FAMILY HISTORY

Deriving from the Latin 'Benedictus' , the name Bennet or Bennet is a nickname meaning 'little blessed one'. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts. 

Alec's earliest known ancestor is John Bennett, a Printfield Labourer

(A "printfield worker" was a general term for someone who worked in one of the printfields. The print and dyeworks produced printed cloth  (Calico) - curtains, chair coverings, covers, even handkerchiefs - much of it for export )[MORE INFO]

Little is known of him apart from the fact that he was married to a Sarah Howe . His date of birth probably lies somewhere between 1745 and 1765.

John's son Robert Bennett 1784 - 1867

According to Statutory Records Robert was a 'Journeyman Calico Printer'. His place of birth is given simply as 'England'. The family's connection with the Calico industry makes it highly likely that they originated from Lancashire. He was married in Linlithgow in 1810 to a Christina Parker (a Paisley 'buddy').  Both Linlithgow and Paisley were involved in Calico Industry.  It is not known whether Robert met Christina in Paisley or whether the Parker family had already moved to Linlithgow. Their first two children (Margaret and John) were born in Linlithgow and Falkirk respectively before the family moved to Rutherglen in 1814. There were to be Bennett descendants in Rutherglen for at least the next one hundred and fifty years.

Robert's third son Alexander Bennett 1817 - 1886
Occupation: 'Cotton Pattern Designer to Calico Printer'. He married Jessie Fairlie in Rutherglen in 1847.  She had eleven children! (6 girls and 5 boys).  All but two of these were born in Rutherglen but two (Sarah 1853 and Robert 1855) were born in Linlithgow.

Alexander's son Robert Bennett 1855 - 1924
Occupation: 'Master Draper' with his own drapery warehouse in Glasgow.  He married Catherine Bryce in Rutherglen in 1880 and had ten children of which Alec Bennett was the eldest. As well as his normal business interests he fancied himself as a literary genius publishing (privately) a collection of 'Poems and Prose' in 1888. One copy still exists - unfortunately he was no Robert Burns!!  

FAMILY TREE