William Benjamin SHORT was the only? child of James SHORT and Mary BLOXHAM. He was born in 1834.

William Benjamin Short married Caroline Ellen Allsop on 13.11.1853 at the parish church, St Luke. (Sophia Allsop & Geo.MacLachlan were married (8.3.1852) at the same church and from the same address 27 York St.) His father was then a builder, and her father (George Allsop), an office clerk. William himself was a plumber. The three children that we know of were

Edmee Isabel 14.9.1855 Henstridge Place, St.John's Wood 1920(3) Fulham 1a 629
Frederick Augustus 7.10.1859 45 Suffolk St, Poplar 25.7.1903 Fulham Infirmary
Allan Granville 1863(1) Marylebone 27.10.1946 30 Twickenham Rd,Isleworth

Census returns
1841 shows the Short's living in Henry St, Marylebone James(25), Mary(40), Wm. Benjamin(8) and James(6). This means James' age was 25-29 and Mary's 40-44. House nos were not recorded in 1841 but the layout is consistent with 11-13.
1851 The Short family address has not been traced. (We looked in York St, Seymour St, Henry St, Henstridge Place.)
1861 shows the Short's living at 11 Henry St, St John's Wood together with the MacLachlan's and another family (the Langford's).
1871 shows the Short's and the male MacLachlan's still at 11 Henry St. Caroline's mother (described as an Annuitant) is living with the Short's. George Allsop died at this address 19.8.1861. In Jan.1876 Sarah Allsop died at 56 Earls Court Rd)
1881 The Short's (less Allan Granville) are at 38 Earls Court Rd. Harry & Edmee are at no.40 plus lodger C.J.MacLachlan. We have not found the MacLachlans in the 1881 census.
1891 William and Caroline are at 19 Musard Rd, Fulham/Hammersmith (shared with another family).
The father James appears in Trade directories for 1842,1844 & 1846 variously as builder, plumber, publican at New Inn, 1 Henry St East, Avenue Rd and at 13 New Henry St. We cannot find William (or his father) in the P.O. trade directories in the 1850's and 60's, but we know the Short's (and the MacLachlan's) were in Poplar 1859 where Fred Augustus (and his cousin C.J.MacLachlan) were born. From 1876 onwards he is listed in various directories (P.O. Northern Suburbs, West Kensington local) as Wm.Short plumber, Short & Co plumber, builder & contractor, even after his death in 1897! The census entries also describe him as a plumber. William died from cancer on 5.2.1897 at Musard Rd, the informant being his son Allan Granville. He was buried on the 11th at Fulham Palace Rd cemetery no.55 row K section 10. We visited the cemetery but unfortunately without a plan. However almost all gravestones of that period are either unreadable or weathered to dust. William's death certificate was how we first heard of Allan Granville who was almost certainly the person known to our family as "Uncle Pink". We cannot trace the death of Caroline from 1891-1913. (Look up Shore?) She would be 70 at the time of her husband's death. Edmee Isabel married Harry Brooker as presented earlier.
Fred Short married a Jane Spalding on 11.1.1896. She was the daughter of a Farm Bailiff, Thomas Spalding deceased. Fred is described as a paperhanger. They were both aged 35 and gave their address as 85 Adeney Rd, Fulham. Harry Brooker was a witness. The West Kensington local directory 1898/9 shows him living at 39 Percy Street. The 1903 P.O. Northern Suburbs directory lists Fred Short, Painter at 19 Musard Rd. Fred died aged 43 in 1903. He died intestate but in 1907 his wife Jane (as sole relict) was granted administration of his estate which had swollen significantly in the meantime. Presumably somebody had left him money which passed to his widow. We don't know whether there were any children.
Allan Granville Short married a Beatrice Helena Hawker on 29.11.1885. They were
both living in Stanford Rd, Fulham (nos 14,27). He was a plasterer. They lived
first with her family at no.27 (1891 census) until 1893 when they moved to 150
Escourt Rd, Fulham. In 1898 they moved to Brentford where his eldest son Albert Edward was born (1898(3) Brentford 3a 138). At the time of writing we cannot be certain who the mother was because we know from Allan's will that he subsequently married a a Laura Jane XXX. He eventually moved to Isleworth (30 Twickenham Rd). He died in 1946 aged 83 at his son's home in Twickenham (29 Heathfield South). From his will, made about a year earlier, we learn he had 2 sons, 2 daughters and 2 daughter-in-laws, and a grandson; and that his wife (Laura Jane) predeceased him.
Albert Edward, a civil servnt, married Mary Pansie Bates in 1931(3) (Hammersmith 1a 401). They had 2 daughters Mavis Granville 1931(3) Brentford 3a 407 and Rosemary Granville 1936(1) Brentford 3a 454
According to the wills index at Somerset House Albert died 23.7.1958 "at Ealing", his address being 2 Cross Deep Gardens, Twickenham. However we cannot trace his death at St.Catherines House or at Richmond Registry Office. His will appoints a 'nephew' Desmond Ellerman as executor. Rose Agnes Ellerman was a witness.
Tony has been in touch with Rosemary Granville (McCreddie) who still lives in Twickenham. It would appear that Allan Granville had 7 children because she referred to her aunts Winifred, Elsie and Rose (presumably Rose Agnes Ellerman). More interesting she confirmed the "French Connection" story about a wealthy French relative, but she didn't know anymore than we did. She suggested her cousin Allan Granville Leighton might be able to help. Tony has written to him but no reply! She confirmed that her grandfather had been a builder in Chiswick. She also said he died after being knocked down by a car. We are still unclear about the period post-1896. The West Kensington local directory of 1898-9 covers both Fulham and Hammersmith and lists William Short at 19 Musard Rd and Fred Short at 39 Percy Rd (Shepherds Bush). The Hammersmith directory for 1901-2 lists Fred Short at both addresses, which suggests his mother survived his father and continued to live at Musard Rd until she died in 1900/1901, but we cannot trace her death. Indeed we cannot trace her death from 1891 - 1912! William is still listed in the 'commercial' section as a plumber even though he died in 1897!. The 1902-3 directory also lists Fred at both addresses but the commercial entry for his father has been removed. The same holds in the 1903-4 directory but in 1904-5 there are no entries for Fred: he is dead and we know from the grant of administration that his widow has moved to Armadale St.

William died in 1897.