The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 50 No.3 | Dec 2023

Member’s article

Jane would want to have a new photograph of her father made from the damaged original: it must have been all she had from him. The unusually long reach back of a photo of a labourer born in 1782 is accounted for by Henry being 50 when Jane was born, he was about 70 when photographed, Jane lived a long life, and the photo was passed down through the youngest sons, so that Henry has only 4 generation gaps from me, despite being born 166 years apart. Why was the original taken? Even an ambrotype was costly and in the 1850s was a very new medium. The restorer believes such a photo would normally mark a particular event or anniversary. With no handed-down knowledge, the most likely, would be Henry’s 70th or 80th birthdays. Given the dating of dress to the early 1850s, it was thus most probably originally taken in about 1852 for his 70 years. If so, Henry had many family at that time, one of whom may have been wealthy enough to pay for the photo, or since they were numerous they could have crowd funded! Or the women running Douglas’ photographers may have done the job as a favour for a widow in return for washing or in-kind work. There are many things in family history research that we will never know. But we can deduce that Jane was a very tough lady holding the family together through a long widowhood. One memory of a grandson Frank Bennett was that in her 60s and 70s she regularly walked long distances to see her grandchildren in Lymington (the family of Edward Bennett, the tailor). Her photo shows an alert lady even in her 80s, and she had a

Jane Bennett (née Norris) c.1912 aged about 80

firm hand for her 1911 census signature. I am profoundly grateful for her fortitude and for copying and treasuring photographs that could be passed on. I very much hope a reader recognises these photos. Robert Bennett (Member #6211) bennett9973@btinternet.com ¹ I am very grateful for the advice given by the professional restorer who is quoted here. She has a regular feature in the Society of Geneal ogist’s Magazine, which is well worth looking at: Helen Dawkins: www.blackandwhitere vival.co.uk ² A very good history of Compton covers the Beanes and also notes the fragmentary parish records at some dates: Drew, J. S. (1939) Compton near Winchester, Warren & Son, Winchester

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