Family history Müller - Humphreys
Arthur Benson
Agnes Rownson
Sarah Benson
John Willatt
Sarah Willatt
Martha Willatt
Agnes Willatt
Arthur Willatt
Mary Willatt
Sarah Benson was a daughter of Arthur Benson and Agnes Rownson (Rowlandson). She married
John Willatt
on 25th April 1754 at Manchester Collegiate Church (Cathedral, see below). They had 9 children, among them
Sarah Willatt
, mother of Sarah Benson's only grandchild,
George Frederick Dickson
.
Born 29th September 1730 at Blackbeck, Haverthwaite
Died 25th December 1801 in Manchester
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Sarah Benson's children
He was succeeded, remar- kably (though not uniquely), by his widow Sarah, who became Manchester's post- mistress. She fulfilled this task for more than 20 years and came to some promi- nence. Under her guidance the post office of Manchester was considered the most profitable one of the whole kingdom, with a turnover of 15000 pounds, a very high sum for the time. She introduced several innova- tions, for instance a special late letter fee.
In later years she was supported by her daughter Martha Duxbury. In the year 1793 Sarah Benson retired, at an annual pension of 120 pounds Sterling.
Below:
Manchester Collegiate Church (Cathedral)
where Sarah Benson married John Willatt
Sarah Willatt, née Benson, the Postmistress of Manchester
When Sarah Benson married her husband John Willatt in 1754 he was a clerk at the post office. In the year 1768 he became Manchester's postmaster, but only 4 years later, in 1772, he died, just 40 years old.
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THE BACK SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT
THE BACK SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT
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"
Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society
", Vol. XXII - 1904 (Manchester1905) report about the situation when Sarah Willatt née Benson's husband, Manchester's postmaster
John Willatt
, died:
"The public were much concerned, and general sympathy was extended to his afflicted widow. Prompt steps were taken to secure to her the succession of the office; we read, therefore, August 4th, 1772 (Mercury):
'Mrs. Willatt, now Post Mistress of Manchester, begs leave to return her sincere thanks to the Gentlemen of the Town and Neighbourhood thereof for their kind petition to the Postmaster General in her favour, and she hopes that by a regular discharge of her duties she will meet with the approbation of the Publick.' "
'His Majesty's Postmaster General has been pleased to appoint Mrs. Sarah Willatt, widow of the late Mr. Willatt, to be Deputy Post Mistress of this Town.' "
and on the 11th:
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THE BACK SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT
THE BACK SIDE OF THE PORTRAIT
And the "
British Postal Service Appointment Books
,
1737-1969" (source found by John Humphreys)
say that on
"July 28th. 1772. ... Ordered that Mrs. Sarah Willatt be appointed Postmistress of Manchester in the stead of her Husband deceased."
"
Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society
", Vol. XXII - 1904 (Manchester1905) then continue listing Manchester's postmasters and postmistresses:
"Mrs. SARAH WILLATT (1772-1793). She was appointed on July 28th. This explains the otherwise bewildering entry in Mrs. Raffald's
Directory of Manchester
, which is given thus:
'1772. Willet, John, Master of Post Office, St. Ann's Square, Willet John, Deputy Post Master, St. Ann's Square.
1773. Willet, Sarah, Mistress of the Post Office, 12, St. Ann's Square'
The address is rendered in
'1781. Willet Sarah, Post Mis., Post Office, Queen Street.
1788. Mrs. Willatt, Keeper of the Post Office, facing Queen Street, St. Ann's.'
The brave old postmistress was relieved of her duties on Apil 5th, 1793, and rewarded with a pension of £120 for her useful and strenuous ervices,with a reversion of one third of that amount to her daughter,
*
who, with the exception of a single letter-carrier (James Barkeley, residing at New Cross), had conducted the whole of the post-office business with her mother. Henceforth she lived in and is described as
1794. Mrs. Sarah Willat, 9, Back Square,
close by the office.
1797. Willat Sarah, 62, Water Street.
1800. Willat Sarah, 62, Water Street.
She died December 25th, 1801, and was buried by the side of her husband.
-----------------------------------------------
*
See Joyce, pp. 292 and 301. Mercury, 1792: Married July 3, at the Collegiate Church, Mr. Duxbury to Miss Willatt, daughter of Mrs. Willatt at the Post Office."
© Kurt Müller 2020
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