Nat Gould

Martha Murrell 1797-1875

Wendling Church

Martha Murrell was born on 30 September 1797 at Beeston in Norfolk, the daughter of William Murrell 1773-1825 and his wife nee Martha Stacey 1772-1852.

On 26 June 1825 she was married to John Bennington 1802-1855 at Wendling in Norfolk.

He was born on 29 January 1802 at Wendling, the son of Benjamin Bennington 1773-1822 of Wendling and his wife nee Ellen Skipper 1777-1844.

Their children were:

Robert Murrell. He was born in 1816, baptised at Hingham in Norfolk and received into the church at Wendling together with his sister Henrietta Murrell on 10 May 1818 by the Reverend Levi Walton, the curate there (1). He married Sarah Cooper and had three children. He married Mary Ann Barnes in 1864, and died in 1875.

Henrietta Murrell. She was born in about 1818, baptised at Hingham in Norfolk and received into the church at Wendling together with her brother Robert Murrell on 10 May 1818.

Marianne Murrell. She was born on 11 May 1820 at Wendling, and baptised there on 22 May 1820.

Mary Ann Bennington. She was born on 16 November 1825 at Wendling and baptised there on 20 November 1825. She was married to James Thoday on 12 April 1844 at Great Fransham in Norfolk. He was born at Bradenham in Norfolk in 1823, the son of James Thoday. He was an agricultural labourer. They had three children, Anna Thoday (born in Wendling and baptised there on 14 January 1844), Hannah Thoday (born in 1850 at Scarning, Norfolk) and James Thoday (baptised at Wendling on 3 June 1855). Their father James Thoday died on 13 January 1855 at Scarning in Norfolk aged only 32 years.

John Murrell Bennington 1828-1901. He was born in 1828 at Wendling in Norfolk, and was baptised there on 27 April 1828. He married Hannah Austin 1832-1899 on 6 February 1860 at Alstonefield. She was born in 1832 at Stanton-under-Weaver in Staffordshire, the daughter of Samuel Austin.

Hannah Bennington. She was born on 19 July 1830 at Wendling, and baptised there on 25 July 1830. She died there in 1888. On 21 September 1854 she was married to John Rowing at Clerkenwell in London. He was born on 16 October 1832 at Wendling, the son of Thomas Rowing and his wife nee Mahala Payne. John Rowing was a carpenter and Methodist local preacher. They had five children. She died in 1870 at Camberwell in London. Her widower remarried and had four daughters.

William Bennington 1832-1903. He was born on 5 July 1832 at Wendling and baptised there on 15 July 1832. He married Susannah Bates in 1866 at Southwark in London. She was born in about 1833 at Cambridge. He was a platelayer and they lived at 22 Maxey Road in Plumstead in London and had four children (all born in Plumstead), Martha Bennington (born in 1867), Ann Bennington (born in 1868), Francis Bennington (born in 1870), and Charles Bennington (born in 1880). He died at Lambeth in 1903.

Their father John Bennington died in 1855. When the Census was taken in 1861 his widow was living with her married daughter Hannah Rowing and her husband at Turnpike Road in Wendling, but by 1871 she was living there alone, described as a pauper. She died in 1875.

1. "1818 May 10th No. 73 Robert & Henrietta base born Children of Martha Murrell, Spin[ste]r Wendling, were baptized at Hingham, Norfolk, as by Certificate from the Revd. R.B. Matthews and rec[eive]d. into the Church by me L. Walton, Curate".