Florence Benn

The Late mother of the actress Margaret Rutherford who died in tragic circumstances in 1896. She was born 1858 and married William Rutherford Benn on the 16th December 1882 in Wandsworth. She had a troubled marriage when her husband murdered his father the Rev Julius Benn in Matlock in 1883 and was sent to Broadmoor. He was released in 1890 into the care of Florence and they resumed their married life. Florence gave birth to their daughter Margaret on the 11th May 1892 and very soon moved to India to start a new life. Within a year of their arrival in India, Florence became pregnant again. Florence became increasingly miserable and disturbed and William recognised the signs that his wife was having a mental breakdown. He returned to England with wife and daughter and settled in Berkeley Place in Wimbledon where on the 22nd may 1896 Florence died of nervous exhaustion brought on by a weak heart. All biographies of Margaret Rutherford claim Florence died in India by hanging from a tree. This is untrue and she lays here with her husband and Aunt Ann Waterer.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 11 2018, 19:37:17 UTC