Page | 1 HERBERT JAMES BENTLEY Herbert James Bentley was born in 1885. He was the son of William Henry Bentley, an agricultural labourer born in Nightingale Place, Wanstead, Essex in 1847 and Martha Bentley née Boyton born in Abridge, Essex in 1847. Martha was the daughter of Sophia and William Boyton also an agricultural labourer. William Henry Bentley was the son of John Bentley born in Steeple Bumstead, Essex in 1805 and Hanna, born in East Hanney, Berkshire in 1805. William and Martha Bentley married on 12 th February 1866 in Woodford Bridge, Essex when they were both 20 years old. By 1911, Martha had given birth to 11 children, although 5 had died. The 6 surviving children were William b1869, George b1874, Ernest b1876, Alice b1879, Herbert James b1885 and Minnie b1887. In 1871, William and Martha were living in Woodbine Place, Wanstead and William was employed as a domestic gardener. In 1891 the family had moved to Voluntary Place, Wanstead. It seems that the four Bentley boys were a lively bunch and could be naughty. There is a record in the Vestry Minutes of 29 th June 1896 when Herbert was aged 11. It reads, “Mr Whitaker complained of the damage done to the Church windows by the stone throwing of Mrs Bentley’s sons and the secretary was instructed to write Mrs Bentley on the matter.” In 1901 they were living at 14, Mornington Road, Wanstead. Herbert was now 17 years old and was employed as a domestic coachman. In 1903, Herbert married Miss Lily Croucher, who was born in Bromley-le-Bow, Middlesex in 1880. Lily was the eldest daughter of Henry James Croucher, a general labourer b1854 in Chigwell, Essex and Sarah Croucher née Lucas b1853 in Barking, Essex. In 1901, the Croucher family lived in Harrow Green, Leyton and Lily was then aged 22 and employed as a shirt maker.
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HERBERT JAMES BENTLEY
Herbert James Bentley was born in 1885. He was the son of William Henry
Bentley, an agricultural labourer born in Nightingale Place, Wanstead, Essex in
1847 and Martha Bentley née Boyton born in Abridge, Essex in 1847. Martha
was the daughter of Sophia and William Boyton also an agricultural labourer.
William Henry Bentley was the son of John Bentley born in Steeple Bumstead,
Essex in 1805 and Hanna, born in East Hanney, Berkshire in 1805.
William and Martha Bentley married on 12th February 1866 in Woodford
Bridge, Essex when they were both 20 years old. By 1911, Martha had given
birth to 11 children, although 5 had died. The 6 surviving children were William
b1869, George b1874, Ernest b1876, Alice b1879, Herbert James b1885 and
Minnie b1887.
In 1871, William and Martha were living in Woodbine Place, Wanstead and
William was employed as a domestic gardener. In 1891 the family had moved
to Voluntary Place, Wanstead.
It seems that the four Bentley boys were a lively bunch and could be naughty.
There is a record in the Vestry Minutes of 29th June 1896 when Herbert was
aged 11. It reads, “Mr Whitaker complained of the damage done to the
Church windows by the stone throwing of Mrs Bentley’s sons and the secretary
was instructed to write Mrs Bentley on the matter.”
In 1901 they were living at 14, Mornington Road, Wanstead. Herbert was now
17 years old and was employed as a domestic coachman.
In 1903, Herbert married Miss Lily Croucher, who was born in Bromley-le-Bow,
Middlesex in 1880. Lily was the eldest daughter of Henry James Croucher, a
general labourer b1854 in Chigwell, Essex and Sarah Croucher née Lucas b1853
in Barking, Essex. In 1901, the Croucher family lived in Harrow Green, Leyton
and Lily was then aged 22 and employed as a shirt maker.
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In 1911, Herbert and Lily were living at 8 and 8a, Laurel Bank, Nightingale Lane,
Wanstead. Herbert, aged 27, was employed as a jobbing gardener. The couple
now had 3 children, all born in Granville Road, Woodford, Essex. They were Lily
born on 6th April 1904, Hilda Alice born in July 1905 and Herbert James born in
July 1906.
Herbert did not leave British shores until after January 1916 as records show
that he was not awarded the 14/15 Star medal. The Military Service Act was
extended in May 1916 to include married men and made enlistment into the
armed forces compulsory.
Private 322831, Herbert James Bentley joined 6th Battalion London Regiment
City of London Rifles, and later Private 43240, 2nd Battalion, Royal Dublin
Fusiliers.
The 1st and 2nd Battalions Royal Dublin Fusiliers formed part of the 16th (Irish
Division). In March 1918 they were in the Somme region of France, manning
the line in front of the towns of Epehy and Ronssoy.
At 4.40am on 21st March 1918, the Germans launched the ‘last gasp’ offensive
that came to be known as the Kaiserschlacht, the ‘Kaiser’s Battle’. The
Germans began an intense bombardment of 1.16 million shells over an 80km
front in a 5 hour period - over 3000 shells both explosive and gas every minute.
At dawn a thick mist reduced visibility to 25 metres. At 9.35 am, 500,000
Germans advanced through the mist. During the day, the shattered remnants
of the Dublins withstood the attack but the Germans broke through,
surrounded Ronssoy, and threatened the Dublins from the rear. At midnight,
the 1st Battalion withdrew and they were missing about 600 men. The 2nd
Battalion also withdrew and held a position behind the lines until relieved at 4
am on the 22nd March. Only 7 officers and 200 men were all that was left of
the 2nd Battalion.
Herbert was killed in that action on the 21st March 1918 aged 35. His body
was not recovered so he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial (Panel
79 and 80) Department de la Somme, Picardie, in France. He is also
commemorated on the Great War Memorial inside Wanstead United
Reformed Church and the War Memorial in Wanstead High Street.
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Herbert Bentley’s Medal Record Card
Herbert earned the War and Victory Medals which were sent to his widow Lily
Bentley.
In 1918 Herbert’s parents, William Henry and Martha Bentley were living at
“The Cottage”, Woodlands, Cambridge Park Road, Wanstead, Essex.
In 1918, Lily was living with their 3 children at 4, Gilbert Street in Stratford,
Essex. Lily Bentley did not re-marry and she died aged 56 in Bishops Stortford,
Herts in March 1936.
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The Book of Ireland’s Memorial Record for the Great War.
Herbert is listed (Top Left) as he was in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
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Herbert and Lily’s children all married; Lily junior married John Ethelred
Wheeler in 1924 and they had 3 children. Lily died in 1957 in Woodford Green,
Essex aged 53.
Herbert Bentley married Margaret Poole in Islington in 1931. They had a son
and a daughter. Herbert died in 1971 aged 65.
Hilda Alice Bentley married George William Tanner in May 1931. She died in
Stratford, Essex in 1947 aged 42.
Herbert James Bentley’s eldest child Lily Wheeler with her son Harold Wheeler (1930-1962)
(Photo courtesy of Maggie and Peter Biggs)
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The Family Story
The family story has been kindly provided by Maggie and Peter Biggs. Maggie is
Herbert and Lily Bentley’s granddaughter and the daughter of their eldest
child, also called Lily, who was born in 1904.
“We know the Bentley’s lived in Wanstead from the early 1800’s. In fact
Maggie’s great grandfather, William Henry Bentley born 1846 lived in
Woodbine Place in the 1870’s.
Herbert and Lily were married in 1903 and they lived in Granville Road, South
Woodford where all their children were born. They then moved to Laurel Bank,
Nightingale Lane, in Wanstead.
In 1918, Maggie’s newly widowed grandmother Lily and her children moved
back into Woodbine Place .
Maggie’s mother Lily gave birth to an illegitimate daughter in 1921 when she
was 18 years old; the father was unknown. The child was called Hilda Alice
Maud Bentley. Two years later, in 1924, Lily married John Ethelred Wheeler
and all three of their children, John born in 1926, Harold in 1930 and Margaret
(Maggie) in 1947 were all born in Woodbine Place.
The Wheeler Family moved to Woodford in 1947 after Maggie’s birth. Hilda
lived with the family until just before the Second World War. Sadly the family
lost contact with Hilda in the following years, which has always been
something of a mystery to them.”
Every effort has been made to contact all copyright holders of the material in the profiles of these young men. We will be glad to make good any errors or omissions brought to our attention.
You may download this resource at no cost for personal use as long as you are not publishing it for sale. All we ask is that you acknowledge the source of this material.
Margaretha Pollitt Brown for Wanstead United Reformed Church.
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