Arthur Bensley Gardner (1880 - 1950)

Born 15 Sep 1880 in Taylor's Hill, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Beatrice (Hood) Gardner — married Jun 1911 (to 1916) in Venice, Veneto, Italy

Died 2 Dec 1950 at age 70 in Seaton, Devon, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Terry Bowden [send private message]

Biography

Arthur was born on 15 September 1880^[1][2]. He was the son of Smith Gardner and Mary Harriett Anning.

1891 England Census
Hensleigh House, Penny Park, Tiverton, Devon, England:

His father died in 1908.

In the UK Census of 1911 Arthur (aged 30 and single) was recorded in the household of his widowed mother Mary (67) at Pinehurst Seaton Devon, Seaton, Devon, England. Also in the household was his brother Francis Anning (26), his aunt Frances Ann Anning (74) and 29 year old servant Gertrude Annie Webb.

Bristol Times and Mirror 08 June 1911, page 4:

A marriage has been arranged, and will shortly take place, between Arthur Bensley, third surviving son of the late Major Gardner, J.P.. Connaught Rangers, and Mrs. Gardner, of Seaton, Devon, and Beatrice, widow of Frank Stanier, J.P., eldest son of the late Francis Stanier, of Peplow, and youngest daughter of Dr. Wharton Hood.^[3]

He and Beatrice were married in June 1911 in Venice, Italy.

Like his brother Neville, 36 year old Arthur served in the 1st World War. He was attached to the Devonshire Regiment^[4].

He and his wife Beatrice were later divorced. In November 1916 he was granted a decree nisi on the ground of his wife's adultery with Major Frank Wood Fernie. The following was published in the Daily Mirror dated 24 November 1916, page 2:

WIFE'S MAJOR FRIEND

Second Marriage That Ended in £500 Divorce Damages.

How a widow with an income of about £1,000 a year was married in Venice in June of 1911 and subsequently formed a friendship with a major while at Havre was told in the Divorce Court yesterday, when Mr. Arthur Bensley Gardner, of Pinehurst, Seaton, Devon, asked for the dissolution of his marriage on the ground of his wife's misconduct.

The co-respondent was Major Frank Hood Fernie, against whom the jury awarded £500.

Mr. Willis said Mr. and Mrs. Gardner in November, 1914, went to Havre, and there met the co-respondent. The following year petitioner noticed that a friendship had sprung up between his wife and Major Fernie, but she said there was nothing in it.

At the end of last year petitioner came home in Seaton suffering from blood poisoning, and early in the present year he heard that his wife had come over this country with co-respondent and that they had stayed one night at a London hotel together.

There was no defence, and Mr. Justice Shearman pronounced a decree nisi, with costs.^[5]

On 10 April 1920, aged 39, he is listed as a passenger aboard the Naldera from the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co, departing London for Melbourne, Australia^[6].

Arthur returned to England.

In the 1939 England and Wales register he is recorded living at Eamont, Fore Street, Seaton, Devon, England. There were four other individuals at the home, including one cook and one parlourmaid.

Occupation: Private Means

He died aged 70 on 2 December 1950 at Honiton, Devon, England^[7].

His will was Probated on 20 January 1951^[8]
Arthur Bensley Gardner of Tudor House, Marlpit-lane, Seaton, Devonshire died 2 December 1950. Probate to Anthony Lewis Worsfold Mayo, solicitor and Ethel Marsden, spinster. Effects: £1412 15s. 5d.

Sources

1. ↑ "Ireland Civil Registration, 1845-1913," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP2Z-Y5S7 : 17 October 2019), Arthur Bensby Or Bensley Gardner, 15 Sep 1880; Birth; County Galway, Ireland; citing General Register Office, Southern Ireland; FHL microfilm
2. ↑ Arthur Bensby Gardner in the Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911

   Arthur Bensley Gardner

   Gender: Male

   Birth Date: 15 Sep 1880

   Birth Place: Taylor's Hill, Ireland

   Father: Smith H. Gardner

   Mother: Mary Harriett Amming Gardner

3. ↑ Bristol Times and Mirror 08 June 1911, page 4, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).
4. ↑ "United Kingdom, World War I Service Records, 1914-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVB2-6PVS : 15 March 2018), Arthur Bensley Gardner, 1917; citing , Devon, England, Devonshire Regiment, regiment #618121, publication WO 363, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 7,258,532.
5. ↑ Daily Mirror 24 November 1916, page 2, https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ (requires subscription).
6. ↑ "United Kingdom, Outgoing Passenger Lists, 1890-1960", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68GR-C77J : 28 October 2021), Arthur Bensley Gardner, 1920.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVC6-14ZB : 30 October 2021), Arthur B Gardner, 1950.
8. ↑ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995 for Arthur Bensley Gardner 1951

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/223427404/arthur-bensley-gardner : accessed 24 February 2022), memorial page for Arthur Bensley Gardner (15 Sep 1880–2 Dec 1950), Find A Grave: Memorial #223427404; Maintained by Nick Fisher (contributor 47367410) Burial Details Unknown.

See also:

• "England and Wales Census, 1891," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WC4X-9MM : 22 February 2021), Arthur B Gardner in household of Smith H Gardner, Tiverton, Devon, England, United Kingdom; from "1891 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 12, Devon county, subdistrict, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.

• "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW9M-NPZ : 3 July 2019), Arthur Bensley Garner in household of Mary Harriett Gardner, Seaton, Devon, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.