Location and general description
A small hamlet in the south of Essex. In 1848 White's Directory lists a population of 364 souls in the village of North Benfleet. The 1st series Ordnance Survey map of the 1870s shows extremely sparse settlement with a few centres clustered around a number of Halls. The chief amongst these was the cluster of houses around North Benfleet Hall, the general layout of this site seems to have altered little since that time, being little more than a ring of buildings.
A long lane climbs slowly up to the low
rounded hilltop on which the
settlement lies and from which there are expansive views across the
lower surrounding land. Near the top of the lane a line of weatherboard
cottages lead up
to a neat green. The green itself is dominated to the West by North
Benfleet Hall, to the South East by barns and other farm building
and to the South by a large pond behind which lies, now
severely
neglected, All
Saints Church. Buildings
All Saints Church.
Saw the marriage of John KIRBY and Elizabeth LEE (see below) 
People
The KIRBY family
On 12 Dec 1811 John KIRBY senr (1790-1877) married Elizabeth LEE in North Benfleet. Abt 1815 John KIRBY jnr (abt 1815-1876) was born in North Benfleet to John KIRBY senr and presumably Elizabeth LEE. It appears that Elizabeth died in that childbirth or fairly soon afterward for John senr moved to South Ockendon, Essex, and in that place married Sarah WOOLF on 1 Dec 1816.In 1831 marriage banns were read at North Benfleet (1, 8 & 15 of May) for the marriage of one Ruth Anne KIRBY and John [unknown]. Ruth may possibly have been a daughter of John senr & Elizabeth born in 1813 as they were married in Dec 1811, had Martha in Sep 1812, no identified child in 1813, Elizabeth in Nov 1814 and John in Dec 1815.
John KIRBY jnr initially appears to have moved back to the North Benfleet area. In 1843, when Thomas William KIRBY was born he was in North Benfleet, in 1845 when Charles KIRBY was born he was in Wickford (less than 1Km west of North Benfleet) and in 1849, when his son Samuel John KIRBY (abt 1849-1876) was born, he was again in North Benfleet. On the 1851 Census he is listed in North Benfleet, at Hall Cottage, but on the 1861 and later censi he is listed in South Ockendon, Essex.
After a child born in South Ockendon, Essex, Mary Ann KIRBY was born to John & Sarah in abt 1852 in North Benfleet.
In abt 1852 one John Samuel KIRBY was born to Samuel & Amelia KIRBY and whilst he was christened on 4 Jan 1852 in Downham, Essex, and gave his birthplace as that on the 1861 Census, on the 1871 census he declared he was born in North Benfleet.
On the 24 Aug 1877 John KIRBY senr died in Shoeburyness, South Shoebury, Essex, but was buried in North Benfleet.
Related links
A selection of links to other sites with information about this place
- Essex
Archives Online
Catalogue
listings include the following papers that may be of interest:
- A copy of a map of the Hall dating from 1794 (ref T/M 512/3 ).
- Papers relating to the sale of North Benfleet Hall Farm in 1896, including a plan of the lot (ref D/DS 23/8).
Bibliography
- None yet