John Benjamin Botterill (b. 1864), son of Daniel Botterill and Sarah Elizabeth Thompson, married Everlda Jane Caroline Summers, daughter of Thomas and Ann Summers (who in 1871 had lived in Testerton Street, Kensington), at
St John the Evangelist,
Lansdowne Crescent,
Notting Hill on 21 Oct 1889.
In 1891, they were living at 115 High Street, Lewisham, with John B (26), a Butcher, Everelda (25), their new born first child, Thomas Daniel (0) and Elsie Jones (43), Ladies Nurse, a widow from Catford, London, lodging with them.
John and Everlda went on to have four children:
- Thomas Daniel born 1891
- Everlda Botterill born 20 Sep 1892
- Benjamin Tompson Botterill born 1895
- Mary Botterill born 1902
But
in 1900 and
again in 1901, they were at the
Princess Royal at 22, Longley Road, Croydon, where his uncle,
John Soppit, had employed John Benjamin Botterill (36) as his Licenced Victualler Manager. Living there also were his wife Everlda (35), son Thomas Daniel (10), Everlda (8), Benjamin Tompson (5) and John's father, Daniel (69), who is listed as a widower - which is a mystery, because his
wife, Sarah, was alive and living in Lewisham at the time.
Then on 16 Oct 1902, John Benjamin Botterill (38), appeared at the Quarter Sessions in Maidstone, accused of stealing, by his uncle, John Soppit.
From the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser 23 October 1902
THE JURY STOP A CASE
John Benjamin Botterill pleaded not guilty to stealing two boxes containing 51 cigars, one bottle of brandy, three bottles of whiskey, etc., belonging to John Soppitt, at Cudham, on August 7th.
Mr. C. S. Fooks prosecuted, and Mr. Hohler defended.
John Soppit, formerly licensee of the Princess Royal, Croydon, deposed that in 1898 he took the prisoner, who was his nephew, into his employ as manager and paid him at first £2 15s per week, and after £2. The net takings of the house were not satisfactory to him at the latter part of the prisoner's management. Prisoner left on June 23rd of this year. Then witness looked through the books. Prisoner had bought goods unauthorised, and after his departure witness found some scales missing. He afterwards found them in the prisoner's possession at the Blacksmiths' Arms, at Cudham, and he also found a couch there, which had been at the Princess Royal. Other things, including glasses, were also missing.
By Mr. Hohler: The couch was never given to the prisoner by him. He did not know that the bottle of brandy was given to the prisoner by the wholesale firm, and was not aware that the cigars were brought from the result of a draw from the slate club. The reason he saw the gas mantles were his was because they were the same kind as those used at the Princess Royal, and the glasses were similar to those belonging to witness. The labels with the prisoner's name on, which were on the bottles, was not printed with the witness's consent.
Sergt. Humphrey deposed to searching the Blacksmith's Arms, and finding the mantels in a box among some children's clothes.
Cross-examined: The prisoner had an excellent character. The goods had evidently not been unpacked after the move.
Prisoner gave evidence on oath, and said that his uncle gave him the couch. The cigars he bought as his share in the money out of the slate club, the money to be spent in the house. The bottle of whiskey and brandy was given to him by the wholesale houses in 1899. The bottle of gin was given to him by his uncle.
The jury at this point stopped the case, and the prisoner was discharged.
As we can see from the report above, John Benjamin Botterill, in 1902, had gone to the Blacksmith’s Arms, Cudham (in the London Borough of Bromley), although not for long. (Read about this beautiful pub's history here.)
In 1911, we find John Benjamin Botterill (46), Licenced Victualler, at the Prince Frederick, Nichol Lane, Bromley, Kent, with wife, Everlda Jane Caroline Botterill (45), assisting in the business, Thomas Daniel (20), engineer's fitter, Everlda (18), dressmaker, Benjamin Thompson (15), Mary (8) and Esther Elizabeth Challen (19), Servant. They were still there in 1913.
We next catch up with the family, in 1939, living at 44 Wellington Avenue, Hounslow, Middlesex. Living with John Benjamin Botterill (75), described as a Retired Fitter's Mate, are wife Everlda J C (74), daughter Everlda White, dressmaker, widowed, and her daughter, Jean M White (16) and a Leslie F Taylor, Gentleman's hairdresser, presumably a lodger.
Everlda Jane Caroline Botterill died, aged 77, in 1943, in Brentford. John Benjamin Botterill died five years later, in 1948, aged 83, in Ealing.
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