A Railway Family – the Bentleys

1. A Railway Family – the Bentleys

2. This case study uses original, primary sources to build up a story of the Bentley Family at the time of World War 1

3. “worked for them Man and Boy” During the first part of the 20th Century it was common for whole families' to work for the same employer. It was usual for Fathers to get their sons a job with the company they worked for . In 1920, J Bennett, senior asked for his son, Jon, to be reinstated with the NER because of his War Service. Before the War Jon had been sacked for fighting.

4. “like father, like son…” There is a record of Mr A WILSON, who was the Permanent Way Inspector at Ripon All 4 of his sons worked for the NER The permanent way is the actual rails, sleepers, points and such like. 3 generations of the Thompson Family worked for the NER

5. “living close to the job” Most people lived near to their workplace and walked to work, there was little public transport . Only cities like Newcastle and large towns like Gateshead had trams. Motor cars were beyond the means of everyone except the very rich. Companies would build houses close to their factories and then rent them to the workers.

6. The Bentley Family An Article from the North Eastern Railway staff magazine of April 1917 page 92, begins the story. We can see that a Mr J W Bentley, who works at the Gateshead Locomotive Works has 5 sons. What is his job? How many sons have worked at the Loco Works? 2 sons have already been Killed in Action. ROBERT, who worked at the Loco Works as a ‘Hammer Lad’ EDWARD, who must have worked elsewhere. What do the other sons do?

7. Where next? J W Bentley is not listed in the Engine and Firemen Registers , but he is listed in the “North Eastern Railway Servants Pension Society” List As Bentley, James William Date of Birth - 23/03/1858 Date of Death – 04/02/1938 Date entered service – 26/10/1875 Grade – Fireman Station – Gateshead Year – 1907 We now have names and a date of birth for Mr JW Bentley.

8. 1901 and 1911 census details We have enough information to search the census data from 1901 and 1911 We can find James William Bentley in Gateshead, aged 53, with 5 sons with the right names. His wife is Martha Bentley and they have been married 26 years in 1911. JOSEPH is a Machinist in the Loco Works JAMES William is a Boilersmith ROBERT is a Forgeman/Hammer Driver EDWARD is a Coal Miner (driver) HENRY is still in school

9. The Great War For the original article we know that by 1917 both Edward and Robert have been killed in action By searching the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website we can find memorials for the both

10. What happened next? A further search of the staff magazine gives us more information on Henry. We have a picture and the news that he is back at the Front after recovering from being wounded.

11. Sad News We next have a report of Henry in the May issue of the NER magazine. He was killed in action on Easter Monday 1917.

12. Henry’s Memorial Henry is buried in Duisans British Cemetery in Etrun

13. James and Joseph Research so far has failed to find any definite references to Joseph and James during the War. Joseph probably remained at the Loco Works, skilled workers would not be called ‘to the colours’ and there at records of the Gateshead works producing gun carriages and other special orders for the War. We know James joined the Royal Engineers from the staff magazine. Many of the paper records of soldiers from the First World War have not survived. There is a record of a J Bentley serving with the RE and gaining the DCM, but it is difficult to be certain if this is James

14. After the war Great Grandfather Grandfather or Grandmother Father or Mother You??? James ? There is a suggestion that James survived the war and married in 1922. If that is true then his Great Grandchildren could be in secondary school now! We have his pension record and in 1933 he moved to Darlington as a Welder. He retired in 1953. ? ? ?