Ernest Claude Bennett
11th March 1915-30th July 1980
Claude (as he was always known) was born on March 11th 1915, at 56 Willoughby Road, to Ernest Hick Bennett (1882-1944) and his wife Charlotte nee Macdonald (1882-1956) always known as Chatty. Claude was their second child. They already had a daughter, Mary, born in 1913. Claude was then followed by two more sisters, Dorothy in 1916 and Caroline (always known as Babs) in 1919.
Claude was given this name after his Uncle, John Claude Bennett – the brother of Ernest Hick Bennett. John Claude, born in 1894, was killed in WW1 on 4th May 1915 – just six weeks after Claude was born. He was aged 21 and was an insurance clerk before the war. John Claude was a rifleman who died of his wounds in France and is buried in Bethune.
Unfortunately, I do not know a great deal about Claude’s life when in London or when he was young but, I do have some photos of him. He appears to have come to Westgate on Sea in his youth – possibly on holiday
Claude met Daphne Kerven Holliday and married her on 27th January 1940 at St Matthews Church, Ealing Common in Middlesex. Claude was living at 8 Oakley Avenue when he married. Daphne was living at 13 Hanger Lane, Ealing.
In 1940, Claude and Daphne were living at 5 Oakley Avenue, Ealing. They were living there when their son, Nicholas was born on 14th August 1940 and were still in Ealing when their daughter, Amanda was, born in 1945. Between 1947 and 1949, they were living at 164 Princes Gardens, Ealing when they then moved to Thanet in 1950. According to the phone book entries the family were living at The Thatched House. Old Green Road in 1951 but had moved to 2 Beresford Court, Beresford Gardens in Cliftonville in 1952. They had then purchased Whiteladies by 1956, where their phone number was Thanet 41915.
Claude studied to become a Chartered Surveyor and was qualified by the age of 24 when he married. During the war he remained in London. I have a copy of the Supplement to the London Gazette, dated 6th May 1941. In it there is a mention of Claude in the Corps of Royal Engineers. It states : The undermentioned Cadets from O.CT.U.s to be 2nd Lieutenants. 20th April 1941: Ernest Claude Bennett (182546)
daphne kerven bennett, nee holliday
21st March 1920-19th May 2009
Daphne was the only child of Leslie Godwin Holliday and Hilda May Kerven. Daphne was born in Ealing. Leslie and Hilda had met as they were living in the same road. Leslie (born 1894 in Clapton) was an insurance underwriter – believed to be at Lloyds. Hilda was born on 7th May 1890 in Shepherds Bush and was a music teacher. They married on 24th February 1917 at St Mary Church, Acton.
Unfortunately for Daphne, her father left her mother when she was aged just 2. I was told by Daphne’s cousin, Deirdre Bobby, that he had to skip the country overnight to avoid being arrested for fraud. I understand that Deirdre was told this by her father, Tommy (Thomas Sampson) Rider, who was a good friend of Lesley and who loaned him money to get away. Lesley went to Australia and then to New Zealand and I found some documents of when he applied for copies of his war medals and discharge papers in May 1926 to be sent to the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, New Zealand. During WW1 Leslie enlisted in the RAMCT in 1914 and was discharged as unfit due to dysentery on 5th December 1917. According to his medical notes he was just 5ft 6 in tall.
Daphne’s mother, Hilda, later remarried Freddie White.
Daphne’s childhood appears to have been fairly wealthy for those days and I have these lovely photos of her with her mother, Aunts and Nanny.
This link will take you to Nicholas John Hick Bennett
or this link will take you to Holliday family Ancestry