Lords

[Valice in Wonderland]

A handed down story is that a relative married a Lord in the early-mid 1800's, we have found the marriage, and certainly there looks to have been plenty of money there. I have seen nothing to suggest he was a Lord though, so wondering if this was an embellishment handed down by a great aunt.
Would a census for instance throw up a Lordship?

[Olde Crone Holden]

Not necessarily, Val, depends on who filled in the census and there isn't really a column for filling in a title on the census.

OC

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I have seen "peer of the realm" in the occupation entry on census.

Do you know the title, e.g . Lord XXXXXX? Have you tried a google search, under Lord XXX and also under the name used at the marriage?
Lord could have been an inherited title, or one granted later in life, in recognition of his work in some particular field.

Jay

[Breckland Jane]

You could try this site.

http://thepeerage.com/surname_index.htm

Jane

[Uncle John]

He could have been a Lord of the Manor, which is a more lowly being.

[Valice in Wonderland]

Have looked at the site suggested by Jane, and can't find him there, there are about 700+ listed, and quite a lot just with ? (no name known)
anyway can't find one with the name Thomas Bennett 1805-1883, but he was wealthy by virtue of his trade a firm of Hatters

[Uncle John]

If he was "in trade", he's a mere nouveau riche and unfit to mix with the gentry! But he could have bought a lordship of a manor, as such people still do.

[Jill on the A272]

Maybe he was a just a Sir and not a Lord.

If he was a hatter and wore one of his own top hats he might have just looked like a toff.

[Valice in Wonderland]

Maybe UJ, but think it more likely Great aunt Kate was weaving her fantasies around the truth ;)

Good point Jill

Have never tried looking at old newspapers, he may have had an obituary in one.

[Trina]

Obituraries are a wonderful resource and if he was wealthy then there would almost certainly have been one if not several! Really worthwile trying to track one down. You should try the online site (via your local library possibly).

[Valice in Wonderland]

Don't think my local library would have anything for London area, but thanks Trina

[naomiatt]

Hi- Any idea whereabouts in London..or where they married? What was the name of his wife?
There are 2880 hits for the name in British History On Line - without doing an advanced search..
I've often found people in this site if they lived in a manor for example;-

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/advanced-search.aspx

[Trina]

I was thinking of the Times Digital Archive or 19th Century Newspapers from the Gale site. Some libraries enable you to access this frrom your home computer if you are signed up to digital access as a member. If they haven't got this facility, post all the details on here and I could try for you.

[Valice in Wonderland]

Thanks folks. If anyone got access to likely newpapers and wants a stab at finding an obituary these are the details I have.

Thomas Harper Bennett born in Dudley in 1805
Married Mary Parkin in Walworth district in 1829
Died in the reg district of Wandsworth in 4Q of 1883

From census returns, it doesn't look like they lived in a Manor

[Caroline]

Have you had a look through this page?

http://www.leighrayment.com/

I found it on our General Historical Resources page in the Reference Library - (there are some other links there too).

They seem to be arranged by the name of the peer, and not their original name, and there doesn't appear to be a way of mass searching the pages ...

[naomiatt]

The name of Thomas Harper Bennett is listed in the London Gazette and would fit the timeframe you have -
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/ If you go to advanced search and put the full name - don't worry about dates - there are 37 mentions.
I think this must be him -
THOMAS HARPER BENNETT, Deceased.
Pursuant to Act of Parliament of the 22nd and 23rd
Vic., cap. 35, intituled " An Act to further amend the
Law of Property, and to relieve Trustees." NOTICE is hereby given, that all creditors and other
persons having any debts, claims, or demands
against the estate of Thomas Harper Bennett, late of
Langdale Lodge, Clapham Park, in the county of Surrey,
Gentleman (who died on the 2nd dajr of October, 1883
and whose will was proved in the Principal Registry o:
the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice on the
23rd day of November, 1883, by Mary Bennett, John
Frederick Bennett, Thomas Alfred Bennett, and Charles
Bennett, the executrix and executors named in the sale
will), are hereby required to send in the particulars oi
their debts, claims, and demands to the said executrix
and executors, at the office of their Solicitors. Messrs
Weall and Barker, at No. 6, Bell-yard, Doctors'-commous,
in the city of London, on or before the 28th day oi
February, 1884, after the expiration of which time the
said executrix aiid executors will proceed to distribute
the assets of the said deceased among the parties entitled
thereto, having regard only to the claims and
demands of which they, the said executrix and executors,
shall then have had notice; and that the said executrix
and executors will not be liable for the assets, or any part
thereof, so distributed to any person of whose debt,
claim, or demand they shall not have had such notice as
aforesaid.—Dated this 16th day of January, 1884.
WEALL and BARKER, 5, Bell-yard, Doctors'-
commons, E.G., Solicitors

[naomiatt]

Atkins Road ( nearby street was Cavendish Road), Clapham Park Langdale Lodge, Atkins Road RG 12/444 31 - in Wandsworth Reg District - 1891

http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=Place:Wandsworth_Registration_District%2C_1891_Census_Street_Index_A-B

To find out more about Langdale Lodge, and also the family, try Wandsworth Archives -

http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/a_to_z/service/429/archives

There's also info in http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a...harper+bennett

[Valice in Wonderland]

Thank you very much for the information, and links provided

[Trina]

Naomiatt what a fantastic find! Wish it were one of mine. Sadly my London lot are not likely to find their way into the Gazette!

[Valice in Wonderland]

Yes Trina, it was a fantastic find, I have also found an item regarding the grandson who seems to have gone missing in/about Hong Kong.
Another surname to research from the annual lists of City Bank investors, where THB would seem to be a guardian for his niece.
From another link showing Indentures my 2xG grandfather is mentioned, together with his sister Mrs Mary Bennett, and I think another unmarried sister Emily, who we haven't found much about yet.

In all the info, there is no hint that THB is titled, so I think we can safely assume it is a family myth.