Clara (Gerrard) Beney (1856 - 1930)

Born 17 Feb 1856 in Islington, London, England

Ancestors

Wife of Edwin Beney — married 1889 in Crowhurst, Sussex, England, United Kingdom

Died 1930 at about age 73 in East Grinstead, Sussex, England

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Biography

Clara was born on 17 February 1856 and baptised on 30 March 1856 in St Mary's Church, Islington, London, England. ^[1] She was the daughter of Henry Gerrard and Maria Rowlison.

Both her father and her mother already had children from previous marriages; census returns suggest that the family did not find it easy to live together.

The census of 1861 shows Clara living with her mother and step-sister on Lillington Street in Westminster. ^[2]

There is a record of a Clara Gerrard in the 1881 census, employed as a housemaid at Avenham Tower, the residence of Charles Legge, an Inspector of Constabulary, in Preston, Lancashire. ^[3] Such a move is surprising, but the Clara Gerrard in the census record is the correct age and was born in Islington, so it seems most likely that this is accurate.

In the first quarter of 1889, Clara married Edwin Beney of Crowhurst, Sussex (now largely a suburb of Hastings). The marriage took place in the registration district of Battle (which includes Crowhurst). ^[4]

They had three children, all born in Crowhurst:

• James Edwin Beney, born around 1892
• Cicely Kate Beney, born in 1893, who married Francis Hayward in 1920 in East Grinstead, Sussex.
• Henry George Beney, born around 1895

At the 1901 census the family was living, with two boarders, in East Grinstead. Edwin's profession is given as bricklayer labourer. ^[5]

Clara and Edwin were still living in East Grinstead with James and Henry 10 years later for the 1911 census. ^[6]

Clara passed away in 1930. Her death was registered in East Grinstead in the fourth quarter of the year. ^[7] Her widowed husband Edwin survived until 1937.

Sources

1. ↑ London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: p83/mry1/1180
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7LQ-KC5 : 27 September 2016), Clara Gerrard in household of Maria Gerrard, St John The Evangelist, London, Middlesex, England; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. The family consists of:
   Maria Gerrard, 47, born Melbury Osmond, Dorset
   Augusta Hill, 21, born Yeovil, Somerset
   Clara Gerrard, 5, born Islington, Middlesex
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q275-YH12 : 20 August 2016), Clara Gerrard in household of Charles G Legge, Preston, Lancashire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 14, Piece/Folio 4238/40, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,775,195.
4. ↑ GRO Index of Marriages, Mar 1889, Battle, vol 2B, page 83
5. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSNY-XL7 : 8 April 2016), Edwin Beney, East Grinstead, Sussex, England; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing East Grinstead subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
6. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7BP-7YH : 21 December 2018), Edwin Beney, East Grinstead, East Grinstead, Sussex, England; 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.
7. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHD-R1NR : 4 September 2014), Clara Beney, 1930; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, East Grinstead, Sussex, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.

• "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26R5-S4Y : 1 October 2014), Clara Gerrard, 1856; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Islington, London, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.