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  • A complex puzzle I need help with

    Sorry if this is a bit long and I hope you can all stay with me as I really need some assistance and input on this one. Afraid it's my theatricals again which is either a help or a hindrance.

    My 5 x great grandfather is George Alfred Hodson, born Dublin Ireland in the 1790s

    I recently found an report of the death of his wife in 1844 at the Bower Saloon, Lambeth which finally gave me a first name for her of Catherine Mary.

    Last night I found on ancestry a marriage between George Alfred Hodson and Catherine Benson at St Nicholas (with St Leonard) in Bristol. 15 September 1815

    The family has really strong links with Bath and Bristol and the Theatre Royals which is why the marriage jumped out at me as a very strong possible.

    The descendants of George and Catherine are all pretty successful in the theatre so there has always been plenty of info to be found about them online - but the accuracy of it varies.

    The one that I have never been able to prove is that Catherine was related to the much more famous Kemble family (and the actress Sarah Siddons nee Kemble). This tends to only be mentioned in biographies of George Musgrove, Australian theatre producer (grandson of George and Catherine) so thought it may be a fib he had told which turned into a "fact".

    Tonight I have been searching like mad on Gale and have found an acting family called Benson who performed with the Kemble and Siddons at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. I thought I was on a wild goose chase really but I think I may have something:

    The Hull Packet and Original Weekly Commercial, Literary and General Advertiser (Hull, England), Tuesday, August 23, 1814


    On Monday se'nnight, at Clifton, Mrs Benson, widow of Mr Benson, formerly of Drury Lane theatre, and sister of Mrs Stephen Kemble, well known in the theatrical world.


    There's a more complex story involved with Mr Benson as he appears to have committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the Drury Lane theatre - but that's something to look at when the connection looks more likely.



    Can anyone offer any help at all on this? This is the best nugget I have got on this line for ages and I think I really may be on to something but I'm beginning to struggle as I'm unable to expand my thinking to know what to search for next.

    Thanks in advance

    Zoe
    Zoe in London

    Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

  • #2
    Stephen Kemble (1758-1822) was a British actor, a member of the famous Kemble family.

    He was the second son of Roger Kemble, brother of Charles Kemble, John Philip Kemble and Sarah Siddons.

    He was less successful as an actor than his brothers and sister, and he was eclipsed by his wife and fellow player, Elizabeth Satchell Kemble.
    Stephen Kemble - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Comment


    • #3
      Elizabeth Satchell... had three sisters... Susanna who married the actor Robert Benson...
      I'll Tell You what: The Life of ... - Google Book Search
      Last edited by Mary from Italy; 12-09-08, 23:35.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hmmm - the IGI really doesn't help at times

        Elizabeth SATCHELL

        Birth: About 1763 London, London, England

        Death: 20 JAN 1841


        Father: Mr SATCHELL
        Mother: Mrs SATCHELL


        Spouse: George Stephen Kemble Family
        Marriage: 1783 Of, London, London, England
        Zoe in London

        Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

        Comment


        • #5
          Oooooh - brilliant. I've been doing this for hours and you get further than me in minutes
          Zoe in London

          Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

          Comment


          • #6
            So we have (possibly):

            Robert Benson m Susannah Satchell

            daur Catherine Benson m George Alfred Hodson
            Zoe in London

            Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

            Comment


            • #7
              Do you have a date of birth for Catherine Benson?

              Comment


              • #8
                Her age at death in 1844 is 55 - making her birth c1789

                In 1841 it's she's 55 as well.

                I can't find anything that looks likely on IGI or familyhistoryonline for a Catherine Benson around that time
                Zoe in London

                Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                Comment


                • #9
                  got a snippet on google books

                  In 1783 Benson married Susanna Satch- ell (1758-1814), third daughter of a maker
                  of musical instruments and a sister of Elizabeth Satchell, who had married



                  trying to work around it some more
                  Zoe in London

                  Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Et voilà!


                    Name / Baptism Date / Parent 1 / Parent 2 / PARISH / County

                    Cath Benson / 1786 / Robt Benson / Susanna Benson / Hammersmith / St. Paul, Middlesex
                    (Pallot's baptism index)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Don't know if this is a help or hindrance, but Satcheverell were makers of musical instruments.

                      OC

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Mary from Italy View Post
                        Et voilà!



                        (Pallot's baptism index)
                        Ooooh. I could kiss you.

                        And it took me ages to see this as I've been trying to beat the snippet.

                        I'm making progress with this Benson Biography. I have th estart and the end it looks like the bit in the middle talks of family but I'm struggling to get onto that page.

                        It's still quite a lot of supposition but the bits seems to be falling fairly neatly
                        Zoe in London

                        Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Were Catherine and George married by banns or licence? If it was by licence, the licence/bond should have her age and her father's name.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            "15 Sep 1815 George Alfred Hodson bach and Catharine Benson spin botp Licence"

                            I'll track down who holds Bristol parish records.

                            Kicking myself for not upgrading my ancestry sooner as I could have solved all this when I was down there a few months back
                            Zoe in London

                            Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Just checking some of mine that were married by licence - they give the parties' names, ages and occupations, but not necessarily the father's name.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                occupations would do it

                                Thanks for all your help on this Mary, I really was running myself around in circles.

                                Sometimes it just takes unblinkered eyes to see what's what
                                Zoe in London

                                Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Yes, it's amazing what a difference it makes when somebody takes a fresh look at a problem. I spent hours on something a week or so ago, and Elaine solved it in minutes.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    well I'm still going thrpugh google books have spent two hours ast night beating the snippet on a Robert Benson biography

                                    Just found this:

                                    Her tenant was Mrs. Benson, the sister of Mrs. Stephen Kemble, both daughters of
                                    Satchell, the musical instrument maker to the Prince of Wales.


                                    Really hope I can make this connection definite
                                    Zoe in London

                                    Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      The father was John Satchell:

                                      I'll Tell You what: The Life of ... - Google Book Search

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        cheers Mary - I did a transcript of that book last night. It was the Prince of Wales connection that got me interested.

                                        Wonder what kind of instruments he partook in
                                        Zoe in London

                                        Cio che Dio vuole, io voglio ~ What God wills, I will

                                        Comment

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