Genealogy Chat

Hi all, I joined GR 3 weeks ago and I'm brand new to this research. I'm trying to find out more about my GrandParents "The Forsyths" "Frank and Millie" according to some very faded newspaper clippings that I have. It would appear that they toured the provincial theaters before WW1. I'm having difficulty finding any information on them anywhere.

My question is twofold, where can I find out more about this period and hopefully them? and is it worth subscribing to other sites to help in this research.

My tip would be to google their names and see what comes up

Roy

Hi Roy thanks for getting back to me. I have tried that and get nothing, i've scrolled through two Stage Year Books 1912 and 1911 and still found nothing. I know they were touring as i found them on the 1911 census in London with their occupation as entertainers/actors. I also believe He was a Theater manager at The Empire, Wrexham at some time around then. its been three weeks of searching and i was hoping someone would be able to point me in a new direction.

Martin

Have you been in touch with the archives for Wrexham? They may have old advertising material or other records from the Empire. These are the contact details for the archives:-

Wrexham Archives & Local Studies Service
Bersham Heritage Centre
Bersham
Wrexham LL14 4HT

Phone: 01978 318978

Email: [email protected]
Web: www.wrexham.gov.uk/archives

Kath. x

Bless you Kath, thats fantastic. i will ring them tommorrow and see how i get on. I knew before i started this research it wouldn't be easy so thanks again.

Martin

Are Frank and Millie their proper names? It's just that I can't find them on the 1911 census which you say you did.

Kath. x

I also am finding it difficult to pin them down. this is as much as i know from certificates recently recieved.
Frank Hargreaves Benson, aged 72 when he died 1940
Mildred Benson formaly Malvern 47 when she dies in 1926

the twist is that they used the Forsyth name all the time. the 1911 census would indicate that the ages are wrong but it is Frank's handwriting on the census as i have his signature on an old school report of my dad's and there is no mistaking 'F's'.

Frank I think I've found in the indexes but Mildred I can't find niether birth nor marriage for her.

Martin

COUSINS, Alfred Francis Head Married M 30 1881 Lineworker Kennington London VIEW
COUSINS, Martha Eliza Wife Married
11 years F 32 1879 Kennington London VIEW
COUSINS, Alfred Percy Son M 5 1906 Kennington London VIEW
HOWARD, Madge Boarder Single F 25 1886 Dressmaker Woolwich Kent VIEW
WOODCOCK, Thomas H Boarder Married M 42 1869 Traveller Bedfordshire VIEW
WOODCOCK, Edith Boarder Married
12 years F 32 1879 Margunt Kent VIEW
FORSYTH, Frank Boarder Married M 33 1878 Entertainment Actor Lancashire Liverppool VIEW
FORSYTH, Mildred Boarder Married
6 years F 28 1883 Entertainment Actor Somersetshire Bath VIEW
FORSYTH, Reginald Boarder M 2 1909 Kennington London VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
1998 Reference:
RG14PN1998 RG78PN70 RD25 SD2 ED24 SN365

Registration District:
Lambeth Sub District:
Kennington Enumeration District:
24 Parish:
Lambeth

Address:
392 Kennington Road S E County:
London

Sorry Kath should have added to the above post, on Mildred's death cert she is named as Mildred Forsyth.

Martin

Hi Martin,

here's a marriage for Frank;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Jun 1893 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>>>>>>>>Benson Frank Hargreaves Chorlton 8c 1172
Jones Ada Chorlton 8c 1172
Rushton Alfred Chorlton 8c 1172
Thomson Jane Chorlton 8c 1172

1901 England Census
about Mildred Malvern Name: Mildred Malvern
Age: 22
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1879
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Female
Where born: Northwich, Cheshire, England

Civil parish: South Manchester
Ecclesiastical parish: Hulme Holy Trinity
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Chorlton
Sub-registration district: Hulme
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 62
Piece: 3702
Folio: 26
Page Number: 8
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Mee 26
Bessie Mee 26
Daris Mee 1
Mildred Malvern 22 >> Single, Waitress
Jessie Pidock 27

I wonder???? Afterall Mildred is an unusual name for back then;

1891 England Census
about Amelia Malvern Name: Amelia Malvern
Age: 15
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1876
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: Joseph Malvern
Mother's name: Sarah Malvern
Gender: Female
Where born: Northwich, Cheshire, England

Civil parish: Newton in Makerfield
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
Town: Newton
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Warrington
Sub-registration district: Newton in Makerfield
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 3069
Folio: 72
Page Number: 6
Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Malvern 52
Sarah Malvern 33
Daniel Malvern 17
Amelia Malvern 15
Elizth Malvern 9
Joseph Malvern 1

franks birth
BMD Search result details

Civil Registration event: Birth
Name: BENSON, Frank Hargrave
Registration District: Help West Derby
County: Lancashire
Year of Registration: 1868
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's Maiden Name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume No: Help 8B
Page No: Help 433
Printer friendly version

View original image

there is this marraige ??? is it relevant
BMD Search result details

Civil Registration event: Marriage
Name: BENSON, Frank Hargreaves
Registration District: Help Chorlton
County: Lancashire
Year of Registration: 1893
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
Spouse's last name: Not available before 1912
Volume No: Help 8C
Page No: Help 1172
MarriageFinder™: Frank Hargreaves Benson married one of the following people Help


JONES, Ada view record


THOMSON, Jane view record

So Dad and Mum were in the "trade";

1881 England Census
about Joseph H.B. Malvern Name: Joseph H.B. Malvern
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Male
Where born: Manchester, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Otley
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England

Street Address: Westgate
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Comedian (Actor)

Registration district: Wharfedale
Sub-registration district: Otley
ED, institution, or vessel: 16
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 4337
Folio: 141
Page Number: 16
Household Members: Name Age
Mary Matthews 52
John Matthews 25
Emily Matthews 11
Joseph H.B. Malvern 40
Sarah A. Malvern 32 >> Comedian
Emmeline M. B. Malvern 15
Lydia A.B. Malvern 10
Daniel J.B. Malvern 7
>>>>>>>>>Amelia J.B. Malvern 5
Joseph W.B. Malvern 1

This is the only birth I can see anywhere that is near to the right age. Perhaps Mildred was one of her middle names:-

Name: MALVERN, Mary Matilda M E
Registration District: Bromyard
County: Herefordshire
Year of Registration: 1882
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Mother's Maiden Name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume No: 6A
Page No: 524

Since there is a big age gap between the couple and Frank seems to have married someone else, maybe they just lived together and never actually married.

Kath. x

Thanks Lyndsey, what threw me is the ages it looks like they reduced their ages by 10 years, why I hav'nt a clue.

Martin

1901 England Census
about Frank H Benson Name: Frank H Benson
Age: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ada Benson
Gender: Male
Where born: Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: North Manchester
Ecclesiastical parish: Kirkmanshulme St Cyprian
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Prestwich
Sub-registration district: Newton
ED, institution, or vessel: 27
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 273
Piece: 3761
Folio: 49
Page Number: 42
Household Members: Name Age
Frank H Benson 32
Ada Benson 29
Lawrence H Benson 5
Mary Jones 82
Mary Jones 49

Thanks everyone, you have all found what i found but here is another twist my Dad's older brother Frank Reginald Forsyth Benson born 1908, his mother on his certificate is Amelia Isabel Benson formaly Malvern, my first thought they were sisters or cousins but with not finding a birth for Mildred I'm stuck. The 'Millie' bit could easily apply to either of the two women.

The marriage to Ada Jones does'nt check as I have no knowledge of the children of that relationship.

Martin

Martin,

Mildred was an unusual name back then.... more likely she was the Amelia I found on census with Comedian parents.

You may have no knowledge of a prior marriage for Frank H Benson, however there is a very strong chance that he did marry prior to meeting Mildred......... hence no marriage to her as divorce was VERY expensive and out of reach for the average family.

Dee x

I don't think you should write off the marriage to Ada. If Frank left her and the children then the rest of the family may not have known about them.

This is Ada in the 1911 census (still without Frank):-


JONES, Mary Head Single F 57 1854 Cook At Restaurant Rusholme Manchester
BENSON, Ada Niece Married 17 years F 38 1873 Waitress At Restaurant Longsight Manchester
BENSON, Lawrence Nephew Single M 15 1896 Office Boy Chorlton on Medlock Manchester
HIBBERT, Marrion Eleanor Boarder Single F 25 1886 Carver At Restaurant Everton Liverpool

Address:
8 Wincombe St Rusholme Manchester

Reference:
RG14PN23768 RG78PN1378B RD464 SD2 ED67 SN91

Kath. x