THE PRINCESS AHMADEE

I was researching the Croft family and found a baptism in St Matthews, Buckley in 1878, it was only
later I spotted a very unusual entry on the same page.
21st September 1878. Mary Ahmadee, father Syad Ahmad Ali, mother Margaret Ahmad Ali. Abode
Buckley. Fathers profession, Nawab of India. How very strange, why would the child of an Indian
man be baptised in a small Welsh town, surely it would have made the news, but a search of local
papers found nothing at all.

A couple of months later while looking at the 1871 census; I was surprised to find what seemed to be
the same child. Living at Lane End, Buckley was Ellen Owen aged 34 an unmarried grocer born
Pulford, and Maria Jones aged 50 her sister, a widow born Hawarden.
Under these is Ahmeed Ahmod Ali aged 11 months born London. This meant that the child was about
8 when she was baptised. (Even though the date looks like 1872 it is 1878) Had she been brought up
in Buckley, where were her parents, and why was she living in Lane End in a grocers shop?

I couldnt find the girl in 1881 or 1891, but have managed to find her marriage. There are various
reports, all quite confusing.
The Colonies and India 24 October 1891
The Begum Ahmadee, youngest daughter of Sir Syed Ahmad Ali, K.C.S.I., is to be married shortly to
Mr. A. Flower March, of The Hembs, Great Barr, Birmingham. The Begum Ahmadee is a lineal
descendant, through her father, of the famous Emperor Akbar.
Birmingham Daily Post, December 11, 1891
Mr Maurice Vernon the actor has just married the Princess Ahmadez daughter of Nawab Sind Ahmed
Ali K.C.S.L. of the royal house of Delhi; Maurice Vernon was a `stage name`, he was really W H
Bennett. There is a bankruptcy report in the The Standard February 18, 1897 which gives both names.
The true details are she was married 23rd November 1891 Christchurch, Cannes, France.
Both residing at the Hotel Belle Air.
Mary Ahmadee Ahmad Ali 21 spinster, father Nawab Sir Syad Ahmed Ali, gentleman.
William Henry Bennet 22 bachelor, gentleman, father. John William Bennett, Clerk in Holy Orders.

Before her marriage Mary had become a concert artist known as Princess Ahmadee and over the
years there are various tales about her background, but nothing conclusive on her mother until a death
announcement in 1892.
In the London Chat of New Zealand 1895 it reads Twenty five years ago a girl was born at
Kensington Palace Gardens, her father was the Sir Nawab Ali and her mother was a well born
English lady. When eight years old she was baptised at Hawarden, Lord Lawrence being her
Godfather. She is now the Begum Ahmadee by birth and Mrs Bennett by marriage, she is also one of
the most beautiful and gifted women of the day. She learned pianoforte and harp under the most
eminent teachers. Tosti proclaims her a potential Patti and the Queen who is a good judge agrees
with him.
The first mention of Princess Ahmadee as a singer is in June 1889, when she performed with Madame
Cellini`s Grand Concert at St James Hall. Tickets 1 1s or 10s 6d. Between then and 1895 there are
many reports about her concerts in which she performs all over the country, travelling from Scotland
to Ireland, Isle of Man and Guernsey often with more than one performance a week.
These are from just a few newspaper articles about her visits to Wales.
Wrexham Advertiser. October 10, 1891. On the previous Tuesday the Princess Ahmadee came to
Buckley when she appeared in a Grand Concert in the English Congregational Schoolroom in aid of
Church funds
The Wrexham Advertiser October 17, 1891
The following week she appeared in another concert at Buckley, at St Matthews Church National
School. This time the report mentions a duet Friendship sung by Princess Ahmadee of the Royal
House of Delhi and Maurice Vernon of the Dorothy Opera company.
North Wales Chronicle July 14, 1894
The Princess Ahmadeee appeared at the Carnarvon National Eistedfodd. It was also the first one
where the Prince and Princess of Wales had attended.
The Wrexham Advertiser, October 13, 1894.
This report again makes much of her history, this time saying she embraced the Christian faith when
quite young, one of her Godfathers being the then Lord Lawrence Secretary of State for India. Her
father was the first of Indian royalty that married an English lady, the climate was not suitable for her
and he brought his wife to England and took a house in Kensington Gardens where the Begum
Ahmadee was born in 1872 (?) She is debarred from seeing her Mahomadden father in Hindoostan
but writes to him constantly. Upon the recommendation of Lord Lawrence her Majesty the Queen
conferred upon the late mother of the young Princess the title of Lady Ali with a suitable pension.
Extracts from various reports all praise her highly.
The Begum Ahmadee has a sweet voice, her complexion is not pronouncedly Asiatic in fact many
people would take her for an European. She is not dusky that is the charm she has dark hair and
wonderful dark eyes but her complexion has a sort of ivory fairness with a warm colour to give it life.
Her dress of rich glittering Indian fabrics carried out the effects but her singing of English songs is
almost without a trace of foreign accent.
The Master Glee singers will appear in a Cardiff concert along with a unique appearance of an
Indian Princess as a Prima Donna, Princess Ahmadee owing to her adoption of the Christian faith
has been cut off by her father, a step which has necessitated her adopting the musical profession.
Princess Ahmadee was one of three children, and even though she forfeited the allowance made by
her father, under Mahomeddan law she cannot be legally disinherited and that his fortune will be
shared by her.
Between 1895 and 1897 there are no concerts announced at all and the last report I found was 1898,
By this time the Princess Ahmadee had two young children.
This was a rather critical report, where it seems one member of the audience was not impressed at all.
The Begum Ahmadee's concert at the Grosvenor Club must have puzzled some of the audience a
good deal. It was undeniably a novel experience; and I am afraid that some of us thought that the
Begum sang a good deal out of tune. She certainly gave a very Oriental version of the intervals of our

scale, the keynote itself being so modified when it was approached in certain ways as to suggest
doubts whether it had the character of a keynote for her at all. I found the effect interesting and by no
means disagreeable.
Still my toleration for foreign intervals must not be abused. I bar duets between the Begum tempering
the scale in her Indian manner, and Mr Joseph O'Mara tempering it in our native manner. Una notte
in Venezia, sung under these conditions,
inflicted such exquisite anguish on the more
sensitive persons present that they had to set
their teeth and hold firmly on to their chairs to
endure it with outward calm. I think this was
partly due to a gallant attempt on Mr O'Mara'
s part not to sing obtrusively in tune from the
European point of view, and to attenuate his
tone as much as possible so as not to drown
the Begum, who was suffering from the effects
of an attack of influenza; but the result,
however well meant, was disastrous.
On 10th February 1895 John Syed Tudor
Bennett was baptised at St Pauls, Hampstead.
He had been born at Sunnyside Beer, Devon.
Parents - Mary Ahmadee and William Henry
Bennett. Gentleman.
Another son, Arthur Cecil William Bennett
was baptised on 15 March 1896 at the same
Church
In 1901 the Princess aged 29 is living with her
two sons at Grange Farm, Buckfastleigh,
Devon.
She is a boarder, living on her own means.
In 1906 under the name of Mary Ahmadee
Ahmad Bennett, she started divorce
proceedings on the grounds of adultery with
desertion. Her husband had twice committed
adultery with un-named women on 26 Nov
1906 at Grand Hotel, Northumberland St, and 9 th December 1906 at Hotel Russell, Bloomsbury. A
final decree was given in October 1907. William Henry Bennett is said to be of no occupation, Mary
was awarded 300 per annum for herself and two children.
In 1911 Ahmadee Bennett aged 40 is a visitor at 153 Fellows Road, London, she is still saying she is
married. She has no family with her.
She died aged 44 in 1913. Wills and Probate. Note that W H Bennett has an addition to his name!
Ahmadee, the Begum of 41 Pevensey Road, Eastbourne, single woman died 19th January 1913.
Administration to William Henry Bennet - Dampier, Captain Reserve of Officers. Effects 248 7s 3d.
Obviously if her father had already died, then she didn`t get a share of his fortune.
The youngest son John Tudor Bennett - Dampier aged 20 was killed in action near Ypres on 2 March
1915. Second Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment attached to The Sherwood Foresters
(Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment)
Son of Lieutenant Colonel William H Benett-Dampier (The Cheshire Regiment), 27 Egerton Gardens,
Chelsea and of the late Mary A Benett-Dampier.
Trying to find her parents has been difficult, I couldn`t find them in 1871, so started to search the
papers, the closest I could find was

The Morning Post, June 22 1870 the Nawab Sayad Ahmed Ali " attended a state ball held by
command of the Queen at Buckingham palace". Over the next few years there were other mentions of
Syad Ahmed Ali attending many Royal functions, but no mention of a lady.
There was also an earlier report in the same paper in 1867 to say that a daughter of the Nawab Ahmad
Ali was born on the 21 st June 1867 at 47 Kensington Park Gardens.
This was found in a list of South Asians at the Inns of Court. Year of admission to Middle Temple
1866 May 1, two brothers on the same date.

Nawab Syad Ahmud Ali of Calcutta (29), second son of Nawab Tuhower Jung, of Calcutta. Called 26
Jan 1869.
Nawab Syad Asghar Ali Khan Bahador, of Calcutta (31), eldest son of Nawab Tuhower Jung, of
Calcutta. Called 26 Jan 1869
Nawab Tuhower Jung is mentioned quite a few times in the Calcutta Journal and in the Horticultual
Society of India dated 1839, printed at the Baptist Mission Press, Circular Road, Calcutta it reads
From his Highness Nawab Tuhower Jung, dated Benares dated 29 th August presenting four pears
grown there an offering to procure grafts of this pear tree etc.
The Morning Post, June 17, 1869 Royal Botanic Gardens. A special fete was held and among the
distinguished visitors were Duchess of Cambridge, Duke and Duchess of Teck, Count and Countess of
Paris etc etc, also Nawab Synd Asshur Ali Khan Bahadoor and Ali Ahmed Nawab Synd.
(These names are a good enough match, and the dates are about right for them to be the sons of the
Nawab Tuhower Jung, also there is a connection with horticulture)
Another paper report was quite a surprise. The address is close enough to the 1867 birth.
The Standard. London. December 3 1870. Notice is hereby given that I; the Nawab Syad Ahmod
Ali at present residing at 41 Kensington Gardens in the County of Middlesex will NOT be
RESPONSIBLE for any DEBTS or ENGAGMENTS which may be contracted by any Person calling
herself LADY or MRS Ashmod Ali or representing herself to be my wife. 41 Kensington Gardens. 1st
December 1870. (Princess Ahamdee was born about May 1870 if the census age is correct )
Then I find in 1871 census at 41 Kensington Gardens, Middlesex.
Nawah Syed .. Ali. S 35 b India, there are also two other Indian men 34 and 30, but their names are
quite unreadable. After this I`ve never found him in any other census, but the names are really
difficult to research because of various spellings.
There are many more reports of the Nawab attending state functions in the next couple of years, then
nothing more on him at all until a report of the death of his wife.

The Standard August 09, 1892

Deaths . July 31st at Florence. Margaret, Lady Ahmad Ali wife of Nawab Syad Ahmad Ali of Calcutta
and the beloved mother of the Begum Ahmadee in her 47th year. (Born c 1845)
I now tried to find if there was any remote connection with Buckley. The only clues I had was that
Mary was baptised there and that in 1871 she was staying with a shopkeeper in Lane End when she
was 11 months old.
Ellen Owen born Pulford was 34; she had a sister Maria born Hawarden aged 50 who had married a
Jones.
Moving forward to 1881 Ellen born Pulford is 64, (maybe she should have been 54 in 1871) is now at
Lord St, Lane End, she is still a grocer and has a niece Anne Owen 40 who is a widow and a butcher
with her, Anne was born in Buckley.
I could find no trace of any of them in 1861; there are parts of that years census missing so perhaps
they are lost
Then I found them in 1851 at Pitt Street Tranmere
Thomas Jones 26 journeyman joiner b Hawarden 1827
Marie Jones 28 b Hawarden c 1826
Margaret Jones 5 daughter b Hawarden c 1846
George Jones 4 son b Hawarden
Ellen Owen visitor unm 34 no occupation b Hawarden (this confirms her age was wrong in 1871)
Thomas and Maria had married on 9th September 1845 at Hawarden; her father was George Owen, a
butcher.
I can`t find the family in 1841 but in 1851 her brother George and her mother Elizabeth are living at
Lane End with the rest of his family. On Georges baptism in 1813 his parents are George Owen and
Elizabeth Parsonage, Ellen and Maria`s baptisms have not been found.
In all census records I found for the Owen family there is only one tiny link as to why Mary Ahmadee
would be in Buckley, and that is through Margaret aged 5 in 1851.
So the question now is could this really been Margaret Jones, the death in Florence aged 47 in 1892
certainly matches. There is also the statement in the 1870 paper by the Nawab Ali about the Lady or
Mrs Ashmod Ali or representing herself to be my wife
I couldn`t find Margaret in 1861 or 1871, but could she have somehow found her way to London and
managed to meet the son of Indian Royalty.
Did she actually pass herself off as a person of higher status than she really was, and what about the
newspaper articles? Obviously Mary Ahmadee did have a good education and was taught well
enough to pursue a musical career, but did her mother really marry Syad Ali, he was probably
Muslim, so this would allow him to have more than one wife and the other sister may have been from
another woman.
I really don`t know, I think this is one tale I will never solve.
Title: P 784/1912 Nizamat Family: Ahmadee Begum
This is a file in the British Library which consists of 23 pages of minutes and letters regarding an
application by Ahmadee Begum for an increase in her pension. The file includes three letters written
by Begum herself and a copy of a letter regarding her conjugal rights following her divorce. After
contacting the Library it seems there is nothing in the files to shed any light on her mother or any
useful details on her father.
I Googled Nizamat Family and found a dynasty` going back many centuries, but there is nothing
definite there about Syad, there was one of the same Nizamat family who is listed, with the grand title
of HH Nawab Nazim Mutizum-ul-Mulk Muhsinuddaula Feradun Jah Syed Mansur Ali Khan Bahadur
Nasirat Jang, 14th Nawab Nazim of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa 1838/1880 (abdicated), who was born
in October 1830.
He came to England, having had two marriages in India, had another two concubines who were given
the status of wives after investigation by the British Authorities, in England he 'married' a further two
wives, Sarah Vennell and Julia Lewis, and had over 100 children, most by informal liaisons.

In a newspaper article from 1870 the Nawab Nazim claimed that he was a descendant of Meer Jaffier
who Robert Clive of India placed on the throne of Bengal in 1757, and that in 1765 Bengal was
transferred to the British on condition that they paid a tribute of a sum equivalent to 260.000. A later
agreement to pay 318.199 annually for ever
Critics of the Nawab Nazim said that he should be satisfied with a stipend of 200 a day!
After some discussion again with the British Library they do seem to think that this is the same
family, but where Mary Ahmadee`s father fits in is still not sure. He may have been a cousin and
entitled to support from the family or the Nizamat pension. Could Margaret just have been another
one of these informal liaisons and could Maria Owen of Buckley been her Grandmother ?
And there the story has to end, it would be thrilling to uncover the connection, but it will have to stay
as it is - unsolved.
Annette Edwards.