Treasurer of Hampstead Liberal Club in 1889.
Benjamin Abbott Lyon was born on 3 September 1837, the second of the three children of George James Lyon (1805-1866) and Mary Ring Lyon née Abbott (1811-1840). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1837 in the Poplar Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 27 September 1837 he was baptised in All Saints Church, East India Dock Road, Poplar, where the baptismal register confirms his family were living in Poplar and that his father was a butcher. His two siblings were: Eliza Abbott Lyon (1836-1933) and George Lyon (1839-1920)
His mother had died in 1840 and in the 1841 census he is shown as aged 3 years and living with his sister Eliza Abbott Lyon at 3 Randalls Terrace, East India Road, Poplar, the home of his maternal grandfather Benjamin Abbott (1767-1850) and his third wife Mary Abbott née Mountain (1777-1853), together with a female servant.
When the 1851 census was undertaken he was listed as aged 13 years and living at 1 Munster Street (later renamed as Osnaburgh Street), Marylebone, Middlesex (now Greater London) with his father, who was described as a butcher, his step-mother Elizabeth Lyon née Wedd (1813-1896) and his sister, together with a female domestic servant and two male butcher's men.
He was shown in the 1861 census as aged 23 years and living at 10 Albert Street, St Pancras, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his father, his stepmother and his sister, together with a male boarder and a female house servant, His father was described as a proprietor of houses.
He married Louisa Maria Le Lacheur (1840-1915) in the 2nd quarter of 1861 in the Pancras Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London).
He is shown in parochial overseer returns in 1864 as residing at 7 Mansfield Villas, Hampstead, Middlesex (now Greater London).
The 1871 census shows him as aged 33 years, a ship owner and Costa Rican merchant residing in Frognal, Montague Grove, Hampstead, with his wife and four of their children: Louisa Maud Lyon (1862-1946) - scholar; William Le Lacheur Lyon (1864-1940) - a scholar; Herbert George Lyon (1865-1940) and Mary de Jersey Lyon (1867-1947), together with a cook, a housemaid and a nursemaid. Also recorded living in The Lodge at Frognal was his gardener, wife and three children.
On the night of the 1881 census, he and his wife were shown as visitors staying in Cass's Hotel, Ventnor, Isle of Wight and he was described as a merchant. Meanwhile the family home was now 'Uplands', Greenhill Road, Hampstead and the census there listed three of their children: Louisa Maud Lyon; Mary de Jersey Lyon and Arthur Percy Lyon (1873-1946) - a scholar, together with a cook, a parlour maid, a housemaid, a coachman and his wife.
He was recorded in the 1891 census as still residing at 'Uplands', Greenhill Road, Hampstead. He was described as aged 53 years and as a Central American merchant. Also listed were his wife and three of their children: Herbert George Lyon - an underwriting clerk: Mary de Jersey Lyon and Arthur Percy Lyon - a scholar, together with a cook, a parlour maid and a housemaid.
When the 1901 census was compiled he was shown as aged 63 years and an American merchant living at 75 Fitzjohn's Avenue, Hampstead, London, with his daughter, Mary de Jersey Lyon, together with a cook, a parlour maid, a housemaid and a professional nurse.
His death was registered as aged 66 years in the 1st quarter of 1904 in the Hampstead Registration District. Probate records confirm his addresses had been both 'Uplands', Hampstead, Middlesex and 58 Lombard Street, London and that he died at 'Uplands' on 8 February 1904. His body was in , Fortune Green Road, London, NW6 1DR. Probate was granted on 23 February 1904 to his widow and his effects totalled £40,921-8s-5d.
He is shown as 'B. A. LYON. ESQ. TREASURER.' on the Hampstead Liberal Club foundation stone at 24 Heath Street, London, NW3.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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