Ernest Charles Benn, Mercantile Marine

Identification

I identified this person through the census records, he was the only Ernest C Benn in Liverpool and was born in 1888 so he is of the right age.

Family Information

Ernest Charles was born on the 29th May 1888 to William and Elizabeth Benn. His christening record for 13th March 1889 only shows his first name of Ernest. It shows that his father was a shipwright and they lived on Enid St.

At the time of the 1891 Census the Benn family were living at 35 Enid Street, Toxteth Park. Head of the family was William Benn, age 38, was married and employed as a shipwright. He was born in Liverpool. His wife Elizabeth was aged 37 and born in Launceston in Cornwall. Their eldest son William T Benn was aged 15 and working as a pawnbroker’s assistant. Their daughter Elizabeth S Benn was aged 9, son Harry was 5 and Ernest was only 3 years old. All their children were born in Liverpool.

The 1901 Census shows the family were still at 35 Enid Street. William was working as a carpenter shipwright, Elizabeth was at home as well as their daughter Elizabeth S Benn (aged 18 and not employed) Henry Benn (this is Harry from the 1891 census) was 14, Ernest Charles was 12 and they also had two daughters Mabel aged 9 and Nellie aged 7.

By the time of the 1911 Census the family had moved to 36 Tavistock Street, Liverpool. Elizabeth Benn was a widow and head of the household. Elizabeth gave her age as 55 and was employed as a housekeeper, own account, at home. The information about number of children was filled in by mistake. It has been crossed out but still clearly shows that Elizabeth had 7 children, 2 of whom had died. At home with her were Ernest Charles Benn who was single aged 22 and working as a Coal dealer, employer, and Nellie Benn, daughter, single, 17, dress maker.

So, I had our man tracked down in civilian life, but his wartime experience was to be more elusive.

The CWGC has one entry for E.Benn, a casualty of the First World War, the collection of medal cards has one Ernest C Benn but a different man to the casualty, this Ernest C Benn was not killed. I turned to the Merchant Marine, the main group of casualties who were not eligible for CWGC commemoration.

Progress with this search was made with the help of various members of RootsChat.com WW1 board.

Death and Commemoration

There was a marine death index for Benn, no first name, died 1918 whilst serving on the Olympic. I had checked the marine BMDs and found that this was Harry Benn, died 20th March 1918 on the Olympic of accidental drowning. His home address was 36 Tavistock Street - so he was the brother of our Ernest C Benn...

Or was he?

I was pointed in the direction of a family grave in Toxteth Cemetery which bears the inscription

In loving memory of

our dear mother

Elizabeth BENN,

died 6th Jan. 1927, aged 72 years.

Also Ernest BENN,

who was lost at sea 20th March 1918,

aged 28 years.

Also Margaret BENN,

died 26th Dec. 1911, aged 28 years.

*Peace, perfect peace.*

In loving memory of

my dear husband

Harry BENN,

died 18th April 1931, aged 44 years.

*He giveth His beloved sleep.*

The inscription was found on the excellent website: http://www.toxtethparkcemeteryinscriptions.co.uk

I visited the cemetery to take a photo:

I then used a different http://www.toxtethparkcemetery.co.uk to look at the burial records and get further information on the people interred here. These records show that the "Harry Benn" on the headstone was:

Name: BENN, Henry

Age: 44 years

Occupation: Boatsman

Address: 36 Tavistock Street Toxteth Park

Date of Burial: 23 April 1931

Remember the census records? Henry Benn and Harry Benn were the same person... so Harry Benn reported accidentally drowned from the SS Olympic was in fact Henry Benn who died in 1931. Add to this the fact that the inscription names Ernest as the son who died at sea in 1918 and it seems the record on the marine deaths register should be Ernest, not Harry. This would explain why he didn't qualify for a war grave - if he was in the Mercantile Marine accidental drowning wouldn't have qualified even when he was on a troopship.

Checking the records shows that Harry Benn was married in 1910 to Margaret, widowed in 1911 (see the gravestone inscription) then served in the Mercantile Marine and survived the war. He remarried to Catherine Connelly in 1918 at which time his occupation was 'quartermaster' and he signed his name as both Henry and Harry.

I can only conclude that either the brother's records were mixed up when Ernest died or Ernest was serving using his brother’s identity. I have found a Mercantile Marine ID Card for Harry but I have yet to find one for Ernest.

The RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Olmypic was an ocean liner of the White Star Line, sister ship to the RMS Titanic. In 1915 she was requisitioned by the admiralty to be used as a troop transport ship HMS Olympic (Hired Military Transport) 1915-1916 she transported troops to Gallipoli then 1816-1917 she was chartered by the Canadian government to bring Canadian troops to the UK. In 1917 she was armed with 6-inch guns and painted with a 'dazzle' camouflage scheme (shown below). In 1918 she sank a German u-boat. Throughout the First World War the HMT Olympic transported an estimated 201,000 troops and personnel.

Photograph of the RMT Olympic during the First World War.