Dave, yes I agree Mary Ellen using GRO but not found in 1881 census, the only one I found had a father Samuel.

John

Vera Bennett, baptised 7 October 1908 at Christ Church, Heeley, Sheffield.
Parents, Joseph and Harriet of 36 Gregory Road, Sheffield.

In 1911, the family are living at 48 Sherrington Rd, Sheffield. (Sharrow Ward).

Found the family too on the 1911 census but there was no older sister called Alice.

I think we need the definite article on who Mr Robinson knows is 100% and thenstart working back because I think at the moment it looks like we could be going down the wrong path.

I have been struggling to find the Bennett family in the 1881 census, now I find the index and transcript in Findmypast has:
Samuel and Florance (sic) with children Charlotte (5) and Mary E (3)
Charlotte's birth has mmn Graham, so it appears to be the correct family.
"Samuel" was born in Chesterfield, "Florance" in Manchester. (No marriage for these names indexed.)
Also visitors who may be related.

Sally

Debra
You said " My reason for exploring this is that it may be possible that 1 of Vera’s sons may be Lilian’s father.."

Vera was 2 years old when Lillian was born. They were cousins
Dave

PS Great find Sally. Definitely the right family.

...continued

Charlotte Bennett was actually Charlotte Annie, mmn Graham

She married John Gould or Joseph Middleton MarQ 1894 - my money is on John Gould.

Who was Charlotte Anne Gould?
She seems to be also Charlotte Annie, Gould mmn Newham, born Rotherham 9c p630 DecQ 1887
Records suggest her parents died in 1898 and 1900.
Parents probably: Gould, William Joseph who married Newham, Annie Sheffield 9c 660 SepQ 1885
but she was apparently their only child, in the GRO index.
Death: Gould, Annie age 34 Ecclesall Bierlow 9c 241 Mar 1898
Birth: Newham, Annie Ecclesall Bierlow 9c 288 JunQ 1864 mmn Shipman
Death: Gould, William Joseph age 48 Sheffield 9c 295 DecQ 1900
Birth: Gould, William Joseph Rotherham 9c 349 MarQ 1852
BUT this birth is not in the GRO index, so no mmn found - yet. I've reported a query.

Sally

Debra, there is a lot of info about your family members in some of our databases over to the left.
In the BURIALS database you will find the burial of Peter M Bennett. In the same grave are his wife, his parents (Samuel and Charlotte), his unmarried brother (Samuel) and his married sister (Priscilla).
You can also find there the grave of Charles Chapman with his wife Mary Ellen . In the same grave is your g grandmother Alice Emmerson nee Bennett.

If you search in the SCHOOLS RECORDS over to the left you will find entries for Thomas, Charles, Harry and Clara Chapman, all children of Mary Ellen Chapman nee Bennett.

Charles Chapman senior died in 1916 just a month before his daughter Vera was born. His wife and children moved in with Mary Ellen's parents Peter and Florence as shown in the 1921 census.
(The reason I could not find Vera in the 1921 census is because FMP has transcribed her as Veda).
Having now found the record it shows that there are 10 people in the household in Woodside Lane.
They are Head Peter Moore Bennett (1847), his wife Florence Ellen (1857), their son John E (1882), their daughter Alice (1898) and illegitimate granddaughter Lillian (1918).
The other 5 are Peters daughter Mary Ellen Chapman and her Chapman children Thomas(1899), Clara (1905).Harry (1911) and Vera (1916).

Dave

I cannot thank you enough for all the information you have provided. It has given me an amazing insight into my family history. I am now addicted to researching historical sites and am planning on checking out a few of the family graves, when it stops raining !!

Family gossip only lends towards one of Vera’s brothers being the father of my grandmother Lilian - Thomas seems to be the main suspect due to being a similar age to Alice but perhaps we will never know. Any information on Thomas would be appreciated.
It has been suggested we try the DNA route but need to chat to my mum.

Again thank you so much and a Happy 2024.

Thomas Chapman (b 1899) would become 18 yrs old in July 1918 which made him qualify to be conscripted into WW1.
There is a military record for him on Ancestry. He served from 17th Dec 1917 to 17th Jan 1919 in the Royal Naval Volunteers Reserve stationed on Tyneside. In that time he served on the HMS Victory VI between 21st May 1918 to demob on 17 Jan 1919.

You will find his marriage on Free BMD in Q4 1921 to Dora Blythe. Use Free BMD also to find his children of that marriage (mmn Blythe).
The family is on the 1939 Register
Use Free BMD to find his death.

Do you have Lillian's exact birthdate?

Dave

Hi,
Lilian was born 14 July 1918.
Thanks