Dent
This is a frequently encountered surname in Stowupland’s archives but as yet we know of few family connections. An attempt has been made at listing in chronological order, based on date of birth or when the parents dob is known. This is not intended to be complete family histories but to reflect on the Dent families of Stowupland.
Our earliest mention of a Dent comes from the 1709 parish register when John and Sarah Dent of Stowupland had their children baptised.
In 1738 a John Dent encroached onto Thorney Green by setting up a blacksmiths, this later became The Retreat.
Robert Dent – from 1763 Thorney Hall Rentals – free hold rent 6s for a Blacksmith’s shop on Thorney Green.
Robert Dent born Stowupland 1782 (NL found him in the Stowupland register of baptisms – Robert, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Dent, 2 June 1782}.
From October 1804 he served on The Defence and later The Temeraire and was wounded at the Battle of Trafalgar being discharged 15 July 1816, being later admitted to Greenwich Naval Hospital by January 1848. {SLHG thanks Stowmarket LHG for sharing this with us}.
He seems to have married a Sarah Spooner of Old Newton in 1819.
The 1851 census names him as a pensioner at Naval Hospital Greenwich, a widower aged 70. Birthplace recorded as “Somemarket (sic) ” Suffolk.
Thomas Dent was buried in a Paupers Grave at Onehouse, date 15/01/1826 at the age of 64 (so born around 1762). (from research by Ray Taylor)
Some children of John and Elizabeth and the son of Thomas and Susan were baptised in Stowmarket Independent Meeting House , we don’t know of their connection to Stowupland. (later Congregationalist/URC) {Details supplied by Neil Langridge}
John Dent, son of John and Elizabeth b 25th June 1816, baptised 29th August 1816
John Dent, son of John and Elizabeth b 11 February 1821, baptised 9th March 1821.
Isaac Dent, son of Thomas and Susan Dent, b 23rd October 1822
Benjamin Dent, son of John and Elizabeth Dent b 23rd July 1823, baptised 29th August 1823.
George Dent son of John and Elizabeth b 8th February 1827, baptised 21 March 1827
Stories of Dent Families from the 19th century
Thomas Dent married Susan Wileden on 17th April 1815. He was a coal porter and they lived on what was to become Station road. They had 9 children:
Thomas (23.2.1816 – 30.6.1829)
Joseph (b 2.10.1837)
Issac (28.10. 1822 – 11.8.1899), baptised in Stowmarket Congregational church.
Thomas (7.5.1836 – 3.8.1904) – father of Thomas William Ralf (b 1858)
Elisa (30.8.1829 – 8.6.1855)
Susan (7.7.1827 – 17.4.1828)
Thomas died on the 9th June, 1865, 5 weeks after his wife had died.
In 1865 a John Dent, watchman of Stowupland, bought the copyhold of 1 rood of land on Thorney Green, he was named as the previous occupier. It was copyhold of the Manor of Thorney Mumpliers. This was one of several lots being offered for sale following the death of Thomas Prentice Esq.
In 1890 C.M.Dent had had to be removed from the register of pupil teachers of Stowupland Elementary school due to poor health
William (b. 1828) and Rebecca (b. 1830) Dent‘s family in Myrtle Cottage.
Miss Dent was a teacher at Stowupland Elementary school between 1899 – 1902 (NL retrieved article from SRO 1899 Article 68, 1902 article 50). Presumably the daughter of William and Rebecca Dent from Myrtle Cottage.
In 1901 Ellen M. Dent (age 26: b. 1872) was living in 1, Myrtle Cottage with her widowed mother Rebecca Dent (71:b. 1830)) and bother Frank Dent (33: b. 1868) a carpenter. Ellen was described as a florist and school mistress at the Board school. Her parents were William (b.1828 worked as a carpenter) ), and Rebecca (b 1830: in the early 1900s Rebecca Dent is described as a carpenter )
William Dent, Kelly’s 1869 and 1874 a carpenter (associated with Oak Cottage, see James Dent).)
William Dent, (Kellys) 1896 carpenter. In 1895. 70 year old William Dent was reported to have broken his leg in a mishap near the Black Barn.
Henry (b. 1839, an ag labourer) and Hannah Dent (b.1840)
Harry (b. 1862) coachbuilder
Susannah (b. 1863)
Robert (b. 1865) Ag Lab
Harriett (b. 1871)
James (b. 1873) – see below
Elizabeth (b.1874) see below for note on sampler.
George (b. 1877)
In 1912 a Harry Dent (b.1862) died unexpectedly. He was a brother of Robert, James and George Dent, parents Henry and Hannah Dent. He was on a member of the East Stow Rural Council, and a Stow Guardian as well a teacher at Stowupland Congregational Church. {Stowmarket Weekly Post : 5th September 1912}
In their 1970 Exhibition of Stowupland History and Bygones, Fna and Carter were able to display a ‘cross-stitch sampler’ completed by Elizabeth Dent age 8 (b. 1874) whilst she was at Stowupland School. Her parents paid 1d a week for schooling and she left when she was 10. Presumed a daughter of Henry (b. 1839)and Hannah Dent (b.1840), and younger sister of James Dent (b. 1873).
James (b.1872) and Annie (b. 1873). Oak Cottage
Annie and James Dent outside Oak Cottage on their 60th wedding anniversary.
James Dent was born in 1872, just a few hundred yards away from Oak Cottage. He started work at age 9 as a farmers boy earning 18d a week going on to do a wide variety of trades.
He married Annie Elizabeth (ne Blake) in the 1890s, they had 8 children. In 2026 James’ great Grandson contacted SLHG and shared some of his family history and photos with us. We are very grateful.
On James’ death in the mid 1950s, Oak Cottage was sold.
in 1920Ellen Dent m. Robert Harvey, see below
Elsie Dent (Elsie May b 1911?) m. Walter Kerry
Grace Dent (Grace Kathleen b. 1907?) m. Arthur Sheldrake
George (George James b. 1894) – d. 1937) worked for the Urban District Council
Earnest Dent (Ernest Wilfred b. 1905) worked with father as a thatcher and carpenter? m. Ellen Florrie.
Arthur Dent – didn’t marry
Harry Dent (Harry William b. 1897 – d. 1966?) married Mable Lusher in 1920.(grandparents to our contact), believed to have been born in Diss, Norfolk.
James Dent (b.1908) but died in 1911 almost 3.
The 1921 census adds another daughter ,Mabel Dent born 1896 in Norfolk, whether this is in fact the spouse of Harry Dent is Unknown.
1917 Ellen Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs James Dent married Robert Charles Harvey. {Stowmarket Weekly Post: 17th May 1917}.
George Dent b.1894 – d. 1937) was the eldest son of Mr & Mrs James Dent. During the Great War (WW1) he had served in the 8th Battalion Suffolk Regiment.
His funeral service was held in the Stowupland Congregational Church. He had been ill for the previous month. Janes and Annie are buried in Stowupland cemetery.
In a newspaper cutting from 1936, George James Dent, a metal dealer on The Green, was charged with stealing 3 cwt of lead from the site of the demolition on The Hollies in Stowmarket. (SLHG Archives/OS2/ Scrapbook}
Prvt Harry Dent was named as in the Machine Gun Corps in the 1917 Stowupland Roll of Honour. He served in Palestine and Gallipoli He was discharged.
Harry married Mabel in 1920, working for a time at the Stowmarket Chemical works.They had a son George Dent.
In 1940 he joined the Air Ministry Constabulary, spending 5 years at Wattisham before transferring to Bovingdon, Herts airport for 11 years. His son George also served at Bovingdon, in the Air Ministry Police
At the age of 60, Harry served for I year in Belfast.
In a 1965 diary, local resident Margaret Catchpole recorded on Wednesday January 27th, ‘ Arthur Dent killed cycling accident on Bishops Hill’.
1981 Funeral report for Edie Dent{Bury Free Press: 6th November 1981}. According to her cousin Leslie Brame ‘she had been married to an Arthur Dent who disappeared’…. he was a complete failure as a husband…supposed to be running a business of some kind, but that proved a fantasy and he feigned illness and bludged on Edie and what she could earn by taking in washing. It was not long before the two separated and Arthur disappeared, and even his family did not know where he was. Edith remained Mrs Dent, and stayed with her mother-in-law on The Green, who had now married Eldred Wilding.‘
Twentieth century, Dents newsagents stood in a small parade of shops along Devon Road, Stowupland. It is remembered as being the name for a Bus Stop.
Not Stowupland but Dent’s, the Grocers in Stowmarket. The date of this photograph is unknown or whether this was the shop of Thomas Dent named in a Stowmarket P.O. directory as a grocer, hop & ale & porter merchant in Stowmarket.
