Greetings from KwaZulu/Natal South Africa. My paternal BENNETT family is originally from the Fontmell/Shaftesbury area in Dorset. My g-g grandfather John Wiltshire BENNETT was born in Fontmell, Dorset. My grandfather Sydney William Atkins BENNETT was born in Moortown, Ringwood, Hampshire where his mother Anne RIGGS was born. Although the families I am seeking information on moved freely around the Hampshire/Dorset/Wiltshire region throughout the 1800's and beyond, with my grandfather finally ending up in Portsmouth by 1901, the women in many instances returned to Ringwood to give birth to their children. From this I assume that a patriarch or matriarch of the BENNETT (or RIGGS) family had a home there that Moortown/Ringwood had become the heartbeat of the family. I have been fortunate to discover a fair amount through the kindness of people who have responded to my requests for help via the internet. Although I have received excellent clues from internet friends, FreeBMD and 1881/1901 Census records, I have still not found an answer to the riddle, the link between the Dorset BENNETT and Hampshire RIGGS families of Moortown, Ringwood. There appears to be a BENNETT thread connecting several towns and villages. In Dorset they are Fontmell, Shaftesbury, East Orchard and Wimborne. In Hampshire they are Boldre, Ringwood (Moortown), Mere and Milford. My knowledge of the BENNETT family begins with John Wiltshire BENNETT, b. 1817 Fontmell, Dorset, last known address 1881, The Street, Whiteparish, Wiltshire, a butcher/farmer/innkeeper m. Ringwood, Sep 1838, to Anne RIGGS, b. 1813 Ringwood, Hampshire. Anne's father was Jonas RIGGS, d. Dec 1844 Ringwood, her mother was Jenny RIGGS. John and Anne BENNETT nee RIGGS had 9 children (I think), nearly all of them born in Ringwood, except for Edith BENNETT b. 1859 and Kate Isabel BENNETT b. 1858 Boldre, Hampshire. Those born in Ringwood were William Henry BENNETT b. 1852, Francis Edward BENNETT b. 1851, Emily Ann BENNETT b. 1849, James BENNETT b. 1847, Charles Henry BENNETT b. 1846, Edwin Jonah BENNETT b. 1845, d. 1845, Mary Jane BENNETT b. 1840. Mary Jane BENNETT married James ORAM 1867 Mere, Hampshire. They had 4 children, Edward J. b. 1869, Walter E. b. 1874, Henry P.G. b. 1876, Kate R. b. 1880. Last known address 1881 Barns Farm, Milford, Hampshire. James ORAM d. 1895. James ORAM appears on William Henry BENNETT's marriage certificate as a witness. Sidney Cottage in Milford is given as the newly weds address at the time. I am certain that Mary Jane is William Henry BENNETT's older sister. Kate Isabel BENNETT is also a witness on William's marriage certificate. William Henry (Harry) BENNETT, a wine merchant/drayman, m. Sarah Elizabeth (Bessie) ATKINS b. 1855 Salisbury, Wiltshire, at St Martin, Salisbury, Wiltshire 6 December 1876. Her father was John Sidney ATKINS, a wine merchant. William and Sarah had 4 children. Reginald BENNETT b. 1878 Salisbury, Wiltshire, Walter BENNETT b.1879 Salisbury, Wiltshire, Sydney William Atkins BENNETT, b. 1880 Ringwood, Hampshire and Mabel BENNETT b. 1889 Salisbury, Wiltshire. The family lived at 45 Tracy Street, Lambeth, Surrey in 1881 but by 1901, they had moved to Portsmouth, where William was a cab proprietor, Mabel a scholar, Reginald a sheet music seller and Walter, a cab driver groom. Sydney William Atkins BENNETT had by then emigrated to South Africa, met my grandmother, and oddly (I think), began replicating his Hampshire family in South Africa; Reginald (my father), Walter, Mabel and Sydney BENNETT. He never returned to England or saw his family again and died in Durban in 1945. Of the Do! rset/Portsmouth/Ringwood family I know nothing further. Only that Mabel also mentions a letter from "Regie" in which he informs her that "they are all in good health", so Í expect he too had moved away from Portsmouth by 1907. Of the BENNETT family that remained in Fontmell/Shaftesbury/Ringwood (most probably they moved to bigger cities or even emigrated) I know even less but I'm hoping that I will be lucky to find out more through your list. The following BENNETT links were born, married or died in Shaftesbury/Fontnell, Dorset or Ringwood, Hampshire. As yet I have no proof that they are related to John Wiltshire BENNETT although my instincts tell me they are either cousins or brothers or the widows of deceased brothers. Family names appear to be Walter, William, Henry (Harry), John, Sidney, Reginald, Alfred, Kate, Mary and Elizabeth. Widower, William BENNETT b. 1821 Fontmell, Dorset, last known address in 1881 was Hartgrove, Fontmell Magna, Dorset. Ellen BENNETT b. 1857 East Orchard, Dorset Alfred J. BENNETT B. 1860, East Orchard, Dorset. Widow, Elizabeth S. BENNETT b. 1835 Shaftesbury, Dorset, last known address 1881 was Bimport Street Shaftesbury Holy Trinity Dorset, appears as a widow/head of household. Louisa H. F. BENNETT b. 1862 Shaftesbury, Dorset Sidney A. B. BENNETT b. 1868 Shaftesbury, Dorset Reginald C. BENNETT b. 1869 Shaftesbury, Dorset Widow, Harriet E. BENNETT, b. 1842, Boldre, Hampshire, a pork dealer (butcher) last known address in 1881 was 115 High Street, Lymington, Hampshire. George W. BENNETT b 1869, Lymington, Hampshire Harry BENNETT b. 1871, Lymington, Hampshire Charles BENNETT b. 1872, Lymington, Hampshire William BENNETT b. 1873, Lymington, Hampshire Frederick BENNETT b. 1875, Lymington, Hampshire Annie BENNETT b. 1877, Lymington, Hampshire Nellie BENNETT b. 1878, Lymington, Hampshire Mary Elizabeth BENNETT b. 1879, Lymington, Hampshire Widow, Mary Ann BENNETT b. 1816, Mere, Wiltshire, last known address in 1881 was Sixpenny Handley, Dorset. Her son, William Henry BENNETT, a farmer with 150 acres, b. 1851, Handley, Dorset, is head of household. Emma BENNETT b. 1859, Handley, Dorset Widower, William James BENNETT b. 1839 Woodland, Dorset, last known address in 1881 was Holt Lodge Farm Wimborne, Dorset Violet Dinah BENNETT born 1864 Ringwood, Hampshire Ada Light BENNETT b. 1865 Burley, Hampshire Tom Light BENNETT b. 1867 Burley, Hampshire Elizabeth Light BENNETT b. 1869 Burley, Hampshire Charles BENNETT b. 1872 Burley, Hampshire Kate Minnie BENNETT b. 1877 Burley, Hampshire John (Joseph?) BENNETT b. 1865 Milford, Hampshire, is recorded as a grandson to John Wiltshire BENNETT in the 1881 Census, but to date I have found his father. A John Joslih_ (unable to transcribe the name) BENNETT m. Sep 1890 Ringwood is recorded (without a spouse) in FreeBMD. In addition there are wild cards Elisha BENNETT b. 1836, Ringwood, Hampshire, a farm bailiff of 800 acres, last known address in 1881 was Elcomb Cottage, Alvesdiston Cottage, Wiltshire. Elizabeth Ann BENNETT b. 1882 Ringwood Charles BENNETT b. 1872 Ringwood James BENNETT b. 1810 d.1873 Ringwood Elizabeth Clara BENNETT b.1837 d. 1878 Ringwood James BENNETT b. 1822 d. 1902 Ringwood I look forward to hearing from any of your subscribers who may have any information that may be helpful. Warm thanks and best regards Mrs. Cheryl Johnson nee Bennett Kwa Zulu/Natal South Africa