Benton Family Papers

This small collection of letters and other papers of the Benton family of Old Hill, Staffordshire, principally relating to the period of the Second World War reflect the impact of war on the families of servicemen in the forces at home and overseas. Mrs Benton's letters to her son, Eric, serving in the RAF, express her concerns and anxieties for the safety and welfare of both her sons, Eric and Ken, on active service, as well as the difficulties faced in everyday life at home, shortages, fear of bombing raids as well as the general hope for a speedy end to the war. Letters from friends serving in the army overseas give an interesting insight into the wartime experiences of men enlisted into the services and sent abroad for long periods. References to Eric's work in the RAF as a radio mechanic working in the field of telecommunications and Molly's employment with the Telecommunications Research Establishment in Great Malvern reflect different aspects of military and civilian war service. Examples of official documentation necessary during wartime are also included in the family papers.

Despite the separations from loved ones and the ever present difficulties and anxieties of wartime, family life continued and records of important events such as marriages and deaths were kept and form part of this family's collection as do papers from Eric Benton's school days and items such as Molly's autograph book from her youth and postwar items relating to the birth of Eric and Molly's son Anthony. The collection of photographs record family weddings during wartime as well as Eric's RAF service and Molly's war work for the Telecommunications Research Establishment.

Eric John Benton was born at Old Hill, Staffordshire on 16 May 1912, the son of William Benton and mother Effie Daisy (nee Pearson (d 1945 aged 56). He was educated at King Edward's Grammar School, Five Ways, Birmingham. His occupation in civilian life before serving in the RAF was as a radio and electrical engineer. He married Molly Doreen Benton at St Paul's Church, Blackheath, Worcestershire on 20 April 1941. He had a sister, Dorothy Margaret who married Sgt Pilot John W. Boilstone in 1942 and a brother, Kenneth W. who married Betty Boilstone in 1941. As a radio mechanic in the RAF during the Second World War he worked for a time at the Telecommunications Research Establishment under the MI6 science advisor, R. V. Jones, on the Oboe Project. Oboe was a British aerial blind bombing targeting system in World War II, based on radio transponder technology.

Molly Benton (nee Dingley) was the daughter of Mr & Mrs George Dingley of 282 Oldbury Road, Blackheath. She was employed as a shorthand typist on the staff of the Telecommunications Research Establishment at Great Malvern, Worcestershire, 1942-1945. She was based at the Advanced Technical School under Dr L. G. H. Huxley. She was living at 2 Valley View, West Malvern Road, West Malvern, 1943-1945, moving back to her family home in Oldbury Road, Blackheath in 1946. Eric and Molly Benton moved to High Street, Lye, Stourbridge in 1949 and had a son, Anthony, who was born on 29 September of the same year.

Source: Items in the collection

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Purchased at auction, September 2008. Additional items of correspondence were presented in May 2021.

Please see full catalogue for more information.

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk) and the depositors should also be acknowledged in any published use of the letters in academic research. Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.