Eric Bentley
The motor mechanic of the family
My husband, Eric Bentley was born in1929 in the cottage next to Lines blacksmiths (55 Harpenden High Street) to Hedley and Edith (nee Minter) Bentley, He was the youngest of eight, his siblings being Winifred, Albert, Beatrice, Leonard, Kate, Florence and Alice.
Family members who traded in Harpenden High Street
Alice married George Dunkley (butcher) and Hedley’s cousins were Frank (decorator and later builder) and William (grocer) Bentley who all had businesses in Harpenden High Street.
Apprenticeship, Marriage and a Move to Devon
Eric went in for a different trade and served his apprenticeship at Reads’ Motors (72a/74 High Street). We married in 1952 and moved to Exmouth, Devon, in 1954 where my father Richard Pidgeon had been born. There Eric achieved his own quite large garage, Bentleys. When he retired the running of the garage passed to our son John and it is still owned by the family (2022). Eric died in January 2021 aged 91.
The next generation
Our grandsons are Joshua Bentley and Ben Toutounchi.
No Comments
Add a comment about this page