Barnett (Barnard) Barnett died aged 69 on 14 April 1901 in East Dean, Gloucestershire. Researching his life story has revealed a complex web of connections and mysteries.
A few weeks before his death, the 1901 census records Barnett Barnett as a lodger, unmarried, aged 68, born Bristol, living on own means, at 123 Pembroke Road, East Dean. Present at his death was Simon Sperber, living in Cinderford, East Dean. Simon Sperber was the treasurer of the Bath Synagogue in 1900 and in August 1900 he was married there to Katie Franks, the daughter of Michael Franks, a prominent member of the Jewish community. The marriage record gives Simon’s address as Cinderford and he is recorded as living there in the 1901 census. Perhaps he and his father in law, Michael Franks, arranged for Barnett to be buried in Bath.
Barnett’s will holds some of the clues to his family. Although he never married he had a brother Hyam Barnett, two uncles Benjamin Hyam and David Hyam, and an aunt Sarah (née Hyam) Cohen.
The first mention of Barnett is in the 1841 Bristol Census where he is recorded aged 9 as living with Samuel Jones, a tailor, and his wife, neither of whom were born in England. It is not known why Barnett was living with them.
However, in the 1851 census his first cousin Sarah Cohen is recorded as living with the same couple. So it is likely that Jones was not their original last name.
Because Barnett was born before 1837 there are no birth records, so it is not known who his father was. A Joseph Barnett clothes salesman died aged 38 in Bristol in 1840. Possibly this was Barnett’s father. Isaac Barnet, also a clothes salesman, registered his death. Isaac, his wife Rachel and children Caroline, Nathaniel, Morris and Louis are recorded in the 1851 census living in Bristol. In the 1861 and 1881 census Barnett is recorded as a visitor with the family in London. So it is likely that Isaac and Joseph were related.
Barnett’s mother was probably Mary Barnett. She is recorded in the 1891 census as a widow aged 79, born London, living in Islington with her son Hyam Barnett aged 59, born in Bristol. Mary died in Islington in 1894.
The National Probate Calendar 1901 records that Barnett Barnett of 4 Pembroke Road Cinderford Gloucestershire left effects of £1,016 2s 8d and that probate was given in Gloucester on 18 May to his bother Hyam Barnett, gentleman. Barnett left bequests to his aunt, Lucy Hyam widow of his uncle Benjamin Hyam, and to his uncle David Hyam who lived in Bristol until his death in 1901.
Intriguingly he also left money to Mary Ann Chowne (Cohen?) and her daughter Lily Barnett Chowne. Lily’s father is recorded as unknown. Possibly she was his illegitimate daughter; another possibility is that she was a relative and named after Barnett’s mother Mary.