Thomas BENNETT

Thomas Bennett 1824 – 1877

Photographic Business

Thomas opened his first studio in Worcester in 1856. At different times, he operated at five studios in Worcester and three in Malvern under his own name and the business continued under the name of Bennett & Son and Bennett & Sons until at least 1916.

Census

1841	Apprentice painter at St Andrews Hill, Cambridge
1851	Master painter employing 1 man & 3 apprentices at Regent St., Cambridge
1861	Lay clerk and photographer, 46 Foregate St., Worcester
1871	Artist, painter & photographer, 45 Foregate St., Worcester

Thomas Bennett was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire in 1824, the son of Thomas Bennett senior, a schoolteacher, and his wife Harriett. Thomas senior was Lay Clerk and Master of the Choristers at Kings College Choir, Cambridge from about 1800 until Sept 1805.

Thomas junior was a member of the Ely Cathedral Choir Boys from 1833 to 1840.

In 1841, at the age of 17, he was learning his trade as a painter’s apprentice in residence with Frederick Hills at St Andrews Hill, Cambridge

On 25th July 1850, Thomas married Elizabeth Jane Gray at St. Andrew’s The Great, Cambridge.

By 1851 Thomas was a master painter employing an assistant and three apprentices working from 3 Regent Street in Cambridge, whilst his wife Elizabeth was a dressmaker employing an assistant and 3 other people.

Thomas and Elizabeth had three children whilst living in Cambridge, Elizabeth Harriett (b. 1852), Thomas Jewell (not to be confused with his uncle’s son and namesake, Sir Thomas Jewell Bennett – 1852-1925) and William Sterndale born in 1855. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Worcester.

In 1856, Thomas founded their photographic business at 46 Foregate Street.

Five more children followed. They were Robert Gray, Arthur J G, Agnes, Sarah Emily and finally Harry S in 1865.

In 1866 Thomas Bennett advertised in The Worcestershire Chronicle on 12 September that he was selling photographs of the late Sir Charles Hastings. His studio address at that time was 46 Foregate Street, Worcester (see the advert below kindly provided by Dave Bennett).

Thomas Bennett Advertisement from 1866

Sir Charles Hastings 1864

In 1868 Thomas opened an additional studio at 2 Priory Mount, Worcester which remained open until 1885.

Also in 1868 the business was expanded to nearby Malvern and operated at three different addresses in that town until 1914.

By 1876 he had moved from 46 Foregate to both 9 Foregate Street and Pierpoint Street and by 1880 he closed both studios and moved again to 8 Broad Street where the business remained in various guises until at least 1916.

This was truly a family-run business – see Appendix A. Firstly Elizabeth, his wife, became involved on the photographic printing side. In 1861, Elizabeth was listed in the census as a photographic printer and in 1871 as being employed in the photographic business.

Later, three sons and two daughters became involved in all aspects of the business and Emily looked after the book-keeping.

This proved to be a sound policy as upon his death in 1877 Elizabeth took over the running of the business and in 1881 and 1891 was listed as a photographer. On her death in May 1899, at the age of 72, it fell to Thomas Jewell to carry on, ably assisted by his brothers and sisters.

Their clientele included many important people of the day including Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Family

Father	Thomas Bennett –born ? in ?
Mother	Harriett ? – born ? in ?

Thomas
Born	4 Mar 1824, Ely, Cambridgeshire
Baptized	8 Apr 1824, Holy Trinity, Ely, Cambridgeshire
Married	25 Jul 1850 at St. Andrew’s The Great, Cambridge to Elizabeth Jane Gray
Child 1	Elizabeth Harriett born 1852 Cambridge
Child 2	Thomas Jewell born 1854 Cambridge
Child 3	William Sterndale born 1855 Cambridge
Child 4	Robert Gray born Aug 1857 Worcester
Child 5	Arthur J G born 1860 Worcester
Child 6	Agnes born 1863 Worcester
Child 7	Sarah Emily born Feb 1864 Worcester
Child 8	Harry S born 1865 Worcester
Died	1877, Worcester, Worcestershire

Appendix A – Census information on Thomas’ children

Elizabeth Harriett Bennett/Parker
Born	1852, Cambridge
Married	May 1877, Worcester, Thomas Parker
Children	Thomas Bennett 1879, Worcester
	Alfred Harold 1880, Worcester
	Dora Margaret 1882, London
	Hilda Elizabeth 1884, Worcester
	Muriel Francis 1885, Worcester
Occupation	1871-Artist and Painter; 45 Foregate St., Worcester
	1881- 25 Mealcheapen St., Worcester
	1891-Artist in Photography; Worcester
	1901-Painter/Artist; 8 Brabourne St., Worcester

Thomas Jewell Bennett
Born	1854, Cambridge
Occupation	1871-Painter & Photographer; 45 Foregate St., Worcester
	1881-Photographer; 8 Broad St., Worcester
	1891- Photographer; 8 Broad St., Worcester
	1901-Photographer; Hill Crest, Worcester St Peters
	1911-Photographer, 8 Broad St, Worcester
Died	May 1911, Worcester aged 58 (ref 6c/134)

William Sterndale Bennett
Born	1855, Cambridge
Married	May 1876, Liverpool, Mary Elizabeth Smith
Children	Maud 1878, Gloucester
	Mabel 1879, Gloucester
	Archibald 1881 Plaistow
	Donald F 1883 Dublin
	Dorothy F 1886 Worthing, Sussex
Occupation	1871-Painter & Photographer; 45 Foregate St., Worcester
	1881- Photographer; 4 Stock St., Plaistow, Essex
	1891-Photographer; 40 Reservoir Rd., Rotten Park, Birmingham
Died	May 1896, age 41, Leicester (Ref 7a/117)

Robert Gray Bennett
Born	Aug 1857, Worcester
Married	Feb 1882 Rebecca Langford James, Worcester
Children	Gertrude E 1883, Robert G L 1885, Arthur G 1886
Abode/occup	1881-Photographer; 8 Broad St., Worcester
	1891-Photographer; 2 Castle St., Worcester
	1901-Photographer; 7 Broad St., Worcester
	1911-Photograper, Worcester
Died	Aug 1912 aged 56, Worcester

Arthur J G Bennett
Born	1860, Worcester

Agnes Bennett
Born	1863, Worcester
Occupation	1881-Photographer’s Assistant; 8 Broad Street, Worcester
	1891-Artist; 8 Broad Street, Worcester
	1901- Artist/Photographer; Hill Crest, Worcester

Emily Sarah Bennett
Born	1864, Worcester
Occupation	1881-Scholar
	1891-Book Keeper; 8 Broad St., Worcester
	1901-Photographer; Hill Crest, Worcester

Harry S Bennett
Born	1865, Worcester
Occupation	1881-Scholar, Whistones, Worcester

Sources

David J Bennett (great/great nephew of Thomas Bennett), family historian, who provided the information for the life story above
Marcel Safier for additional research and census data
Sandy Barrie for trade directory information
Ron Cosens for images from the Victorian Image Collection

Thomas Bennett – Gallery

Thomas Bennett carte de visite 1	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 1 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 2	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 2 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 3	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 3 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 4	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 4 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 5	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 5 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 6	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 6 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 7	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 7 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 8	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 8 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 9	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 9 (verso)
Thomas Bennett carte de visite 10	Thomas Bennett carte de visite 10 (verso)

Thomas Bennett carte de visite 11

Thomas Bennett carte de visite 11 (verso)

Thomas Bennett & Son – Gallery

Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 1	Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 1 (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 2	Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 2
Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 3	Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 3 (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 4	Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 4 (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 5 tissue	Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 5 tissue (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 6 tissue	Thomas Bennett & Son carte de visite 6 tissue (verso)

Thomas Bennett & Sons – Gallery

Thomas Bennett & Sons carte de visite 1	Thomas Bennett & Sons carte de visite 1 (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Sons carte de visite 2 tissue	Thomas Bennett & Sons carte de visite 2 tissue (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Sons carte de visite 3	Thomas Bennett & Sons carte de visite 3 (verso)
Thomas Bennett & Sons mini 1	Thomas Bennett & Sons mini 1 (verso)

Photographers 1840 – 1940 Great Britain & Ireland

Information from the world’s largest collection of British and Irish carte de visite photographs and from 30 years of trade directory and census research.