|
Leslie Herbert Benbow was born
23 Nov
1891 at Geraldine where he received his first schooling.
When the
family moved, he was admitted to Temuka Primary School 6
Dec. 1897 -
home address as Arowhenua; his last school given as Fairlie.
Education finished at an early
age and he
worked with brothers Reg and Willie along with one or
two other
men especially at threshing time, for his father's mill.
Both Reg
and Les played football and represented Temuka in
competition games
and both joined the Temuka Brass Band.
War broke out,
Leslie was conscripted - he used his brother's name(
BENBOW,
Reginald - [a.k.a. Leslie Herbert] - WW1 6/1241 - Army 1914
- 1917)
His family believed the reason for his subterfuge was because he was
underage - this was not the case (Les was b: 23
Nov
1891 -he signed his Army
papers stating his birth date as 29 Aug
1893 in an effort to make himself too young for service.) His name also had featured in newspapers and fines for absences from required military training.
 8 Oct 1914; Second Sth
Canterbury
Contingent getting ready: Infantry: R Benbow
Timaru Herald: 16 Oct 1914; Mr R Benbow who is leaving
for the
front was entertained by members of the Temuka Municipal
Band of
which he is a member, The gathering was held in the
Coronation Tea
Room and Mr T Gunnion presided. On behalf of the bandsmen,
the
chairman presented Mr Benbow with a gentlemens
companion.
21 May 1915 War In Europe: Canterbury Battalion;
Wounded 6/1241
Private Reginald Benbow
At Gallipolli Fred was badly wounded with a
lung and
foot wounds and was transferred to Surrey in
England for
treatment and convalesance and it was there he met his
future wife,
Catherine Bertha Walsh, known as "Kitty", daughter of
Sergeant
Michael Walsh, of the Imperial Army in India.
24 Jun 1915: Sent to England: Canterbury Battalion;
Private R
Benbow
5 Jul 1915 Casuality List: Canterbury Battalion;
arrived
at Military Hospital, Exeter; Reginald Benbow
17 Aug 1915 - Men in good hands: Among the New Zealand
wounded
soldiers in the various hospitals in Manchester are Private R
Benbow,
Canterbury Regiment
29 Dec 1916 Returning from the Front: Canterbury
Battalion: 6/1241 Pte Reginald Benbow, (labourer) next
of kin
Wm Chas Benbow, Temuka
12 Jan 1917: Temuka: Privates G Woodhead and R Benbow
arrived
home invalided from the front and were met by abt 500
persons. Led
by the Temuka Brass band a procession was formed and paraded
to the
post Office steps where the mayor Mr A Frew) welcolmed the
men back
and thanked them for the services they had rendered to the
Empire. They were then escorted to the Drill Hall
where the
quoto of the 25th Reinforcements were being entertained for
afternoon tea prior to their departure for Trentham.
Speeches given
to welcome back the returned soldiers and wishing those
leaving the
best of luck.
WW1 Category Nominal Roll Vol 1; Regimental No. 6/1241;
Body or
Draft Second; Unit or Regiment Canterbury Infantry Batn;
Marital
status S; Last NZ address Ormsby St., Temuka; Next of Kin W
C
Benbow, father living at Ormsby St, Temuka
This house
advertised for
sale 2020 in 38 Ormsby St, Temuka was possibly built about
the same
time as the Benbow home
After Leslie returned
to NZ,
Catherine followed on the "S.S.
Rimutaka", a troop and passenger ship. They were married at
St Peters Anglican
Church, Temuka by the Rev
Norris on
31 Oct 1917.
Leslie's wedding to Catherine
Walsh:
Rear - Edith Benbow (mother); best man Reginald Benbow;
Leslie;
William Jonathan
Front: Agnes Benbow with Gordon;
William
CharlesBenbow (father); Frederick son of Wm Jonathan;
Catherine
Walsh; flower girl Elsie Benbow and Alice Benbow
 AN EX
SOLDIER'S WEDDING AT TEMUKA: A quiet but pretty wedding took
place
at St Peter's Church Temuka yesterday morning, the
contracting
parties being Miss Catherine Bertha Walsh, of Epsom,
England,
daughter of Mrs and the late Sergeant Michael Walsh (who
served for
23 years in the British Army and ex private L H Benbow (a
returned
soldier). Youngest son of Mr and Mrs W C Benbow of Ormsby
Street,
Temuka. The bride, it may be mentioned, only arrived in the
Dominion
a fortnight ago, after a voyage of 11 weeks, aboard the
"Rimataka".
The ceremony was performed by the Vicar, Rev A H Norris. The
bride
who was given away by Mr William Cross, uncle of the
bride-groom,
looked charming in a pretty costume of grey serge with white
tagel
hat trimmed \vith white feathers. She carried a white prayer
book.
The bridesmaid was little Miss Elsie Benbow, a niece of the
bridegroom, who looked very dainty in a frock of white
tobralco,
with white silk hat, trimmed with pink. Mr R Benbow, brother
of the
bridegroom performed the important duties of best man. After
the
ceremony the wedding party were photographed by Mr W Holwell
and
then repaired to the residence of the Bridegroom's parents,
where
the Wedding breakfast was partaken of, and the usual toasts
honoured. The presents were numerous and valuable among them
being a
china bowl 170 years' old, which has been in the Bride's
family for
that length of time. The Bridegroom's present to the bride
was a
beautiful feather boa and a Kaiapoi rug. The happy pair left
for the
South by the express train. (Temuka Guardian, 1917)
They lived at Raincliff Station
where Les
managed areas of this large run for the owners the Orbell
family. In 1919 - lived Ormsby St, Temuka, labourer. In
1921 when his father died, Les took over the threshing
mill and
plant and worked from Temuka.
1925 - Temuka electorate;
Catherine
and Leslie lived at Maude St, Temuka; Mill Owner
(Src. daughter Catherine) He
had a nice
home of white rough cast built by his uncle Daniel McInnes,
in the
area which was known then, as Sod town. This was obviously
because
of the number of sod houses there. Over the years Les
operated the
mill, he travelled a wide area threshing crops and cutting
wood. The
traction engine was coal fired but wood was necessary for
home
cooking, so he covered the area from Milford, Clandeboye,
Oraki,
Geraldine, Winchester and Waitohi. The engine could be heard
miles
away returning to Temuka, the huge iron wheels rumbling on
the roads
with metallic clangs as it trundled over uneven surfaces. It
was
Garret engine and he sold it in 1925 to Ernest Wright of
Rangitata
and later to Hamilton the jet boat inventor.
Les faced financial difficulty in the years
that
followed - New Zealand was faced with despression years and
he was
to appear at court charged for alcohol and behaviour.
1930 - He escaped goal but his marriage was
in
trouble
30 Jan 1931: Les convened a
public
meeting of the Temuka Unemployed "Attend all interested
in
their welfare, a meeting will be held in the Fire Brigade
Rooms,
TO-NIGHT (Tuesday), at 8 o'clock. Members of the Temuka
Borough
Council are specially invited. Business: To discuss the
Unemployment
Position and its Remedies. L. H. BENBOW and A. D.
MARTIN.
TEMUKA LEADER, 14 JULY
1932; Temuka
Magistrates Court - Claim for £15 arrears in rent of the
house
occupied by Leslie H Benbow The Magistrate said he could not
turn
Benbow, an unemployed man, out on the street, so long as he
was now
paying his rent.
1935 - Temuka electorate; lived
at
Studholme St, Temuka; labourer
1938 - living at Hamilton Street.
1946 - St Albans electorate; wife
Catherine and daughter Catherine are living at 28
Petrie
St, Christchurch
Death: Catherine Bertha Benbow; 7
Jun 1953 aged 73Yrs
1956 - 1966: Christchurch Central
electorate; living at 265 Kilmore St; retired
Death: Lesley Herbert
Benbow; 29
Apr 1978 Retired, Rotorua
Trade-Me: 2005:
Medal sale - NZ WWI MEDAL TRIO
&
ANZAC LABEL BADGE Current bid: $301.00 | Reserve met |
Closes: 2 hrs
42 mins For sale is this trio named as follows;
Victory Medal 6/1241 PTE.L.H.
BENBOW
N.Z.E.F.
Defence Medal 6/1241 PTE.L.H.
BENHOW
N.Z.E.F.
Star Medal 6/1241 PTE.R. BENBOW
N.Z.E.F.
The Anzac Label Badge is
engraved
6/1241 Note spelling of the name
Children of Leslie Herbert Benbow and
Catherine Bertha
Walsh
1. George William Herbert Benbow (b: 27
Jan
1919 at Temuka; d: 8 Mar 2009 at Nelson; 90Y)
Rear:
Ross, Ian, Ron Lincoln;
Seated: Lynda Taylor; George,
Daphne;
Les Benbow; Catherine and Gaynor Lincoln
Photocopying was the technology of the 70's and
lacked
today's clarity. Please, if you hold original photos of
family
members, could these be scanned and sent to give clear
images of
photos scanned from the 1974 Benbow book written by
Catherine
Lincoln.
Images and data used in this site
copyright
If you can help with
information or photos, Please  |
