Family of Benjamin Walter of Slough and Eton

Benjamin Walter (1847-1929) was the son of Walter and Ann Walter of Babcary, Somerset, England, UK.

Benjamin Walter aged 13 is listed in the 1861 census at Greenhill Farm, Babcary, Somerset. By 1881 Benjamin was living in Upton-cum-Chalvey (Slough), Buckinghamshire and working as a labourer for a corn merchant. He married Martha Street (1853-1945), the daughter of William, an agricultural labourer, and Emma Street from Littlewick Green, Maidenhead, Bucks in 1876. The first two children were Annie Maria Walter (1876-1919) and Harry Albert Hugh Walter (1881-1907).

In 1891 Benjamin and Martha were living at 5 Lovegrove Cottages, Slough. Benjamin was employed as a labourer on the Great Western Railway (GWR 'Plate').

By 1901 the address was given as 5 Belgrave Road, Stokefield Estate, Slough, Bucks and Benjamin was working as a railway navvy. Harry was still at home aged 21 and working as a groom domestic. They had five other children:

• Gaius John Walter (1882-1964) an apprentice mechanical engineer
• Ada Ann Walter (1884-1970) a dressmaker
• Frank Benjamin Walter (1886-1985) a railway clerk
• Jesse Walter (registered as Walters)(b.1888) and
• Grace Walter (b.1892) still at school

By 1911 only Jesse and Grace remained at home. Jesse was a general labourer working for the district council. Grace's occupation is not given. Benjamin was still working for the GWR as a packer.

Eton Chapel from the bridge - postcard c.1907

In 1898 Annie Walter married Frank Welch (1870-1923), the son of John and Rebecca Welch, in Chertsey. In 1911 they lived at 8, Eton Square,Eton and had children including: Frank Walter Welch (1899-1917), John Benjamin Welch (1900-1916), Robert Welch (1907-1986) and George Welch (1910-1915). Gunner Frank Walter Welch (service no.75419) of the Royal Field Artillery died on 17th May 1917 and is buried at Struma Military Cemetery in Greece. His brother probably also died. A John B. Welch (Boy second class; age unknown) (service no.J/55636) of the Royal Navy died on 16th November 1916 on HMS Powerful and is recorded at St. John's Church, Eton.

Harry Walter married Ruth Herridge (1879-1942) in March 1903. She was the daughter of William Herridge (1848-1923) and Sarah Herridge (1840-1901). Harry and Ruth had children including: Winifred Ruth Walter (b.1904) and Harry Albert Penny Walter (b. 1906). Harry died in March 1907 aged 28 years. Winifred Ruth married Joseph E. Stevens in Croydon in 1929 and had a son Dennis George Stevens (1930-1999). Harry Albert married Ellen Frances May Barnard (1908-1933) in Croydon in 1929. Ruth Herridge remarried to George Nurse (1875-1956) in 1915 and had additional children.

Gaius John Walter married Ellen (Nellie) Ridgley (b.1885-1963) in 1906 and had children including: Kathleen Edith Walter (b.1907), Arthur John Walter (1908-), Leonard Kenneth Walter (1911-1975), Edward F. Walter (b.1913), Richard Stanley Walter (1915-1992) and Margaret Barbara Walter (1921-2001).

Kathleen Walter married Christodoulos P.H. Hanna (1900-1979) in 1930 and had children.

Arthur Walter married Gertrude A. Robertson in 1935 and had children.

Leonard Walter married (1) Vera E. Stockwell in 1935 and (2) Constance Winnifred Joyce (1920-2005) in 1949 and had children. Richard married Beatrice W.Lane (1916-1987) in 1939. Margaret married (1) Frederick Herbert William Leader (1917-1944; Petty Officer Royal Navy) in 1942 and (2) George William G Nicole (1918-1994) in 1947.

Ada Walter married Arthur Edward Seden (1881-1969), son of John Seden (1841-1921) and Henrietta Marsterson (1849-1924) in 1911 and had children Ada Henrietta Seden (1914-2004) and John Benjamin Seden (1917-1941). Ada married Philip H. Stone in 1938 and had a son. Sergeant John Benjamin Seden (service no. 906075) of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve died on 2nd May 1941.

A forum accessed 30 August 2008 states that Frank Benjamin Walter enlisted with the Dorset Regiment at Dorchester on 28 June 1904. Passenger records show that a Frank Walter (born 1886) left London for Fremantle, Australia in 1912. Later, as an imperial reservist, he was attached to the West African Frontier Force. The Australian National Archives record a:

WALTER FRANK BENJAMIN : Service Number - W29027 : Date of birth - 19 Oct 1886 : Place of birth - SLOUGH ENGLAND : Place of enlistment - PERTH WA : Next of Kin - WELCH GRACE

15/09/15 (2nd initial B. To Africa with WAFF) (To Class Z Res)

The same forum states that he returned to Claremont, Western Australia on completion of his service.

Frank died at the age of 98 on March 1 1985 and was cremated and his ashes dispersed at Karrakkata cemetery, Perth WA.

Jesse Walter married Maud Stainer (c.1890) daughter of William Stainer and Mary Jane Parry (1871-1894) in 1912 and had a daughter Gwyneth I.M. Walter in 1912.

Grace Walter married William Frederick Newbury [variant spelling Newbery] (b.1889), son of Fred Newbery (1863-1935) and Emma Louisa Fidler (1863-1933) in 1912 and had children including:

1. William F.T. Newbury (b.1913)
2. Phyllida A.Grace Newbury (1918-1999). She married Herbert H Donovan, but divorced in 1947, and then married Stanley Thomas Bandy (1910-2009) in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1948.
3. Harold G. Newbury (b.1920)

Grace subsequently married William Frank Welch (August 31 1904-June 27 1985; born Herne Bay, Kent, died Rockingham, Western Australia) and had Doreen Grace Welch.

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• The Walter Family of Babcary, Somerset, England, UK
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  Albert Walter was born in Babcary, Somerset, England in 1840, the son of Walter and Ann Walter. He emigrated to the USA and died in the Civil War.
• Hugh and Robert Walter in America
  Both Hugh and Robert emigrated to the USA as had their elder brother Albert who died in the US Civil War
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