Do you know where he was born in England ?

I'm not sure but he had a son Edward James Bennett born in Hatcham in 1851, so he might have been born around the same area.

To work back I checked the census for a Edward James Bennett 1851 Hatcham and only found this :

1881 census Address: 1, Avenue Square, Lewisham County: London, Kent

Edward Jas Head 1851 Gardener Domestic Serv Hatcham, Surrey
Mary Elizabeth Wife 1851 London, Middlesex
Edward Jas Son 1875 Scholar Sydenham, Kent
William Henry Son 1877 Sydenham, Kent
Frederick Thos Son 1878 Sydenham, Kent
Robert Sydney Son 1880 Sydenham, Kent
Herbert Arthur Son 1881 Lewisham, Kent

I then checked the marriage of James Edward Bennett :

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
Name: Edward James Bennett
Spouse Name: Mary Elizth Burchell
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 5 Apr 1874
Parish: Plumstead St Margaret
Borough: Greenwich
Father Name: James Bennett
Spouse Father: Wm Henry Burchell
Register Type: Parish Register

I could not find Edward James Bennett in the 1851/61/71 census. will look again tomorrow

Thanks for your reply. All the information you have given is correct. I've looked at the census for 1851 through to 1911 and couldn't find him inthe 1851/61/71 either but did find him in 1881 through to 1911.