STEVENS, Benjamin Stanley

My paternal family originate from Horsley, Little Dean and Cinderford.

My Gt Grandfather and Gt Grandmother returned from London in 1918 with their children William and Edith Harriet, but their son, Benjamin Stanley (my Grandfather) does not appear on any census/electoral registers (in Gloucestershire nor London).

As he was only 11 years old in 1918 I am presuming he was with his family and his older siblings in Cinderford.

Therein lies the conundrum.

I can not find him anywhere.

I'm quite seasoned in the use of Ancestry.com etc and have been very successful with a lot of brick walls.

I've tried looking at some of the schools but registers back in 1918-1922 (ish) are scarce.

My Gt Grandparents lived at the old Colliers Arms, in the High Street, Cinderford and moved around 1924 to Doekham Road in Cinderford.

I'd be really grateful if any links to school lists or other official lists outside census/electoral would be much appreciated.

With kind regards
Penelope Stevens

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2050 views

Hi Penelope, and a very warm welcome to this great website and forum.

Gotta be brief for now as a tad late in the day, but given your ancestors were in Cinderford, I think there's a choice of two secondary schools they attended in the town, either Double View Secondary or East Dean Grammar School. If you search these school names in the forum you'll see old threads and posts about them which will hopefully be of interest. Regarding the Attendance Registers of Double View, then see this post, it refers to the Gloucester Archives website which has recently been updated, as have the Archives themselves, so I've just updated the links. I've never visited the Archives myself, sadly, and I must admit I struggle with their search engine at times, but I'm sure they will be able to help you with your queries. It does seems you may be in luck as the Archives do carry Registers for the era you're searching for.

see https://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=43697

I hope this helps as a starter,
J

PS Also see https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/archives/starting-your-research/starting-your-family...

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It seems East Dean Grammar School aka EDGS didn't have that name until after your ancestor's schooldays. The excellent British History website gives the following for Cinderford's secondary schools

"Double View school, Cinderford, was opened by the school board in 1896 to take older children from local elementary schools. It had new buildings in Woodville Road and in 1904 an average attendance of 413. The curriculum had been broadened to include industrial and technical subjects by the First World War. The school, which had an average attendance of 287 in 1938, became a secondary modern school under the 1944 Act. Between 1968 and 1978 it moved in stages to new buildings in Causeway Road and in 1980 it had 748 pupils on its roll. In 1985 it became a comprehensive school, called the Heywood school after the neighbouring plantation, for children up to 16 years. There were 1,064 pupils on the roll in 1992.

East Dean Grammar school originated as Cinderford Higher Elementary school, which the county council opened in 1910 as a secondary school and centre for training elementary school teachers. Occupying new buildings south of Station Street, the school took children from 12 years and its curriculum included industrial and commercial subjects appropriate for local employment. It charged a tuition fee of £1 a pupil a year and awarded some free places to children selected from elementary schools in and around the Forest. Known as Cinderford Secondary school from 1919 and East Dean Grammar school from 1927, it had 367 pupils in 1932 and remained a grammar school following the 1944 Act. Among buildings added to the Station Street site were those of a mining school, which ran secondary technical classes in many places in the Forest area and in 1945 established the Forest of Dean Secondary Technical school on the Station Street site. The technical school admitted many boys from Ross-on-Wye (Herefs.). In 1959 it merged with the grammar school, which had more than 500 pupils in 1968 when it was replaced by a new school at Five Acres."

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp405-413#h3-0004

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PS Geoff Sandles' excellent Glos Pubs website has just been revised, there is an entry for the (Jovial) Colliers Arms which can be found in Section 3 off this link.
http://www.gloucestershirepubs.co.uk/Forest_of_Dean_Cinderford.php

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2134 views

Hello Jeff
Thanks for the thorough and swift reply.
I will definately have a search on the info you provided.
I'm beginning to think he was a bit of a rogue.

I'm looking forward to searching through all the information in this site. It will be a big help I hope.

Kind regards
Penelope Stevens.

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2091 views

Can you confirm that this entry in the 1939 Register is of the family you are seeking:

Benjamin S Stevens
Gender: Male
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 30 Jul 1907
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 16 St Olave's Walk
Residence Place: Mitcham, Surrey, England
Occupation: Clerical-Insurance
Schedule Number: 134
Sub Schedule Number: 1
Enumeration District: CNAE
Registration district: 31-1
Inferred Spouse: Olive M M Stevens
Inferred Children: Stanley T Stevens
Maureen Olive Stevens
Patricia M M Stevens
Household Members:
Name
Stanley T Stevens
Hilary T Enoch
Benjamin S Stevens
Olive M M Stevens
Maureen Olive Stevens
Patricia M M Stevens
This record is officially closed.

The date of birth quoted in the Baptism Register is match:
Name: Benjamin Stanley Stevens
Baptism Age: 0
Record Type: Baptism
Birth Date: 30 Jul 1907
Baptism Date: 9 Oct 1907
Baptism Place: St Bartholomew, Dalston, Hackney, England
Father: William Robert Stevens
Mother: Harriet Stevens

and is this Benjamin's marriage:
Marriages Sep 1932
Stevens Stanley B White Wandsworth 1d 1444
White Olive M M Stevens Wandsworth 1d 1444

If so this would suggest he stayed in London possibly with family?

Mike

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2031 views

Hi Mike
Indeed, this was my initial thought too, but, also, no records of him whatsoever. I even did the "reform school" route, but nothing.
None of his mother's family (O'Connells) have any census records of him.
It's so frustrating.
He disappeared during the WW2 also. No sign of him in any of the forces, home guard. He's an enigma!
Or maybe he was a bit of a rogue and fell through the net.
Perhaps prison is the next route LOL.

Post reply

1993 views

Hi Penelope,
I'm glad you found my reply wrt school registers of interest. I now have a question for you, please, how do you know Benjamin was not in the Home Guard ?.

I ask as I've tried searching for LDV / Home Guard records in the past, and despite knowing names and localities I've invariably failed to find any surviving records nevermind any official database or suchlike. Yes there are records for a few units but not many I think, so I'm hoping you can maybe update me and hopefully advise me on how to research the Home Guard, please.

Thanks J

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2002 views

Could you provide a bit more of what you already know? Benjamin's parent's names would be a help.

There is a 1911 census record that shows a Benjamin along with siblings Edith and William but it could be a coincidence. His parent's names would confirm it one way or another.

--
Peter

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1958 views

I suspect this is relevant,

GR 1911 Census, 83 Mayfield Road, Dalston, London,
William Robert STEVENS, Head, 41, Married, Police Constable Dalston, born Gloucestershire
Harriet, Wife, 40, Married, Hackney, London
Edith Harriet, Daughter, 13, Stokenewington, London
Charles Joseph, Son, 12, Stokenewington, London
William Robert, Son, 5, Dalston, London
Benjamin Stanley, Son, 3, Dalston, London

Married 17 years
6 children, 4 living, 2 died
4 rooms in the house

BNA Gloucester Journal - Saturday 03 February 1917

Littledean Petty Sesssions – LICENSING MEETING

…..The Colliers Arms, Cinderford, transferred to William Robert Stevens…….

Ancestry National Probate Calender 1941,

STEVENS William Robert of The Old Pike Cottage Cinderford Gloucestershire died 16 September 1940 Administration Gloucester 10 July to William Robert Stevens brick setter.
Effects £144 14s. 6d.

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2049 views

Yes, that's the one I found Mike. All seems to fit.

--
Peter

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1964 views

For completeness, and to confirm Mike's post, this site's PRs show Benjamin's older brother stayed in the FoD after their parents died;

Record_ID: 96762
Entry_Number: 435
Year: 1940
Month: Sep
Day: 19
Surname: STEVENS
Forenames: William Robert
Residence: Pike House 1 Valley Road Cinderford
Age_at_death: 71 yrs
Officiating_Minister: A G Partridge
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/38
Page_No: 55
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Soundex: S315

Record_ID: 96822
Entry_Number: 495
Year: 1941
Month: Apr
Day: 30
Surname: STEVENS
Forenames: Harriett
Residence: Valley Road Cinderford
Age_at_death: 71 years
Officiating_Minister: A G Partridge Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/38
Page_No: 62
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Soundex: S315

Record_ID: 50453
Entry_Number: 211
Year: 1941
Month: Jun
Day: 14
Grooms_Surname: STEVENS
Grooms_Forenames: William Robert
Grooms_Age: 35
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Bricksetter
Grooms_Residence: 1 Valley Road Cinderford
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Stevens
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William Robert
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Police Constable deceased
Brides_Surname: DUGGAN
Brides_Forenames: Minnie May
Brides_Age: 36
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: Housekeeper
Brides_Residence: Highfield House Morse Lane Drybrook
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Duggan
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Charles
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Colliery Plate layer
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Gladys Ruby Bullock
Witness_2: Harold Barnard
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: A G Partridge MBE Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN1/22
Page_Number: 106
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Soundex_Groom: S315
Soundex_Bride: D250

If his brother Benjamin was still in the area, wouldn't he have been a best man or a witness ?. Where were the other siblings ?

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Deaths Dec 1964
STEVENS WILLIAM R 59 F.OF DEAN 7B 427

Surname First name(s) DoB District Vol Page
Deaths Sep 1969
STEVENS Minnie May 4Ap1905 Gloucester C 7b 889

Cannot find their burial records. They are not at Mile End or Yew Tree Brake.

Cannot find any sign of offspring in PRs or by using FreeBMD.

----

Back to other siblings ?

Maybe sister Edith ?;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1920
Stevens Edith H Williams Westbury S. 6a 855
Williams Harry R Stevens Westbury S. 6a 855

GlosBMd confirms;

Marriage Details
Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
WILLIAMS Harry Rhodes STEVENS Edith Harriett Forest of Dean Westbury-on-Severn (FoD) Register Office 1920 18 72

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Dec 1897
Williams Harry Rhodes Westbury S. 6a 239

1939 Register have these Cinderford entries (cannot access full household, if any);
Henry Rhodes Williams 1897 East Dean R.D. Gloucestershire England 26 Upper Bilson Road
Edith Harriett Williams 1897 East Dean R.D. Gloucestershire England 26 Upper Bilson Road

FreeBMD suggests it may have been a large household, the first matches their marriage year;

Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page
Births Dec 1920
Williams Beryl Stevens Westbury S. 6a 536

Births Sep 1925
Williams Elsie I E Stevens Westbury S. 6a 474

Births Dec 1929
Williams Olga M Stevens Westbury S. 6a 380

Births Sep 1931
Williams Dorothy H Stevens Westbury S. 6a 418

Births Sep 1934
Williams Harry R M Stevens Westbury S. 6a 379

Births Sep 1936
WILLIAMS William T A Stevens Westbury S. 6a 440

Cannot find any of these in the PRs.

GlosBMD suggests these were born in East Dean district aka Cinderford,
for example

Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
WILLIAMS Beryl STEVENS 1920 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 27 270

Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
WILLIAMS Olga Mary STEVENS 1929 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 34 209

sadly;
Death Details
Surname Given Names Age Year Died District Register Entry
WILLIAMS Olga Mary 1w 1929 Westbury on Severn, East Dean 15 378

Birth Details
Child Surname Child Forename Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
WILLIAMS William Thomas Anthony STEVENS 1936 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, East Dean 38 167

etc etc, see http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bmd/SimpleSearch.aspx

No obvious sign that parents Harry & Edith died in the FoD area.

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FreeBMD has brother Charles' birth;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Dec 1898
Stevens Charles Joseph Hackney 1b 456

(Hackney includes Stoke Newington ref 1911 census).

No obvious sign of a marriage, and I'm unable to see the full household if there is one, but;

1939 Register
First name(s) Last name(s) Birth year Borough / District County Country Address
Charles J Stevens 1897 Hackney London England 4 Blanchard Road

Is this his death ?;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Deaths Dec 1971
STEVENS Charles Joseph 13Fe1897 Hackney 5b 1322

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STEVENS, Benjamin Stanley (General)