Henry Bennett (1765 - 1804)

Born 19 Apr 1765 in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 29 Nov 1804 at age 39 in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Henry Bennett was born in Cambridgeshire, England.

Henry Bennett was born 19 April 1765, and took possession of a share of his father's estate in 1788 and continued in the family business as a carpenter, builder, contractor, millwright and brandy merchant on a fair scale. He married Elizabeth Bright of Melton Mowbray on 9th July 1789 and the witnesses were Amelia Thompson, Ann Bennett, Catherine Bennett, Edward Bright, John Carter and Richard Bennett. ^[1]

They had the substantial three story house at 9 High Street Spalding with four servants and eight children were born here. Earle House, built in Merchants’ Row about 1650 by a butcher William Thorpe, was named after an early owner, John Earle who bought it when he married in 1672, lies on the side of the Welland River, has its own wharf, and is accompanied by a pew in the north aisle of the church.

Henry was a churchwarden at Spalding in 1792 to 1794. Henry invested much in equipment for drainage of fenland by contract. His son Henry's (born 1792) recollections, written for his own daughter, follow. "My father (baptised 19 April 1765 at Ely) was the oldest of eight or more of them, all girls but one brother and he was left with a handsome income because he had happened an accident in his youthful days that made him rather imbecile, the girls too had each a handsome legacy to hand them when married so that my father was rather crippled in his income to pay off these girls. He entered into large speculative concerns, which were large works near the sea and from unforeseen circumstances ruined him. This I only recollect when quite a child at the pleasure of removing to a new residence where we had to have a boat to cross the river to my great joy in boating amidst dirt and water. My father died at the age of 39 leaving my mother and eight of us to bring up." [recollections of Henry Bennett (1792 -1871)] "Great grandfather Bennett was a builder and contractor and he undertook to drain a piece of land near the Wash, not far from Spalding. But one night there was an unusually high tide and all the works,which were nearly finished, were washed away. In the morning he went with his little son who was about 10 and my grandfather who was 12 years old, and showed them the damage done and then had a bathe near the spot. He went home knowing that he was a ruined man and died of the worry, leaving a widow and 8 children. We find the events which ruined Henry reported in the local newspaper the Stamford Mercury of Friday 13 February 1795. "The rapid and complete thaw that has taken place has occasioned the rivers Welland, Ner, &c to rise to heights scarcely ever remembered and we learn the same has been general throughout the kingdom; hence a general stagnation in travelling has nearly taken place." "The breaking of banks and loss of stock must have occasioned an immense loss, the south bank near March in the Isle of Ely gave way on Wednesday night whereby a vast tract of fertile land is laid underwater." In the same paper the next week February 20, 1795 "All of the provincial papers of this week give accounts of damages done by the record high floods; bridges on almost every stream appear to have been broken and banks in many places, a number of lives lost, cattle drowned, &c. Welny bank (distant from Wisbeach about ten miles) is also broken and Upwell fen consisting of several thousand acres worth on an average 20s per acre is entirely inundated, the Old Bedford is broken in two places; and by a breadth of the one hundred foot bank which stretches from Melpal in the Isle of Ely to Denver Sluice in Norfolk it is all a sea as far as Littleport and even within two miles of the city of Ely. All passageway for carriages between March and Wisbech is at an end. [91] Henry advertised the sale of his house and land on 20 February. "In 1795, all the other banks gave way, and flooded by slips in the banks 83500 acres, by downfall 57000 acres and total 140500 acres as calculated at the meeting at Ely, 27th February 1795. Much about the same quantity flooded in 1799 and 1800, by downfall and breaches in the interior banks" Henry was probably involved in embanking and drainage works when the disastrous flood overtook him. [Agriculture of the County of Cambridge, 1813]

This was followed by a declaration of bankruptcy “Whereas a Commission of Bankrupt is awarded and issued forth against Henry Bennett of Spalding, carpenter, builder and chapma, ..to surrender himself… on the 2nd, 3rd and 24th days of January next at eleven in the forenoon on each day… at the White Hart Inn, in Spalding aforesaid, and make a full discovery and disclosure of his estate and effects when and where the creditors are to come prepared to prove their debts. [London Gazette, 9 –13 December 1794 page 1219] In this he conformed to the Act of Parliament concerning bankrupts [London Gazette 10 -14 March 1795] and the sale of most assets to meet creditors demands. The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury records on 1st August 1795 : "Bennett's Bankrupcy. All persons who stand indebted to the state and effects of Henry Bennett of Spalding in the county of Lincolnshire, carpenter, builder and merchant, a bankrupt, are required to discharge their respective debts within one month from the date hereof to Mr. Robert Hothard of Spalding aforesaid one of the assignees otherwise action will be immediately after commenced fo the recovery thereof with ... Thomas Foster solicitor, Spalding 12th August 1795."

The Mercury further reports on 11th December 1795 : "Bennett's Bankrupcy. The commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt awarded and issued forth against Henry Bennett of Spalding, in the County of Lincolnshire, Carpenter, Builder and Chapman, intend to meet on the Fourth Day of January next,at Eleven o'Clock in the Forenoon, at the White Hart Inn, in Spalding aforesaid, to make a Dividend of the said Bankrupt's Estate and Effects; when and where the creditors who have not already proved their Debts are to come prepared to prove the same, or they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Dividend. And all Claims not then proved will be disallowed. By Order Thomas Foster solicitor. Spalding 30th November 1795." [London Gazette 5 -8 December 1795] Mrs Foster, wife of Thomas Foster, solicitor, who built The Elms, in High Street in 1797, was the first to carry a parasol in Spalding. [EJ Gooch, A History of Spalding]

All persons who stand indebted to the state and effects of Henry Bennett of Spalding in the county of Lincolnshire, carpenter, builder and merchant, a bankrupt, are required to discharge their respective debts within one month from the date hereof to Mr. Robert Hothard of Spalding aforesaid one of the assignees otherwise action will be immediately after commenced for the recovery thereof with ... Thomas Foster solicitor, Spalding 12th August 1795."

The Mercury further reports on 11th December 1795 : "Bennett's Bankrupcy. The commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt awarded and issued forth against Henry Bennett of Spalding, in the County of Lincolnshire, Carpenter, Builder and Merchant, intend to meet on the Fourth Day of January next,at Eleven o'Clock in the Forenoon, at the White Hart Inn, in Spalding aforesaid, to make a Dividend of the said Bankrupt's Estate and Effects; when and where the creditors who have not already proved their Debts are to come prepared to prove the same, or they will be excluded the Benefit of the said Dividend. And all Claims not then proved will be disallowed. By Order, Thomas Foster solicitor, Spalding 30th November 1795." [London Gazette 5 -8 December 1795]

The bankruptcy would have been very disappointing to Henry, but he was not alone and fen drainage was historically a known risk. Although embarrassing I do not think it would have been humiliating to hold the proceedings at the White Hart. There would be much sympathy as the cause was a natural disaster not mismanagement, incompetence or fraud. This was a public show of good faith, which proved satisfactory to the creditors and the venue was one where people often met to pursue or discuss local affairs. The creditors would all have been known to Henry, not the faceless bank men of today, but gentlemen associates and friends, most of whom would have been sympathetic and supportive (one would hope). No doubt chins wagged and nasty things were whispered. Henry it seems took it hard and it was a huge stress to suddenly lose nearly everything, and from difficulty with income and the personal public disgrace.

On 29 November 1797 Henry Bennett, carpenter, builder and merchant declared a final dividend. [London Gazette] The bankrupcy demands appear to have been satisfactorily met and the business continued but the affects upon Henry's health may have been severe and he died on 29 November 1804, leaving a wife and eight children.

Research Notes

Note: IGI shows place of birth as Spalding, Lincoln.

Lost the ample fortune left him by his father through speculating in large

works near the seawhich from unforeseen circumstances ruined him. This

occurred around 1800. He is the nearest common ancester of Rev C.B. Lloyd and

Lucy, his wife, being great grandfather of them both.

Churchwarden 1789-95 Bankrupt 1795

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "England, Leicestershire Parish Registers, 1533-1991"
   citing Marriage, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom, page 24, citing the Record Office of Leicestershire, Leicester, and Rutland, Wigston, UK
   FamilySearch Record: QP4W-K7LY (accessed 16 August 2023)
   FindMyPast Image
   Henry Bennet marriage to Elizabeth Bright on 9 Jul 1789 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.