Edith Alice Benham 1890 - 1980
Edith Alice Benham was born in Dorchester on 16th February 1890
Edith Alice Benham was the oldest child of Jesse Benham and Alice Froome. She was born in Dorchester on 16th February 1890 recorded as Dorchester Q1 1890 vol 5a page 316. Her first appearance in the census records is in the following year.
Steamplough cottages were a small pair of cottages on Allington Road in Dorchester adjacent to the Edison Factory where Jesse worked. It is probable that the cottages were in fact owned by the company and were tied to Jesse’s job.. The photograph shows the cottages as they were in the 1980’s. In 1901 the family have moved from this cottage to a terraced house in Alington Road which is only a few hundred yards further north and slightly closer to the centre of Dorchester.
In 1911 Edith Alice Benhams future husband Reginald Shepard is also living with the Benham family. They have moved now moved from Alington Road to a larger property at 15 Monmouth Road Dorchester. Edith and Reginald were to stay here until their marriage at the end of the year.
Reginald and Edith had 5 children
Reginald (Rex) Jesse born 12th August 1913.
Terence born 3rd October 1916.
Joan born 27th April 1919.
Peggy born 8th August 1920.
Doreen Louise born 18th November 1923.
It is thought that there may have been another child of the marriage as Nigel says in his documents.
“... I remember my grandmother referring to a time when ‘I lost baby’ but clearly she did not want to talk about it...Her daughter Doreen told me, in 1999, that she lost two children but I don’t know under what circumstances.”
Having checked the BMS records for Dorchester from 1911 to 1930 I have found no other children who could possibly be attributed to Reginald and Edith. If Edith was pregnant on another occasion apart from the five children we know about then it is reasonable to assume that any lost child(ren) would have been miscarried rather than being still born or dying young.
Edith Alice Shepard died at Herrison Hospital Charminster on 17/07/1980
Reginald (Rex) Jesse born 12th August 1913.
Terence born 3rd October 1916.
Joan born 27th April 1919.
Peggy born 8th August 1920.
Doreen Louise born 18th November 1923.
It is thought that there may have been another child of the marriage as Nigel says in his documents.
“... I remember my grandmother referring to a time when ‘I lost baby’ but clearly she did not want to talk about it...Her daughter Doreen told me, in 1999, that she lost two children but I don’t know under what circumstances.”
Having checked the BMS records for Dorchester from 1911 to 1930 I have found no other children who could possibly be attributed to Reginald and Edith. If Edith was pregnant on another occasion apart from the five children we know about then it is reasonable to assume that any lost child(ren) would have been miscarried rather than being still born or dying young.
Edith Alice Shepard died at Herrison Hospital Charminster on 17/07/1980