October 1933. Mary died on 23 November 1937.
They had six children:
| Name | Birth | Married | Death |
|---|
| Robert Benjamin GILMOUR |
28 Sept 1874 |
1898: Flora BALDING |
18 Aug 1939, Wellington WA. |
| William James GILMOUR |
27 Aug 1879 |
1913: Sarah Elizabeth GARSIDE |
1956, St Kilda |
| George Washington GILMOUR |
22 Feb 1881 |
1912 Marion Maxwell AULD |
3 Sep 1945 |
| Charlotte Alice GILMOUR |
21 Nov 1883 |
30 Dec 1912: Henry WILLIAMSON |
25 May 1960 |
| Elsie May GILMOUR |
12 Feb 1886 |
|
19 Jan 1889 |
| Alexander GILMOUR |
1 Jun 1888 |
|
11 Sep 1975 |
The family tree is:
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Benjamin John==========v==========Charlotte SHARP
1820-1914 m:1846 1818-1877
|
|-----------|------------|----------------|----------|-------------|-------------|
George Clara Mary Charlotte John William Elizabeth Rosanna
1847-1920 1849- 1851-1937 1853-1855 1858-1858 1858-1931 1861-1891
| | | | |
m:1877 m:1866 m:1874 m:1888 m:1885
Annie Timothy Robert John Thomas
HULL ETHERIDGE GILMORE FLOOD McKAY
| 1844-1918 1851-1933 1848-1935 |
| | | |
|
|------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------|-------------|------------|
Robert Benjamin William James George Washington Charlotte Alice Elsie May Alexander
1874-1939 1879-1956 1881-1945 1883-1960 1886-1889 1888-1975
| | | | | |
m:1898 m:1913 m:1912 m:1912
Flora Sarah Marion Henry
BALDING GARSIDE AULD WILLIAMSON
1877-1929 1881-1969 1884-1942 1883-1957
|-------|-------| |------ --|---------| | |
Robert Elsie Cecil William Elsie Phyllis Neville Henry
1899- 1901- 1902- 1914- 1915-1986 1918-1971 1916-1945
| | | | | | |
m:1940 m:1945 m:1942 m:1942
Kate Thomas George Evelyn
HOBSON HADLEY ASH ALBRECHT
| | | |
|
Return to top
Elizabeth Martha BENTON
Elizabeth Martha was the sixth child of Benjamin and his second wife Charlotte. Her birth was registered at Moorabin, south of
Melbourne in 1858. Elizabeth married John FLOOD in Melbourne in 1888. Elizabeth and John had three children - Florence Rose (1889) John
Willaim (1891) and Ethel May (1898). Elizabeth battled mental illness for many years, being admitted to Yarra Bend Asylum on 13 August 1907
and discharged 24 December 1907. Her hospital record is available and it contains a good photo of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth's medical record |
|
|
Elizabeth FLOOD. |
Elizabeth Martha died in 1931. Her husband John FLOOD died on 3 October 1935.
Elizabeth and John had five children.
| |
Benjamin BENTON===v===Elizabeth LAYBANK
1793-1877 m:1818 1789-1847
|
Benjamin John==========v==========Charlotte SHARP
1820-1914 m:1846 1818-1877
|
|-----------|--------------|---------|----------|------------|-------------|
George Clara Mary John William Elizabeth Martha Rosanna
1847-1920 1849- 1851-1937 1853-1855 1858-1858 1858-1931 1861-1891
| | | | |
m:1877 m:1866 m:1874 m:1888 m:1885
Annie Timothy Robert John Thomas
HULL ETHERIDGE GILMORE FLOOD McKAY
| 1844-1918 1851-1933 1848-1935 |
|
|
|----------------------------------------------|----------------|
Florence Rose John William Ethel May
1889-1976 1891-1968 1898-1998
| | |
m:1907 m:1938 m:1921
William Lorna Charles
MEADOWS BRUCE PRYOR
-1945 1908-1977 1897-1982
| | |
|----------|----------|--------|--------| |
Stanley Leonard Grace Vera Hubert
1907-1977 1909-1969 1911-2005 1914- 1916-1977
| | | | |
m:1935 m:1957 m:1943 m:1937
Edna Ethel Alma George Gilbert
PENTELOW MERRIFIELD HOLMES WOODHEAD
| | | |
|
Return to top
Rosanna BENTON
Rosanna was the youngest child of Benjamin and his second wife Charlotte. She was born at Schnapper Point, Mornington on 1 June 1861.
Rosanna married Thomas McKAY in 1895. They had three children: Thomas James (1887), Benjamin John (1889) and Donald (1891) all born at
Tootgarook, on the coast near the tip of the Mornington Peninsula. Rosanna died in 1891. There is lttle else available about this family.
Return to Benton home page
Last updated: 03/07/2020
|
