(028) John Benjamin Curness

(B028) 18th Dec 1838. Lambeth. London.

(C028) 10th Feb 1839. St John the Evangelist. Lambeth. London.

(D028) Dec Qtr 1884. Islington. London.

Occupation :- Cork Cutter.

Married (M077) 2nd Jun 1860. St Nicholas. Great Yarmouth. Norfolk.

     
       

(187) Sarah Parker Lessey

(B187) 1826. Yarmouth. Norfolk.

(C187) 14th Oct 1826. St Nicholas Cole Abbey. Yarmouth. Norfolk.

(D187) Sep Qtr 1893. Yarmouth. Norfolk.

Occupation :-

 

Partner (P212) Not Married

     
       

(524) Susannah Maria Tyler (Veal)

(B524) 12th Feb 1837. Holborn. London.

(C524) 5th Mar 1837. St Nicholas Cole Abbey. London.

(D524) ?. ?.

Occupation :-

Children :-

(038) Charles John Curness (B) 21st Aug 1863. Lambeth. London. - (D) Mar Qtr 1870. Lambeth. London.

(041) Frances Alice Curness (B) 1st Oct 1865. Lambeth. London. - (D) ?. ?.

 

Partner (P078) Not Married

     
       

(188) Frances Mary Tyler

(B188) 31st May 1844. Holborn. London.

(C188) 23rd Jun 1844. St Andrew. Holborn. London.

(D188) Dec Qtr 1917. West Ham. London.

Occupation :- Tie Maker.

Children :-

(189) John Benjamin Curness (B) 12th Oct 1865. Southwark. London. - (D) Sep Qtr 1866. Southwark. London.

(190) Maria Frances Curness (B) 31st Mar 1867. Southwark. London. - (D) 25th Nov 1937. South West Essex.

(191) John (Benjamin) Curness (B) 18th Dec 1868. Holborn. London. - (D) 24th Feb 1940. Charleville. Queensland. Australia.

(192) William Alexander Curness (B) 6th Nov 1870. Ecclesall. Staffordshire. - (D) Mar Qtr 1876. Newcastle. County Durham.

(193) Rosina Curness (B) 8th Nov 1872. Grantham. Lincolnshire. - (D) Mar Qtr 1918. West Ham. London.

(194) Charlotte Emma Curness (B) 11th Jan 1875. Newcastle. County Durham. - (D) Mar Qtr 1950. Edmonton. London.

(195) George William Curness (B) 6th Apr 1877. Holborn. London. - (D) 22nd Jun 1925. Freemantle. Western Australia. Australia.

(196) Alexander Andrew Curness (B) 12th Jan 1879. Cripplegate. London. - (D) Mar Qtr 1933. Shoreditch. London.

(197) Ann Louisa Curness (B) Dec Qtr 1880. City of London. - (D) Mar Qtr 1882. Holborn. London.

(198) Frances Mary Curness (B) Sep Qtr 1882. Holborn. London. - (D) 16th Nov 1968. Westminster. London. in Yarmouth

(199) Frederick Robert Curness (B) Jun Qtr 1884. Holborn. London. - (D) Dec Qtr 1910. Shoreditch. London.

Footnote :- John Benjamin's life must have been very complex. As a cork cutter he was an itinerant worker, and followed the work around the country. On one of his trips, maybe even his first, he married Sarah Parker Lessey in 1860 in Yarmouth. But within a year they had separated and she is seen on the 1961 cesus, living alone with her mother in Yarmouth . She was much older than him and for reasons unknown spent the later part of her life as an inmate in the Great Yarmouth Workhouse. See attachment (A004a).

He and Sarah had no children but he did father a number of children with sisters Susannah Maria and Frances Mary Tyler. I did at some time think that these two ladies were one and the same until I bought the certificates for Frances Alice and John Benjamin Junior and found that they were born eleven days apart to two separate mothers at two separate addresses. He was not married to either Susannah or Frances as there had been no devorce from Sarah and she outlived him by some nine years.

It is indicated that Susannah had been married before as she is shown as been the (late Veal) on Frances Alice's birth certificate but I cannot find this marriage, she did however, remarry under her maiden name in 1868 to a Charles Barrett. I have been unable to find out what happened to the daughter Fances Alice that Susannah had with John Benjammin. She does not appear anywhere under the surname of Curness. and with no certainty under the surnames of Veal or Barrett. Could be her whole name was changed as she was only three at the time of her mother's marriage to Charles Barrett.

On census night 1881 John, Frances Mary and their surviving living children were all living together at 3 New Court. St Lukes. London. See attachment (A003). His son John (Benjamin) was living away, see the attachment on his page. Of all the branches of the tree this is the most interesting, for as an itinerant worker, three of his children William Alexander, Rosina and Charlotte Emma were the first of the known Curness Clan to be born outside London, and William Alexander the first to die outside of London. Later on, two of their sons, John (Benjamin) and George William were the first of the Curness Clan to emigrate to Australia in around 1900. On census night 1901 Frances Mary and her two youngest children plus grandchild were living at 8. Hatfield Street. St Lukes. London. See attachment (A004b).