Updated 4 Nov 2006

WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900

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Mail about Bennet.


    Rev. Abraham BENNET of Wirksworth wrote "New Experiments on Electricity" in 1789, an influential book about the Theory of Electricity as then understood. Below are Email received containing information about Bennet, published with the approval of the sender.

    ====================================================== From: Stephanie Hitchcock Subject: Rev. Abraham Bennet Date: 18 Apr 2007 00:34 To: Hello John, Thought you may be interested in the following, which I discovered whilst searching the Derby Mercury 23.2.1825 & 2.3.1825 A Distressing Case Francis Holliwell, of Belper clock and watch maker, (son of the late William Holliwell of Derby, watch maker) most unfortunately lost his life on the 21st day of October last, by the explosion of a Gas apparatus at The works of Messrs. Strutt, at Belper, being at the time of the accident engaged in the repair of it. He was in the prime of life, and had been employed as a mechanic there for the last twelve years, during all which time he was considered honest, sober, and diligent, and a useful and valuable man to his employers, and supported by his industry, with credit and respectability himself, his wife and nine children. The Widow, one of the Daughters of the late Rev. Abraham Bennett of Wirksworth, (whose memory is duly appreciated by all who knew him, and whose knowledge and experiments in the science of electricity gained him the honor of the personal friendship and patronage of Her Grace Georgiana the late Duchess of Devonshire) is thus suddenly bereft of an affectionate husband and her children of an indulgent parent. Messrs. Strutt have kindly contributed a weekly allowance towards the support of the Family, which They intend to continue till the children are capable of earning by their work a sufficiency for that purpose. I have only been able to discover the Bpt of 7 children. From the Strutt School Admission Records (Mill School) there is a record of three of these children attending the school the last being John Bennet Holliwell bpt. 22.12.1822, living Cluster Buildings, Belper commenced school 30.7.1827 left 1.9.1831 – gone to mill. The School records are on Genuki transcribed by my friend Caroline Densham. I am not related to any of the families, just noticed the item connecting Belper & Wirksworth. Regards Stephanie Hitchcock ====================================================== From: Ros Carr Subject: Re: Rev Abraham Bennet - Wirksworth Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 23:21:45 +1000 To: Dear John, Thanks for your prompt response to my query. Having seen the scan of the register entry I think that John Bennet is the 'missing' second son of Rev Abraham Bennet. I think the issue you raised about the timing of his birth versus the date you have for Rev Bennet's marriage may also be solved because I found that the International Geneological Index (IGI) record showed the marriage occurring two years earlier but on the same day and month as follows: ABRAHAM BENNETT Male Marriages: Spouse: JANE FALLOWS Marriage: 05 APR 1774 Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, England This would also make sense for the second entry I sent you which had another child Mary Bennet being christened on 30 Nov 1774, 9 months after the wedding! Hopefully we have solved a mystery. There's no doubt about Sisters of Mercy - you find us in all sorts of places. Many thanks for your help blessings, -- Ros Carr rsm ====================================================== [See webmaster's reply] ====================================================== From: Ros Carr Subject: Rev Abraham Bennet - Wirksworth Date: Sat, 04 Nov 2006 12:29:32 +1000 To: Dear John My great grandmother Jane Bennet Holliwell (b.1836) is the grandaughter of the Rev. Abraham Bennet, curate of Wirksworth. I have found your Wirksworth site really helpful in filling in gaps in my family tree so thanks for all that work in building the site. I noted that Abraham Bennet had an unknown second son and I was wondering if it could be the John Bennet christened on 11 June 1776. The note in the transcribed register refers to his father as 'John' but has the notations "Rev" and "Rev Curate" after the father's name. Could the "John" be an error as Abraham is referred to as the "Rev" or "Rev Curate" in other records of his children's births and there was not a second curate in Wirksworth called John Bennet. C 1776jun11 BENNET John=(son)John/(Wirksworth)[Rev],"Rev, Curate" You can see there is another record with a similar notation referring to the birth and infant death of a Mary Bennet. C 1774nov30 BENNET Mary=(dau)John/(Wirksworth)[Revd],"Revd, Curate" B 1776jan08 BENNET Mary(dau)John/(Wirksworth)"Rev., Curate" These are the entries for the known children of Abraham Bennet 1. B 1777dec29 BENNETT Mary(dau)Abraham/(Wirksworth)"Rev., twin" 2. C 1778jan16 BENNETT Sarah=(dau)Abraham/(Callow)[Reverend],"Reverend" B 1778feb12 BENNETT Sarah(dau)Abraham/(Wirksworth)"Rev." 3. C 1779jul14 BENNET Jane=(dau)Abraham/(Wirksworth)[Reverend],dob=1778dec23,"Reverend" 4. C 1780nov25 BENNET Elizabeth=(dau)Abraham/Jane(Wirksworth),dob=1780sep19 5. C 1783jul06 BENNET William=(son)Abraham/Jane(Wirksworth),dob=1783feb20 6. C 1784sep05 BENNET Mary=(dau)Abraham/Jane(Wirksworth),dob=1784jul12 7. C 1786nov17 BENNET Catharine=(dau)Abraham/Jane(Wirksworth),dob=1786mar24 B 1789sep03 BENNET Catharine(dau)Abraham/Jane(Wirksworth)"Rev." What do you think? -- Ros Carr rsm ====================================================== From: Marjorie Ward [marjorie.ward2#btinternet.com] Subject: Re: [DBY] Rev. Abraham BENNET 1749-1799 Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:18:26 -0000 To: Hello John Taken from the Bertram Merrill Marriage Index: Abraham BENNET of Taxal p. married Ann FALLOWS at Cheadle St. Mary`s on 20th Oct. 1748 by banns. Marjorie ============================================================ From: Marjorie Ward [marjorie.ward2#btinternet.com] Subject: Re: [DBY] Rev. Abraham BENNET 1749-1799 Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2005 12:36:19 -0000 To: Hello John Taxal was & is in Cheshire and is the parish church of Whaley Bridge, Dby (in Cheshire until county boundary changes in the 20th century) & Kettleshulme (still in Cheshire). It is a strange parish in that the church is situated less than a mile from Chapel parish boundary & until 1906 Fernilee, only half a mile away, was in Hope parish. Many of Taxal parishioners therefore actually lived in other parishes. I have a short history of the church written by the rector in 1972 & he notes `In the year 1966 the parish of Taxal (created in the 14th century) in the Diocese of Chester and the adjoining parish of Fernilee (created in 1906) in the Diocese of Derby, were formed into one parish............. the newly formed parish being in the Diocese of Chester` Yes I have all records in a data base & it does appear that only two children were baptised to Abraham senior. This may be the baptism of Abraham sen. 1 Jul 1730 BENNET Abraham son of Samuel of Waley If so he could have been the eldest of nine children. It doesn`t appear that either Abraham sen. or jun. were married at Taxal the other was at the beginning of the 19th century but there are two possible marriages for Samuel: BENNETT Samuel married HALLOM Mary on 12 Jun 1727 BENNETT Samuel of Taxal married WOOD Ann of Hope p. on 2 Dec 1727 (It is very likely that the Mary who married on 12 Jun 1727 left a will in 1767 - shown on Cheshire wills site). This may be the burial of Abraham senior: 22 Oct 1780 BENNET Abraham of Whaley Lane schoolmaster (I cannot find a will for Abraham which is surprising) I have fiche of MIs for Taxal so will look later if I can see anything significant. If you can think of more lines for enquiry let me know. best wishes Marjorie ========================================================

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