Bennett, Isaac

Singer

Collection date: Apr 1907

Area: Gloucestershire

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Isaac (John) Bennett at Little Sodbury, Glos (1844?-1918): age 63? 1 song 2 Apr 1907: Isaac sang a wassail song (FT1286) to Sharp and his age was recorded as 68. This looks in doubt. Isaac John Bennett was baptised at Little Sodbury church on 14/7/1844, son of William Bennett, labourer and his wife Elizabeth. Of course this could have been a late baptism with a much earlier birth date but at his wedding on 5/10/1867 (also at Little Sodbury) he confirmed his age as 23 and that he was the son of William Bennett.

In the Little Sodbury 1851 census he is listed as aged 6 and in 1861 as 16, one of at least 8 children. In 1867 he married Emma Marshall and they had at least 7 children. Isaac was an agricultural labourer in 1881 but on parish relief in 1891 and then a ‘pauper’ in 1901. The last census (ref RG13/2409 f71 p16) noted that he was ‘blind 28 years’ (i.e. since 1873). After his wife Emma’s death in 1897, Isaac was supported by his son Alfred and daughters Hannah and Louisa (1911 census). He died in January qr 1918 aged 73 (6a 291).