Bentley, MARY

Birth Name Bentley, MARY 1a 2a
Gender female
Age at Death unknown

Narrative

Mary Bentley was born in Stafford, where her family stayed, living in the same house for many years. The only exceptions were Mary and her brother George who both went to Manchester, where they got married and had families. George and his family stayed in Manchester. Mary returned to her family in Stafford following the death of her husband when she was 29, leaving her 8 year old daughter Sarah with her aunt Ann Heath.

1844 Mary Bentley was christened on 4th August 1844, in St Mary's Church Stafford. She was named after her Aunt Mary, her mother's sister. She had 5 older brothers, all christened in St Mary's Church Stafford. Mary's parents were George Bentley and Elizabeth (Ferrier). Her father was a cordwainer/shoemaker.
1851 Mary is living with her parents at 13 Broad Eye, Stafford, making shoes. Siblings George (20), John (18), Henry (8) and Mary (6). Grandmother Ann Ferrier (70) is living with them. Brothers Alfred (16) and William (12) are at 8 Broad Eye with their Uncle Thomas Salt.
Mary's brother George moved to Manchester, and in 1856 he married Mary Reynolds (a widow) in Manchester Cathedral. In 1858 their first child (George) was born in Manchester. Mary's grandmother Ann Ferrier died in 1857q4 (aged about 76).
1861 Mary aged 17 living in Stafford with her Aunt Charlotte (her father's sister) and Uncle Robert Evans. Mary's brother George Bentley aged 30, is living in Bengal Street, Manchester. Still living at 13 Broad Eye, with their parents George and Elizabeth are: John (25), William (22), and Henry (20). Also, grandson George, aged 3, born in Manchester, son of George Bentley. Mary's brother Alfred is lodging at 15 Broad Eye and working as Cordwainer.
Mary moved to Manchester with her oldest brother George (who was 15 years older) and his wife Mary. Her other 4 brothers stayed in Stafford. Alfred and William got marrried, but John and Henry lived in the same house they were born in, with their father and mother, and died unmarried in the workhouse. Perhaps Mary's brother George arranged her marriage to John Earp.
1865 Mary married John Earp in Manchester on 21 September 1865. They had three children: Harry Kershaw (died aged 6 months), Sarah Jane, and Thomas Henry. Harry was named after his uncle Joseph Kershaw. His birth was registered twice, in Ardwick where the Earp family shop was, and Chorlton Upon Medlock where Mary was living with her husband John.
In the 1871 census, Mary and her husband John are living at 55 Avon Street in Manchester, with their son Thomas Henry Earp. Also living with them is Alice Bentley (aged 10) a "nurse", the daughter of Mary's oldest brother George who is married and living in Manchester. John is also recorded at 51 Oldham Street in the census, with his mother, his daughter Sarah, and his brother Thomas. The rest of the Bentley family are still living at 13 Broad Eye in Stafford. Brothers John (39) and Henry (26) are still at home. Brother Alfred is still lodging at 15 Broad Eye and working as a Shoe Finisher. Brother William is married with 3 children and living at 18 Queen St.
1873, 8 years after their marriage, Mary's 34 year old husband John is admitted to Prestwich Lunatic Asylum, where he dies 2 months later. The cause of death is "Brain Disease. Exhaustion Certified". Mary is 29 years old, with 2 children, aged 6 and 3. Mary returns to Stafford in the next 4 years and remarries. Leaving her daughter Sarah behind with Ann Heath, or brother George or mother-in-law Sarah Earp. Sarah subsequently goes to live with Ann Heath.
1874 Mary's father dies.
1877 Mary marries Thomas Mountford in Stafford. Thomas Mountford and his mother lived very close to the Bentley family in Broad Eye. Mary's daughter Sarah is 10 years old and son Thomas is 7 years old. Thomas is in Stafford in 1881 but Sarah is in Manchester. It seems unlikely that Sarah would be sent to Manchester. It's much more likely that she was left behind by Mary.
1881 Mary is living with her mother (75), and her brothers John (47) and Henry (38), in the house they never left, 13 Broad Eye. Presumably Thomas Mountford has died? A couple of doors away, at 15 Broad Eye, is Mary's brother Alfred (46) with his family, plus his nephew Thomas Earp (11), who is Mary's son. Brother William is married with 4 children and living at 32 Cherry St (near Queen St where he was in 1871). Mary's daughter Sarah (aged 14) is working as a Tailoress, living in Manchester with Ann Heath (70). Sarah is recorded as Ann's "adopted daughter". Ann Heath was from Stafford but had been in Manchester from at least 1851. She never married and appears to have had no children of her own. Mary's brother George (51) is working as a Boot Maker in Beswick, Manchester, with his wife Mary from Ireland, and their daughter Alice (20).
1888 Mary's mother dies.
1891 Mary is still living at 13 Broad Eye, with her son Thomas (20) a Labourer, and her brothers John (56) and Henry (48), who are working as shoemakers. Mary is their housekeeper in what is probably a 2 bedroom house. Alfred and his family are still living at 15 Broad Eye. George (61) and now widowed, is living in Manchester with his married daughter Alice and her family. Alice's eldest son is called George after her father. Brother William is living at 34 Tenterbanks in Stafford (number 32 has been pulled down).
1893 Mary dies aged 49. All her brothers have outlived her. Mary has been married twice, and widowed at least once. She left her young daughter Sarah in Manchester, perhaps thinking that would be best for her.

Mary's brothers and her son Thomas
----------------------------------------------
1901 census
William (62) is living at 6 Duke St, Stafford with his wife and one daughter. Also living with them is Mary's son Thomas (32) working as a Wood Sawyer. William died in 1903 aged 62.
Alfred (65) is still living at 15 Broad Eye with his family.
George (71) is in Manchester Workhouse, Crumpsall. He died in 1902.
John (69) and Henry (66) are in Stafford Union Workhouse. Henry died in 1902, and John died in 1908.
1911 CENSUS
Alfred (75) is still living at 15 Broad Eye with his family. They have adopted a 9 year old boy, and have a man and his baby living with them. Alfred died in 1915 aged 76.
Mary's son Thomas (40) is unmarried, boarding with non-relatives, and working as a Labourer for a Timber Merchant. Thomas died in 1934 aged 64.

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Death Registered BET JUL AND SEP 1893 Stafford, Staffordshire, England Age: 49 3a 4a 5a
Birth Registered BET JUL AND SEP 1844 Stafford, Staffordshire, England   6a 7a 8a
Death BET JUL AND SEP 1893 Stafford, Staffordshire, England   3b
Marriage Registered BET APR AND JUN 1877 Stafford, Staffordshire, England Bet. Apr–Jun 1877 Volume 6b Page 35 9
Death Registered BET JUL AND SEP 1897 Stafford, Staffordshire, England Age: 51 3c 4b 5b
Birth Jul 1844 Stafford, Staffordshire, England    
Baptism 4 Aug 1844 St Mary, Stafford, Staffordshire, England   10a
Census 30 Mar 1851 Broad Eye 13, Stafford, Staffordshire, England   11a
Occupation 7 Apr 1861   Shoe Binder 12a
Census 7 Apr 1861 Cherry Street 17, Stafford, Staffordshire, England Aged 17 12b
Marriage Registered about Sep 1865 Manchester, Lancashire, England Bet. Jul–Sep 1865 Vol 8d Page 576 9a
Residence 21 Sep 1865 Oldham Street, Manchester, Lancashire, England when married 2b
Residence 30 Sep 1866 Ardwick, Lancashire, England when son Harry christened. 13a
Residence 14 Jul 1867 Geoffrey Street 23, Chorlton Upon Medlock, Lancashire, England   1b
Residence 24 Aug 1870 Avon Street 55, Chorlton Upon Medlock, Lancashire, England   14a
Census 2 Apr 1871 Avon Street 55, Chorlton Upon Medlock, Lancashire, England   15a
Residence 19 May 1877 Broad Eye 13, Stafford, Staffordshire, England (marriage to Thomas Mountford) 16a
Census 3 Apr 1881 Broad Eye 13, Stafford, Staffordshire, England Relation to Head of House: Daughter; Marital Status: Married; Occupation: Shoe Fiiter 17a
Census 5 Apr 1891 Broad Eye 13, Stafford, Staffordshire, England Says "Single" (incorrect); Occupation: House Keeper 18a

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Bentley, GEORGEbetween 1806 and 1807about Aug 1874
Mother Ferrier, ELIZABETHbetween 1803 and 1804about Nov 1888
    Brother     Bentley, George between 1829 and 1831 Mar 1902
    Brother     Bentley, John about 1833 BET JUL AND SEP 1908
    Brother     Bentley, Alfred between 1834 and 1835 BET JAN AND MAR 1915
    Brother     Bentley, William BET JAN AND FEB 1839 BET JUL AND SEP 1903
    Brother     Bentley, Henry 1842 BET JUL AND SEP 1902
         Bentley, MARY Jul 1844 BET JUL AND SEP 1893

Families

Family of Earp, JOHN and Bentley, MARY
Married Husband Earp, JOHN ( * about Apr 1839 + 6 Aug 1873 )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage 21 Sep 1865 St Johns, Deansgate, Manchester, Lancashire, England   19a 2c
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Earp, Harry Kershaw5 Jun 186618 Dec 1866
Earp, SARAH JANE14 Jul 186715 Apr 1920
Earp, Thomas Henry2 Jun 1870Sep 1934

Family of Mountford, Thomas and Bentley, MARY
Married Husband Mountford, Thomas ( * BET APR AND JUN 1838 + ... )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage Banns 11 Feb 1877 St Mary, Stafford, Staffordshire, England   20a
Marriage 19 May 1877 St Mary, Stafford, Staffordshire, England   16b

Source References

  1. Certified copy of an Entry of Birth
      • Page: 1867 [birth certificate] Sarah Jane Earp
      • Page: 1867 [birth certificate] Sarah Jane Earp
  2. England, Greater Manchester Marriages 1570-1936
      • Page: Register type Marriage Record set England, Greater Manchester Marriages 1570-1936 Category Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers) Subcategory Parish Marriages Collections from England, Great Britain
      • Source text:

        First name(s) John
        Last name Earp
        Sex Male
        Age 26
        Birth year 1839
        Marital status Single
        Year 1865
        Date 21 Sep 1865
        Place Deansgate, St John
        Spouse's first name(s) Mary
        Spouse's last name Bentley
        Spouse's sex Female
        Spouse's age 20
        Spouse's birth year 1845
        Spouse's marital status Single
        Father's first name(s) Thomas
        Father's last name Earp
        Spouse's father's first name(s) George
        Spouse's father's last name Bentley
        Town Manchester
        County Lancashire
        Country England

      • Page: Register type Marriage Record set England, Greater Manchester Marriages 1570-1936 Category Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers) Subcategory Parish Marriages Collections from England, Great Britain
      • Source text:

        First name(s) John
        Last name Earp
        Sex Male
        Age 26
        Birth year 1839
        Marital status Single
        Year 1865
        Date 21 Sep 1865
        Place Deansgate, St John
        Spouse's first name(s) Mary
        Spouse's last name Bentley
        Spouse's sex Female
        Spouse's age 20
        Spouse's birth year 1845
        Spouse's marital status Single
        Father's first name(s) Thomas
        Father's last name Earp
        Spouse's father's first name(s) George
        Spouse's father's last name Bentley
        Town Manchester
        County Lancashire
        Country England

      • Page: Register type Marriage Record set England, Greater Manchester Marriages 1570-1936 Category Birth, Marriage & Death (Parish Registers) Subcategory Parish Marriages Collections from England, Great Britain
      • Source text:

        First name(s) John
        Last name Earp
        Sex Male
        Age 26
        Birth year 1839
        Marital status Single
        Year 1865
        Date 21 Sep 1865
        Place Deansgate, St John
        Spouse's first name(s) Mary
        Spouse's last name Bentley
        Spouse's sex Female
        Spouse's age 20
        Spouse's birth year 1845
        Spouse's marital status Single
        Father's first name(s) Thomas
        Father's last name Earp
        Spouse's father's first name(s) George
        Spouse's father's last name Bentley
        Town Manchester
        County Lancashire
        Country England

  3. England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index (1837-1983)
      • Source text:

        Record for Mary Mountford 1893q3

      • Source text:

        Record for Mary Mountford 1893q3

  4. Staffordshire Death Index (1837-
      • Source text:

        MOUNTFORD Mary 49 1893 Stafford Newcastle-Under-Lyme STD/49/339

      • Source text:

        MOUNTFORD Mary 51 1897 Stafford Newcastle-Under-Lyme STD/54/69

  5. GRO Online Index (deaths) 1837–1957
      • Source text:

        MOUNTFORD, MARY 49
        GRO Reference: 1893 S Quarter in STAFFORD Volume 06B Page 3

      • Source text:

        MOUNTFORD, MARY 51
        GRO Reference: 1897 S Quarter in STAFFORD Volume 06B Page 4

  6. England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index (1837-1983)
      • Source text:

        Record for Mary Bentley

  7. GRO Online Index (births) 1837-1918
      • Source text:

        BENTLEY, MARY FERRIAR
        GRO Reference: 1844 S Quarter in STAFFORD Volume 17 Page 133

  8. Staffordshire Birth Index (1837-
      • Source text:

        BENTLEY Mary FERRIAR 1844 Stafford Newcastle-Under-Lyme STD/06/58

  9. England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005
      • Source text:

        Volume 8d Page 576

  10. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
  11. 1851 Census of England and Wales
  12. 1861 Census of England and Wales
      • Page: Household schedule number: 143, Piece: 1906, Folio: 78, Page Number: 22.
      • Source text:

        Mary Bentley aged 17, working as a Shoe Binder, boarding with Evans family Shoe Manufacturers at 17 Cherry Street in Stafford.

      • Page: Household schedule number: 143, Piece: 1906, Folio: 78, Page Number: 22.
      • Source text:

        Mary Bentley aged 17, working as a Shoe Binder, boarding with Evans family Shoe Manufacturers at 17 Cherry Street in Stafford.

  13. Manchester, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1901 (Cathedral)
      • Source text:

        1866 [baptism] Harry Kershaw Earp

  14. Manchester, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915
      • Source text:

        1870 [baptism] Thomas Henry Earp

  15. 1871 Census of England and Wales
      • Source text:

        1871 [census] Earp (Bentley) family

  16. Staffordshire Marriages, 1538-1900
      • Source text:

        First name(s) Mary
        Father's last name Bentley
        Last name Earp
        Spouse's father's first name(s) William
        Birth year 1845
        Spouse's father's last name Mountford
        Age 32
        Denomination Anglican
        Year 1877
        Place Stafford, St Mary
        Date 19 May 1877
        County Staffordshire
        Residence Broad Eye
        Country England
        Spouse's first name(s) Thomas
        Page 83
        Spouse's last name Mountford
        Record set Staffordshire Marriages
        Spouse's birth year 1839
        Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
        Spouse's age 38
        Subcategory Parish Marriages
        Spouse's residence Broad Eye
        Collections from England, Great Britain
        Father's first name(s) George

      • Source text:

        First name(s) Mary
        Father's last name Bentley
        Last name Earp
        Spouse's father's first name(s) William
        Birth year 1845
        Spouse's father's last name Mountford
        Age 32
        Denomination Anglican
        Year 1877
        Place Stafford, St Mary
        Date 19 May 1877
        County Staffordshire
        Residence Broad Eye
        Country England
        Spouse's first name(s) Thomas
        Page 83
        Spouse's last name Mountford
        Record set Staffordshire Marriages
        Spouse's birth year 1839
        Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
        Spouse's age 38
        Subcategory Parish Marriages
        Spouse's residence Broad Eye
        Collections from England, Great Britain
        Father's first name(s) George

  17. 1881 Census of England and Wales
  18. 1891 Census of England and Wales
      • Page: Class: RG12; Piece: 2139; Folio: 71; Page: 24; GSU roll: 6097249
  19. Manchester, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1930
      • Page: Church: St John, Manchester. 1865 Page 60.
      • Source text:

        John Earp and Mary Bentley. Fathers: Thomas Earp and George Bentley. Witnesses: Bromfield Xxxxxxx and Annie Johnson.

  20. Staffordshire Banns, 1673-1900
      • Source text:

        First name(s) Thomas
        Last name Mountford
        Denomination Anglican
        Residence Stafford
        Banns year 1877
        Banns date 11 Feb 1877
        Spouse's first name(s) Mary
        Spouse's last name Earp
        Spouse's residence Stafford
        Place Stafford, St Mary
        County Staffordshire
        Country England
        Archive reference D3397/4
        Page 81
        Register type Banns
        Record set Staffordshire Banns
        Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
        Subcategory Parish Marriages
        Collections from England, Great Britain