Subject

The excellent MDFCTA gives: "Between 1917 and 1918 Mr. Frank. D. Benjamin, the executor of the late Louis David Benjamin of 16 Dawson Place, London, W.2, arranged the erection of 4 troughs in memory of Louis David Benjamin (1850-1917) and his father (???) David Benjamin (1815-1893). Another trough in memory of his mother (???) Esther Benjamin (1824-1879) was erected at Hyde Park Gate but is now lost." And provides photos of troughs in: Hendon and in Penge.

Our colleague Andrew Behan went on to research this man and his family. As you will read below, the MDFCTA question marks can all be removed - they guessed correctly. The executor who erected the troughs, Frank D., was one of David Benjamin's many children. Aged 25 David Benjamin married Esther, a 15/16 year-old girl, and she bore him 16 children, being aged 43 when the last was born. Only two failed to reach adulthood. It is such a shame that Esther's trough has gone missing - it's the least she deserves.

David Benjamin was born on 17 December 1815 in Bloomsbury, the youngest of the four children of Abraham Lyon Benjamin (1779-1862) and Miriam Benjamin née Moses (1779-1816). His father was a hop merchant. His elder siblings were Samuel Benjamin (1804-1854), Moses Benjamin (1806-1885) and Harriet Benjamin (1812-1878). His mother died in 1816 and his father was remarried the following year to Peirelah Phiretz (1779-1820) who gave birth to his step-brother, Solomon Benjamin (1818-1888). His step-mother died and his father was again remarried to a Rachel Benjamin (1791-1855) and they had a daughter, Sarah Benjamin (1830-1899).

He left England for Australia and on 9 December 1840 he married Esther Solomon (1825-1879) in Hobart, Tasmania and they had sixteen children. Miriam Benjamin (1841-1918), Henry David Benjamin (1843-1911), Maurice David Benjamin (1845-1904) and Jessie Benjamin (1846-1851) were all born in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, whilst Alfred David Benjamin (1848-1900), Louis David Benjamin (1850-1917), Edwin David Benjamin (1852-1932) and Edmund David Benjamin (1853-1932) were born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

He returned to England to live in Paddington where the remainder of his children were born, Ada Rachel Benjamin (1855-1941), Lionel David Benjamin (1857-1917), Alice Elizabeth Benjamin (1859-1868), Isabella Benjamin (b. 1861), Walter David Benjamin (1863-1918), Frank David Benjamin (1866-1937), Kate Benjamin (1866-1925) and Phillip David Benjamin (b.1868).

In the 1861 census he is shown as a landed proprietor and fund holder living at 86 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, with his wife, five sons, 3 daughters, his sister in law Sarah Solomon (1823-1900), a butler, a housemaid, a nursemaid and a nurse. The 1871 census confirms he was still residing at 86 Westbourne Terrace as a retired merchant, with his wife, 5 sons, 4 daughters, his sister in law, a governess, a housemaid, a lady's maid, a cook, a kitchen maid, together with a butler whose wife was also employed as a second housemaid and their son who was a employed as a page.

He was still at 86 Westbourne Terrace at the time of the 1881 census where he shown as a widower living on dividends, with 5 sons, 3 daughters, his sister in law, a butler, 2 housemaids, 2 lady's maids, a cook and a kitchen maid. The 1891 census shows him as living on his own means at 86 Westbourne Terrace, with 2 sons, 1 daughter, his sister in law, a housemaid, a parlour-maid, an under housemaid, a cook, a kitchen-maid, together with a butler and his wife who was employed as a lady's maid.

He caught a cold whilst out in Devonshire Square, London, and died less than a week later, aged 77 years, on 25 July 1893. He was buried on 28 July 1893 in Section G, Row H, Plot 6, in the Willesden Jewish Cemetery, Beaconsfield Road, London, NW10 2JE and when probate was granted on 1 August 1893 his effects totalled £250,325-4s-7d.