Herbert Smith

Herbert was the son of Henry Smith and his second wife Hannah (née Sewell). His father Henry was born in Scredington, near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, on 12 July 1856 and married Elizabeth Willows (b. abt. 1853) of Foston, Lincolnshire, in 1878. They had two sons, Fred (Willows) born in Foston in 1876 (J/F/M Newark) before their marriage, and George born in Scredington in 1880 (O/N/D Sleaford). In 1881 the familly was living in Scredington: Henry an agricultural labourer, Elizabeth (27), Fred (5) and George (5 months). Fred has not been traced after 1881. His mother Hannah was born in Barrowden, Rutland, on 18 November 1863, the daughter of Daniel and Sarah Ann Sewell. She was baptised in Barrowden parish church on 27 December 1863. Henry and Hannah were married in Nottinghamshire in 1885 (J/F/M Bingham) and had nine children of whom two, Ethel May and Hilda, died young. Their eldest child, Albert (Sewell), was born in Wakerley, Northamptonshire, in 1884 (O/N/D Uppingham) before their marriage. Their other children were born in Barnstone, Nottinghamshire: Annie b. 1886; Ethel May b. 1888 d. 1900 aged 11; Ada b. 1891, Herbert b. 6 November 1894 bap. Langar St Andrew 23 December 1894 ; Hilda b. 29 December 1897 (reg. 1898 J/F/M) bap. St Andrew 5 February 1898 d. 1898 (J/F/M); Arthur b. 30 April 1899 bap. St Andrew 28 May 1899; Edith Mary b. 10 March 1902 and Olive b. 24 December 1904 (reg. 1905 J/F/M). In 1891 Henry, Hannah, his son George and their children Albert (6), Annie (4) and Ethel (2) were living on Lime Row, Barnstone Lane, Langar. Ethel died nine years later in 1900. Another daughter, Hilda, who was born in December 1897, died the following year. The family was still living in Barnstone in 1901 when Henry was working as a cement burner. Only Ada (9), Herbert (6) and Arthur (1) were in the home on the night of the census. Henry's son George and their children Albert and Annie have not yet been traced on the census. By 1911, Henry, a waggoner on a farm, his wife together with Herbert, a cowman on a farm, Arthur, Edith (9) and Olive (6) had moved to Station Farm, Granby. Both their daughters, Annie and Ada were working as general domestic servants, Annie in the household of John and Emily Marriott of Sherwood Rise, Nottingham, and Ada in Radcliffe on Trent in the household of Frank Robinson and his family. Albert has not yet been traced on the census Henry and Hannah were still living in Sutton cum Granby when the later CWGC record was compiled. However, in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Henry, an old age pensioner, and Hannah were living on Main Street, Radcliffe on Trent, with their unmarried daughter Edith. The record of one other member of the household remains closed. Hannah died in 1953. Their unmarried daughter Olive was living in the School House, Granby, in 1939, and was housekeeper to the head teacher, Mildred Parkes. Olive died in 1977 (J/F/M Grantham) and it is likely that her sister Edith Mary also died in 1977 (J/F/M Grantham).