Lillian Smith

C1 The Smith Family: Robert Willetts Smith I. Home Page Family History Smith Family Start 16 April 2007

1. The Smith Families of Stafford:

Reminder The numbering of the three Robert Willetts Smith’s (I, II & III) is solely for the convenience. The numbers have no other significance.

What happened to Richard and Hannah Smith in the next ten years is unknown; the first child identified was Sarah, born February 1st 1803. Robert Willetts Smith, the couple’s second and apparently last child, was born on Nov 10th 1805 in Stafford. It may be relevant to note that Robert Willetts Smith (I) name was actually written down at the Christening as Robert Willis Smith (however, since neither partner could write, the difference in spelling is probably due to chance).

It is thought that Hannah died young, because Richard married Sarah Johnson in 1815. The only evidence that this is ‘our’ Richard Smith is that no other suitable Richard Smith was found in the Stafford parish records and IGI and the serendipitous fact that a Richard & Sarah Johnson named their son Robert Willetts Johnson on Nov 26 1824.

On the 8th July 1832, Robert Smith (aged 26) married Ann, the 23 year old daughter of John & Sarah Stanton.

Figure 4 Robert Smith & Ann Stanton’s Marriage Entry: Parish Register. Page 66

	Marriage Solemnised in the Parish of St. Mary in Stafford .
	in the County of Stafford in the Year 1832
	Roberts Willets Smith of this Parish
	Bachelor .
	and Ann Stanton of this Parish
	Spinster .
	were married in this Church by Banns with consent of
	this Eighth Day of
	July in the Year One thousand eight hundred and thirty two .
	By me Robert Temple Curate .
	This Marriage was solemnised between us ( Robt Willets Smith .
	( Ann Stanton .
	In the Presence of ( Mary Ann Dickenson .
	( Thomas Holmes .
	No.198

Note: Both partners signed the register and therefore had at least minimal writing skills.

Robert and Ann had at least ten children. Both sons, named Thomas, and a daughter named Mary Ann died young. The remaining seven children survived to adulthood:

Name	Birthdate	Married Name
Ann Smith	c1833	Bill
Sarah Smith	c1834	Salt
Robert Willets Smith	c1835
John Smith	c1838
William Smith	c1841
Susan Smith	c1842	Greenwood
Edwin Smith	c1849

Robert and Ann’s first child was Christened 9 months after the marriage in 1833 and Robert Willetts Smith (II), Nan’s grandfather and the couple’s third child, was Christened in 1835:

Figure 5 Copy of Entry of Baptism of Robert Willetts Smith in Parish Register

Baptism Solemnised in the Parish of St. Mary County of Stafford in 1835

Date of Birth

When Baptised

Child’s Name

Parents’

Christian

Names

Surname

Abode

Trade Profession

Cere-mony

13th Sept 1835

Robert Willetts

son of

Robert Willetts

& Ann

Smith

Stafford

Shoemaker

R. Temple Curate

In the 1841 census Robert, aged 30, and his wife Ann lived in Red Lion Street with their 5 surviving children. The absence of Thomas, who would have been 4 years old when the census was taken, suggests that he had already died. Robert’s occupation as a journeyman shoemaker indicates that he had passed his apprenticeship but was not yet self-employed. (Concise Oxford Dictionary as: Journeyman –Mechanic or artisan who works for another, fig. mere hireling but qualified as distinct from apprentice.)

Irritatingly the 1841 census records less information than later census’s: the adult age being recorded in completed periods of 5 years.

Census 1841 last quarter of film East Ward.

No .	Address	Name of Resid’s	Age	Occupation	Born in County
ED 4	Red Lion Street	Robert Smith	35	Shoe M. J.	Y
F 34		*Ann Do*	25		Y
P 22		Ann Do	8		Y
		Sarah Do	6		Y
		Robert Do	5		Y
		John Do	2		Y
		William Do	1		Y

Ten years later, in 1851, the family had grown and moved house. Robert (I) describes himself as a cordwainer the logical presumption being that he had then become self-employed. The invalidity of Robert Willetts Smith (II) suggests a long term weakness. Whilst Robert (II) did subsequently marry and have a son, he died aged 34 after a 3 year period of illness of consumption (TB or Tuberculosis) - a disease vividly described as ‘the white death’.

Census Year: 1851 Stafford

No .	Address	Name of Resid’s	Relation	Age	Occupation	Birth
ED9a	69 Eastgate	Robert Smith	*Head*	45	*Cordwainer*	*Stafford*
F.82	Street	Ann Do	*Wife*	41	*do wife*	*Hopton*
P.22		Ann Do	Dau	17	Shoe binder	Stafford
S.29		Sarah Do	Dau	16	do do	Stafford
		Robert Do	Son	15	Invalid	Stafford
		John Do	Son	12	Cordwainers	Stafford
P.23		William Smith	Son	10	appr.	Stafford
		Susannah Do	Dau	8		Stafford
		Edwin Do	Son	2		Stafford
		William Stanton	Br.inLaw	39		Hopton

Comment: Both William and Ann were born before the Government insisted on the registration of all births and hence the only chance of identifying their parents was through discovering the childrens Christening. Unfortunately, there was no christening record at Hopton. Fortunately, when St.Mary’s Christening records were searched, the Christenings of an Ann and William Stanton, of the right age found, AND the parish record noted that their parents were recorded as coming from Hopton!

In 1858, the younger Robert Smith (RWS II), aged 22, married Jane Pierce. Robert had by this time completed his apprenticeship and describes himself as a cordwainer; he probably worked alongside his father and brothers.

Figure 6 Marriage of Robert Willetts Smith and Jane Pierce at Marston Chapel in 1858


	Certified Copy of Entry of an Entry of Marriage
	Marriage Solemnised at: Marston Chapel
	Year: 1858 in the Parish of St.Mary,Stafford in County of: Stafford
.	No 84	When Married	Name and Surname	Age	Condition	Rank or Profession	Residence at time of Marriage	Father’s Name	Rank or Prof of Father
		April 11	Robert Willetts Smith Jane Pierce	Full age Full age	Bachelor Spinster	Cordwainer	Marston Do	Robert Willetts Smith George Pierce	Cord wainer Tailor
	Married in the Marston Chapel by Banns by me G.Norman, Incumbent Marriage was ( Robert Willetts Smith ) in the ( John Smith . solemnised ( Jane Pierce X her mark ) Presence of ( Ann Pierce her mark X

(Ann Pierce is probably Jane’s sister;John Smith almost certainly Robert’s younger brother)

St. Catherine’s Index Marr: Q2 1858 Robert Willetts Smith; Stafford 6b, p11.

The lack of education given to girls at this time is evidenced by the fact that both Jane and Ann made their ‘mark’.

By 1861 Robert (I) and Ann’s three elder children had left home (Sarah, in 1873 was Sarah Salt). Robert’s (I) business has grown and not only is his son Robert (II) a cordwainer, so too are two other sons and a nephew. An aside: The nephew’s father is probably Thomas Holmes a witness at Robert and Anne’s wedding in 1832.

Census 1861 almost at end of film West Ward.

No .	Address	Name of Resid’s	Relation	Age	Occupation	Place of Birth
ED ?	41 Friar	*Robert W.Smith*	*Head*	55	*Cordwainer*	*Stafford*
F120	Street	*Ann Do*	*Wife*	51		*Hopton Staffs.*
P10		John Do	son	22	Do	Stafford
Sc50		William Do	son	20	Do	Stafford
		Edwin Do	son	12	Errand Boy	Stafford
		James Holmes	Nephew	19	Cordwainer	Stafford
		John Walker	Appr	13	Do Ap	Stafford

Whilst it is not known when Robert (I) and Ann moved to Friar Street, it is known that they owned the property. A deduction based on the fact that only property owners had the right to vote and 4 years later, in 1865, the poll book for the North Division of County of Stafford (Birmingham Library) records that Robert Willetts Smith of Friar Street cast his votes for two Conservative candidates. Overall, a Liberal and one of the Conservatives were elected. Two years later, Disraeli of the Tory party managed to pass the Electoral Reform Act which meant that virtually all adult males could vote in elections.

Robert’s son RWS (II), Nan’s grandfather, lived at Peel Terrace:

Census 1861 Part of East Ward

No .	Address	Name of Residents	Relation	Age	Occupation	Birth Place
ED16	Peel	Robert Willets Smith	Head	25	Cordwainer	Stafford
F 31	Terrace	Jane Smith	Wife	24	Shoebinder	Hanley
P.50	S249	Samuel Piearce	B.in Law	15	Cordwainer	Stafford

Comment: The census record again helped identify the female line. Whilst Jane was born before official birth registration began, Samuel was born after it. Samuel was born on the 26th April 1845 (S.C.I. Q2 1845) to George and Eliza Pearce (see Pearce-Yates line) of Friar Street.

Robert and Jane’s only child Robert Willetts Smith (III) was born on January 16^th 1866 and named after his father and grandfather. Robert II’s job description (shoemaker journeyman) on the birth certificate indicates that, although he is described as a cordwainer in the 1861 census, he was actually working for someone else – presumably his father.

Sadly RWS (II) died on the 17th of June 1869 after 3 years ill health of pulmonary consumption.

Figure 7 Death Certificate of Robert Willetts Smith 1869


Certified Copy of Entry of Death
Registration District Stafford
Year: 1869 ~~Sub~~-district of: Stafford in County of: Stafford
No	Date &Place, Death	Name Surname	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of Death	Signature, description & residence of informant	When Registered
72	17th June 1869 Cherry Street Stafford	Robert Willetts Smith	Male	34 yrs	Shoemaker	Pulmonary Consumption 2 or 3 years Certified	A.Smith Present at the Death Friar Str Stafford	18th June 1869

‘A.Smith’ is almost certainly Robert’s mother Ann (nee Stanton). The only other known A. Smith is Albert who (according to the 1891 census) would have been 17 years old. It is, however, unlikely that Albert Smith, is Robert and Jane’s son - the evidence suggests that he is Jane’s stepson from her subsequent marriage.

In the 1871 census, Robert (I) and most of his children were found. Robert (I) is living with his son John. Sarah Salt has 9 children. Ann Bill has exaggerated her age - according to her baptism she should only be 38 - did she marry under-age? Her husband Thomas’s full name is Thomas Lander Bill. Thomas and Ann’s children were christened as follows: John on May 31^st, 1854 and Elizabeth on July 27^th, 1858.

1871 Census Stafford 2 Films

No .	Address	Name of Resid’s	Relation	Age	Occupation	Place
ED12	100	Edwin Smith	Head	22	Shoe Fitter	Stafford
F 17	Backwalls	Mary Ann Smith	Wife	20	Machinist
P 28	South	Ann Smith	Daur	1
S154		Smith	Son	1day

ED13	49 Tenter	Thomas Bill	Head	49	Shoemaker	Stafford
F 41	Bank	Ann	Wife	44		Stafford
P 24		John	Son	16	Clicker	Stafford
S170		Elizabeth	Daur	12	Scholar	Stafford
		Ann	Daur	5		Stafford

ED18	6 Grey	Gabriel Salt	Head	37	Shoemaker	Stafford
F32	Friars	Sarah Salt	Wife	37		Stafford
P26	Place	Gabriel Salt	Dau?	16	Employed in	Stafford
S104		Robert Salt	Son	15	" Shoemanuf.	Stafford
		Julia Ann Salt	Dau	13	do do	Stafford
		George Salt	Son	11	Scholar	Stafford
		Ruth Salt	Dau	9	do	Stafford
		John Slanbon Salt	Son	7	do	Stafford
		Alfred Salt	Son	3	do	Stafford
		Janet Salt	Dau	2		Stafford
		Rose Salt	Dau	4mo		Stafford

ED21	41 Friar	Robert W. Smith	Head Wid	65	*Commission*	Stafford
P10	Str.	John Smith	Son unm	31	Clicker \Agent	Stafford
S47
F14	9 New	Henry Greenwood	Head	24	Rivetter	Hanley
P21	Str.	Susannah "	Wife	27	Machinist	Stafford
S118		William H. "	Son	3	Scholar	Stafford
		Ann "	Dau	2		Stafford

Comment: RWS I’s will provided the married names of his daughters.

The only members of the Smith family mentioned in Kelly’s directory for Stafford are Robert’s son John, John’s widow and their son. The entries, printed overleaf, demonstrate that John converted Robert’s house into a grocery shop between 1872 and 1878, and that he moved to new premises between 1878 and 1881.:

Figure 8 Smith Family Entries in Kelly’s Directory, Stafford.

Year	Occupation	Name	Address	Page
1872
1878	Shopkeeper	John Smith	41 Friar Street	p.574
1888	Grocer	John Smith	9 Friar Street	p.295
1892	Grocer	Ann Smith (Mrs)	9 Friar Street
1896	Grocer	Ann Smith (Mrs)	9 Friar Street	p.326
1908	Grocer	Walter S. Smith	9 Friar Street	p.373
1912	Grocer	Walter S. Smith	9 Friar Street	p.384

In the 1881 census, Robert (I) describes himself as a ‘House Agent’ whilst there is no evidence of this occupation in Kellys directories, his will - see later - refers to 3 houses. By 1881 John has married and has started a family; the eldest son, not surprisingly, being Walter S. Smith! Four of Robert’s children Ann, Sarah, William and Edwin were found in Stafford, his daughter Susannah had moved to Manchester. Thomas, and Mary weren’t found.

Census Year: 1881 Black No.: 1341644 Red film: 7993

Civil Parish:St Mary Borough:Stafford Ward:East Parliament:Stafford

No .	Address	Name’s	Relation	Age	Occupation	Place
ED5	Alliance	Edwin Smith	Head	33	Shoe Fitter	Stafford
F29	Street	Mary A. Do	Wife	30		Marchington
P6		Ann Do	Dau	11	Scholar	Stafford
		Robert W. Do	Son	8	Do	Stafford
		Ellen Do	Dau	3		Stafford
		George W. Do	Son	1		Stafford
		Elizabeth Castle	Boarder	52		Marchington
		Do Do	Do	17		Marchington

ED25	49 Tenter	Thomas L. Bill	Head	58	Boot&Shoe Maker	Stafford
P26/	Banks	Ann do	Wife	51	Fitter)in Shoe	Stafford
P27	(Castle	John do	Son	26	Clicker)Trade	Stafford
S142	Church	Elizabeth do	Dau	22	Machinist do	Stafford
	Parish)	Ann do	Dau	15	do do	Stafford
		John Thomas	G.Son	2mo		Stafford
		S?ibey
ED29	29 Grey	Gabriel Salt	Head	46	Boot operator	Stafford
F53	Friars	Sarah do	Wife	46		Stafford
P29	Place	John do	Son	17	Shoe Clicker	Stafford
S132	(Christ	Alfred do	Son	13	Scholar	Stafford
	Church	Harriett do	Dau	12	do	Stafford
	Parish)	Rose do	Dau	10	do	Stafford
		Rowland do	Son	8	do	Stafford
ED32	F120
P20	78 Victoria	William Smith	Head	40	Shoe Fitter	Stafford
S117	Terrace	& Family

ED35	9 Friar Str	John Smith	Head	42	Grocer	Stafford
F23		Ann	Wife	43		Stafford
P13		Walter S.	Son	3		Stafford
S63		Annie B.	Dau	2		Stafford
		*Robert W.*	Wid/Father	75	Aucto\ House Agent	Stafford

Problems in identification:

1) ED18: F103,P9,S42 White Lion Str., William Smith (39) breadmaker, William 14, Samuel 12, Jessie 11, Margaret 4 all born at Stafford!

2) A second Edwin Smith (Boot finisher aged 33) also married to a Mary A. was found with 5 children : Henry, 11; Alice, 8; Harriett, 6; Emma, 4 & Edith, 2. All born in Stafford. But family differed from that identified in 1871. Confirmation that the first Edwin was correctly identified came with the 1891 census, where the full name of his son Robert was given: Robert Willetts Smith!

Census Year: 1881 Manchester, Lancs from 1881 Census Index. PROREF: RG11

No .	Address	Name’s	Relation	Age	Occupation	Place
	268	Henry Greenwood	Head	34		Hanley, Stafford
F83	Collyhurst Rd.,	Susannah “	Wife	38		Stafford, England
P17	Manchester	Wm.Henry “	Son	13		Stafford, England
		Annie “	daughter	12		Stafford, England
		Elizabeth “	daughter	9		Stafford, England
		Susannah “	daughter	6		Stafford, England
	Lancs.	Maude “	daughter	5		Stafford, England

Comment: The fact that Susannah is living in Manchester is particularly interesting, because Nan had told her daughter, Nancy, that she had stayed with her Aunty in Manchester as a child. Travelling by train with her clothes in a pillow case.

The eldest Robert Willets Smith (I) died in 1884, the executors being his son John and daughter Ann Bill. A copy of his will is summarised below and given on the next three pages. Whilst Robert was not rich he must have been a successful businessman leaving a total of £152.

The will, dated 20^th November 1873, lists the three houses Robert (Lillian Smith’s Great-Grandfather) owned:

41 Friar Street, Stafford: where he and John Smith were then living.

?? New Street, Stafford: occupied by Henry Greenwood.

?? EastGate Street, Stafford: occupied by Thomas Wilkins.

Robert left legacies of nineteen guineas to his daughter’s Sarah Salt and Susan Greenwood and his sons William and Edward Smith, but left the bulk of his possessions to John Smith and Ann Bill. Adding that if Sarah, William or Susan die, their legacies should again go to John Smith and Ann Bill or their heirs.

It is interesting to note that one of the houses left to John and Ann, was when the will was writtenlived in by Robert’s daughter Susan.

The fact that Edwin named his eldest son Robert Willets Smith (born c1873) clearly failed to raise his legacy.

Robert Willetts Smith (II) was dead when the will was written and his heirs received nothing.

No mention is made of Thomas or Mary Smith.

Figure 9 Will of Robert Willetts Smith (I)

In the 1891 census John Smith were found. Since, Kelly’s directory indicates that in 1892 John’s wife Ann was in charge of the grocery shop, it is probable that John subsequently died. Ann Bill and her family were living at New Street, Robert’s old house?

The first Gabriel Salt in the 1891 census below is the son of Gabriel and Sarah Salt (nee Smith).

1891 Census

Nos.	Address		Residents Names	Relation	Age	Occupation	Place
ED22	50		Gabriel Salt	Head	39	Shoe Fitter	Stafford
F9	Backwalls		Sarah Salt	Wife	3?		Stafford
P12	N.		Frank Salt	Son	9	Scholar	Stafford
S60			William Salt	Son	3		Stafford
			Arthur Russell	Lodger	42	Gen Labour	Stafford

ED29	78 Victoria		William Smith	Head	50	Boot Finisher	Stafford
F18	Terrace		Jane B.	Wife	50		Garostall
P34	St Issey &		Elizabeth	Dau	24	Boot Machinist	Stafford
S207	St.Chad		William A.	Son	12		Stafford

ED31	24 New Str.		Thomas L.Bill	Head	68	Shoemaker	Stafford
F62			Ann	Wife	64	/Shoe Trade	Stafford
P13			Annie	dau	24	Needle Fitter	Stafford
S69			John L. Spivey	G.Son	9	Scholar	Stafford
	*Continued overleaf*
ED32	Cooperative		Edwin Smith	Head	42	Boot Fitter	Stafford
P6&7	Str.		Mary Ann Smith	Wife	39		Marchington
S29			Robert Willets Smith	Son	17	Stone Mason	Stafford
			Ellen Smith	Dau	13	Dress maker	Stafford
			William	Son	2		Stafford
			William ?	Son	7mo
		Elizabeth Cook M.in Law		Wid	62		Stafford
			Robert Rishe	Lodger	18		Stafford
ED32
F85	14		Gabriel H Salt	Head	56	Boot Operator	Stafford
P9	Cooperative		Sarah Salt	Wife	56

Birthdate

Married Name

Certified Copy of Entry of an Entry of Marriage

Cord

Certified Copy of Entry of Death

Clicker \Agent

Robert Willets Smith