Fred William Albert Bennett
Mayor of Oxford 1931/2
Fred William Albert Bennett (1875–1947) was the eldest son of Benjamin Bennett, an Oxford dyer, and his wife Sarah. The 1881 census shows him at the age of 5 living at 33 Walton Crescent with his parents, grandfather, and his younger brothers Frank (4), Rae (2), and Reginald (3 months). The family had one live-in servant. They were still living in the same house in 1891, when Fred was still at school at the advanced age of 15, while his brother Frank who was a year younger worked as a Library Assistant. By this time he had four more siblings: Lionel (8), Violet (6), Annie (4), and Benjamin (2).
Bennett attended the City of Oxford High School (where he later became a governor).
Bennett joined his father’s laundry and dying business business, B. Bennett & Sons, which was based at 15 Magdalen Street and at Abbey Place, St Ebbe’s.
In about 1899 Bennett married Lilian Sarah (born in Oxford in c.1876), and at the time of the 1901 census they were living upstairs at 117 High Street. They were both 25 years old, and they had two undergraduate lodgers and a general servant. Bennett was now a laundry clerk in the company of which he would one day be director.
Bennett and his wife had two children:
- Doreen Annie Bennett (born in Oxford in c.1904)
- Cyril Ward Bennett (born in Oxford in c.1908).
By the time of the 1911 census Fred and his family were living at Normanhurst in Chawley, which lies near Oxford, to the north-east of Cumnor. He was then described as an “assistant to dyer and cleaner and laundryman”.
Bennett was a Freemason, and served as the Worshipful Master of Alfred Lodge.
Bennett was first elected to the West Ward of the City Council in 1907. He lost his seat in 1923, but was returned in 1925 at a by-election.
Bennett was elected Sheriff of Oxford for 1926/7, and in 1931 was elected Mayor of Oxford (for 1931/2). He was also the leader of the Conservative group on the council, and was made an Alderman.
At the time of his death at the age of 72, on Sunday 14 September 1947, he was living at Normanhurst on Cumnor Hill. His funeral was at the City Church (then All Saints), and he was buried at Botley Cemetery. His wife and two children (Cyril Bennett and Mrs Jack Morley) survived him.
See also:
- Oxford Times, 19 September 1947, p. 8h (obituary)
- 1881 Census: Oxford (St Thomas), 1504/138
- 1891 Census: Oxford (St Thomas 6), 1169/115
- 1901 Census: Oxford (St Martin), 1384/9