John Bond and Thomas Bond of Sutton Benger

There were several generations of families called ‘Bond’ in Sutton Benger in the 1700s / 1800s; we know that one family had a carpentry business, which was located at the corner of the High Street and French Gardens Lane – where 12/14 High Street is today. John Bond, who died in 1819, states that he was a ‘carpenter’ and we know that his wife Hannah, and their children, carried on running the business for the next 100 years. And we know that John had taken over the business from his father, Edward, who had probably been there since the mid-1700s. The business eventually became a ‘wheelwright’s shop’ and by 1840 James Bond was leasing it to Isaac Salter.

The Carpenter / Wheelwright business was at No 218 on the 1808 map. Note that this map has east at the top. So High Street is nearly vertical; for orientation, the Wellesley Arms (called the Tylney-Long Arms in 2808) is at No 215.

However, we know less about John Bond’s near-contemporary, Thomas Bond, who died in 1802. We do know that he lived (and probably worked) at the house which is now 7 Sutton Lane; and that he had a business of some kind. In his will he states:

I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Bond, and my two sons Thomas and John Bond, and my daughter Sarah Bond, all my stock in trade …

… And it is my desire and request for them to carry on the said Business on the same Estate equally together.

'Thos Bond' is at No 452 on the 1808 map, 4th on the list of 'Small Leaseholds and Copyhold Tenements.' And No 452 is on Sutton Lane, in the house which is now No 7.

What was the ‘business’? Was Thomas Bond related to John Bond, the carpenter? Was he also running a carpentry or wheelwright business? Whatever it was, it did not last much longer. Although Thomas (junior) appears in the 1808 Survey, there is no trace of the family in the 1839 Survey or 1841 Census.

Please get in touch if you are related in any way to these families, or have any ideas about what Thomas’ family business was.

Is there any particular story from Sutton Benger’s past that you want to know more about? Please get in touch:

by phone: 01249 721731
by email: hello@bengertrails.co.uk