Biographies of people buried between 1900 & 09
James Bent (1831 - 1907)
James Bent worked his way up from being a Warehouseman, to a Butter Merchant's Salesman, to Provisions Merchant. He had six children, but two died young and the other four were still single and living in the family home when James died in 1907.
He was born in 1831 in Flixton, near Manchester. The records aren't clear who his parents were. In 1857 he married Sarah Robinson (born 1838 at Urmston, near Manchester) at Manchester Cathedral. Again the records don't show clearly who Sarah's parents were.
Their first child was Mary Alice (born 1858 in the Regent Road area of Salford). There is no record of baptism, although all the other children were baptised at St Philip's Church, Salford. Next was Hannah (born 1860, Regent Road, Salford) who was baptised on 16th December when the family lived at 36, Middlewood Street, Salford. Then came William (born 1863, Regent Road area of Salford) who was baptised on 10th July 1864.
James' and Sarah's fourth child was Richard (born 1865 at Regent Road, Salford) who was baptised on 18th June 1865, but who was to die quite young. Then came Sarah Jane (born 1868 in the Regent Road area of Salford), when the family had moved to Royle Street. She was baptised on 19th April 1868, but died on 21st October that year. And lastly came James (born 1869 in Regent Road, Salford), baptised on 31st October 1869, when his father had become a Provisions Merchant.
The 1881 census reveals that the family was living at 27, West Ashton Street, Salford, (where they were to remain until 1911). James was aged 49 and a Butter Merchant's Salesman. His wife Sarah was aged 43. Mary Alice was 23 and a Cotton Weaver; Hannah was 19 with no occupation; William was 17 and a Plumber's Assistant; and James (jnr) was 12 and a Scholar. In 1891, James was a Provisions Merchant, Mary Alice and Hannah were both Grocer's Assistants, William was a General Porter and James (jnr) was an Assistant Schoolmaster. In 1901, James Bent was aged 69 and was a Commercial Traveller. The only other occupations revealed by the Census was that William was a Grocer and James (jnr) was an Assistant Schoolmaster.
On 17th September 1907, James Bent died at the age of 76. He was buried in Plot 32, number 2534 of the Dissenters portion of Weaste Cemetery. The family continued to live at 27 West Ashton Street, and the 1911 census shows that 73-year-old Sarah was a widow. Also living at home and all still single were, Mary Alice aged 52, a Grocer's Shop Assistant; Hannah aged 49, also a Grocer's Shop Assistant; William aged 46, a Grocer Shopkeeper; and James aged 40, a Special Inquiry Agent.
On 17th November 1915, Sarah Bent passed away and was buried with her husband at Weaste Cemetery.
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