BENTLEY and RELATED FAMILIES

Chapter 5: James BENTLEY (c1808->1881)

James Bentley was the last known child of Samuel and Sarah. Like his brother Thomas, he started work as a brass founder, at which time he was living in Summer Lane, Birmingham with his wife Sarah. By 1860 he is known to have become a publican, brewing and selling his own ale from the ‘Bull’s Head’ at 65 Saltley Road, Aston. He had a four years old grandson, James Smith, living with him in 1861. Presumably the child’s mother had died and so his mother’s parents were looking him after. If this is the case the only known candidate for his mother is Caroline. By 1871 the grandchild, who was still living with James and Sarah, had taken the Bentley name and was working as an iron tube drawer.

In 1861 James had a domestic servant living-in, 16 years old Mary Woodford who was born in Ireland. It may be only coincidental that the previous year James’ son Samuel had married Eliza Woodford. Eliza came from a long established Gloucestershire family and had a sister, Mary Ann, who would have been 16 in 1861 and who witnessed Eliza’s wedding in Aston the previous year.

In addition to Samuel, James and Sarah had three other children. The oldest, Henry, was again a brass founder who by 1851 was living at 12 court, 6 Palmer Street, Birmingham, with his wife and first child. Henry’s brother, William, was also a brass founder. He lived in Birmingham until the late 1860’s then moved 59 Clifford Street in Aston where was a brass dresser. William had at least six children but was widowed before his youngest child was six years old. Four of his children were working from home in 1881. William jun. worked with his father as brass dresser, James was a carpenters machinist, Sarah a dressmaker and Kate a pen worker. The two younger children were still at school.

It is not known when James died, but by 1881 he was a widower living on his own.

James BENTLEY b.c1808 d.>1881 m.Sarah -

….Henry BENTLEY b.c1829 m.Elizabeth -

……..Sarah BENTLEY b.c1846

….William BENTLEY b.c1830 d.>1881 m.- -

……..William BENTLEY b.c1859 d.>1881

……..James BENTLEY b.c1861 d.>1881

……..Sarah BENTLEY b.c1863 d.>1881

……..Kate BENTLEY b.c1865 d.>1881

……..Herbert BENTLEY b.c1872 d.>1881

……..Harry BENTLEY b.c1874 d.>1881

….Samuel BENTLEY b.c1835 d.c1894