Edith Frances Bentley (1876 - 1887)

Born 1876 in New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 17 Sep 1887 at about age 11 in Swanson, Auckland, New Zealand

Biography

Edith Bentley died young.

Edith Frances Bentley was born in about 1876. She was the daughter of Eliza Harriet Stillwell and John Edwin Frederick Daniel Bentley.

Sadly 11 year old Edith and her sister's step-daughter Ada Isabella Clark died on 17 September 1887 in a house fire in Swanson, Auckland. They were both buried on 21 September 1887 at Waikumete Cemetery and Crematorium, Glen Eden, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand^[1][2]. PLOT: Anglican Division A, Row 2, Plot 25

An account of the Coroner's Inquest was printed on page 5 of the New Zealand Herald dated 20 September 1887:

THE TRAGEDY AT SWANSON.

CORONER'S INQUEST,

An inquest was held yesterday before Mr. Albert Beetham, J, P., Coroner, on the bodies of Edith Bentley, aged 11, and Ada Isabella Clark, aged 7, who were burnt to death in a whare at Swanson on Saturday night last. Mr. George Nichols was foreman of the jury, and Detective Walker, who had been despatched to the district by Inspector Shearman to investigate the circumstances of the affair, represented the police. The first witness was Stephen Henry Clark, father of one of the children. He deposed that he was a gumdigger, residing at Swanson, and was awoke on the night in question by the cries of the men in the adjoining whare. He went out and saw that their house was on fire. On opening his door his own house took fire. He woke the children, and got his wife and baby (14 months old) outside. On trying to go back he was unable to do so, and went round to the back of the whare, where he called the children to come to the window. He saw Edith (his wife's sister) with a blanket over her head. He tore out the calico, and tried to reach her, but was unable to do so, and both children perished. The whare was built of rushes and raupo, and the distance from the other whare where the fire commenced six feet. He did not ask the men to assist him, being too excited. It was only two minutes from the alarm till the roof was in flames. He knew nothing of the origin of it. Arthur Arthur, a seaman, but at present a gumdigger, deposed that he was living in the whare next to Clark's on Saturday night. He was going to bed when George Jamieson, his mate, came in and said the place was on fire in the roof. He was trying to smother it with his hands, as the body of fire was small. Witness got a billy of water, which he threw on outside, but without effect. In a few seconds the whare was in flames. He called to his mates, Jamieson and John Morrison, to come out. Jamieson rushed past him and called Clark. Witness stood till Clark and his wife came out, and he then went back and took out his blankets. He thought the children were outside, but did not see them. The candle was resting on one of the slots of the door, about a foot or eighteen inches below the roof, the wind making the light flicker. There was no fire or other light in the house. There was a partition of bags in the whare, and they all slept in the one room. The candle was in that room, and it was there where the fire originated. George Jamieson deposed that he was a mate of the previous witness. When he got outside of his whare when it took fire be called Clark. Saw Clark come out with something in his arms. He did not see the two deceased, and returned to try and get his things out but saved only his blankets, and a shovel. Clark did not tell him the children were in the house. If he had known they were in the house he could have saved them, They were all in the bedroom when the fire started, but Morrison was in bed. The evidence of Mrs. Clark and Detective Walker was also taken. The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," with a rider to the effect that the two witnesses Arthur and Jamieson, examined, were deserving of censure for the apathy shown by them during the fire.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Auckland Cemetery Search
2. ↑ Find a Grave: Database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191672509/edith-bentley), memorial page for Edith Bentley (unknown–17 Sep 1887), Find A Grave: Memorial #191672509, citing Waikumete Cemetery & Crematorium, Glen Eden, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand ; Maintained by Chris G (contributor 49162771)
3. ↑ New Zealand Herald dated 20 September 1887 page 5 (Shared under a Creative Commons licence)

See also:

• "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (http://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz)
  • BDM Birth Records Online: Registration No: 1876/218 | Family Name: Bentley | Given Name(s): Edith Frances | Parents: Eliza Harriet & John Daniel
  • BDM Death Records Online: Registration No: 1887/3220 | Family Name: Bentley | Given Name(s): Edith | Age at Death: 11Y