Advice on Smiths of Gosport!

[ElizabethHerts]

Don't all groan at once!

My 3xgreat grandmother was Jane Smith, born 10 April 1793, and christened on 12 May 1793 at Holy Trinity, Gosport. Her parents were William Smith and Jane (nee Catto). Jane Smith married Newbourn Wood on 19 February 1821 at St Mary's, Portsea.

It seems that William Smith died in/about 1844 as I made the following note:
from the Calm Database:
To order:
Copy will of William Smith, late of Portsea, now of Gosport, retired Officer of Shipwrights at Her Majesty’s Dockyard, Portsmouth
Date 22 May 1844
Description Bequest of messuage and premises in Queen Street, Portsea, to Horatio Nelson Smith, son of deceased

Horatio Nelson Smith was Jane's brother.

So far, so good!

However, my great-grandmother Ada Quintrell, mother Jane Wood, mother Jane Smith, talked a lot about "Aunt Harriett" (Harriet Smith). My grandmother remembers visiting her in the Gosport area and that she always peeped out of her net curtains!!

I am lucky enough to have my great-grandmother's birthday book (Ada White, nee Quintrell). It says "Aunt Harriett Smith (born) 24 March 1817"

I have found Harriett's christening on the IGI:
HARRIETT NANCY SMITH
23 APR 1817 Holy Trinity, Gosport, Hampshire, England
Parents George and Sally Smith

I am able to trace Harriett through the censuses. No wonder my grandmother (born 1892) remembered her! She is on the 1911 census:
Reference:
RG14PN5626 RG78PN255 RD91 SD1 ED4 SN26
with the same family as in 1901 (I'll have to see if she is related to them).

She died in Sept qr 1911:
Harriett N Smith aged 94
Alverstoke 2b 740

My question is: how easy will it be to find out how Harriet Smith and her father George Smith are related to my Smiths? I am working on the assumption that George Smith and my William Smith are brothers!

I have tried to look on the IGI to tie William Smith and George Smith up. The trouble is, from William's will he could well come from Portsea and not Gosport originally, and it's going to be such a fag going through the church registers, and I can't get down there at present.

Sorry for such a long posting.

[kiterunner]

Have you actually got a copy of William Smith's will? If not then it would be worth getting it as it might just mention his brother and / or Harriet.

[ElizabethHerts]

Kiterunner, I'm going to order it in the next few days, but I'm having trouble with the CALM website at present.

[ElizabethHerts]

The only death on FREE BMD that I can find is:

William Smith Dec qr 1842 Alverstoke 7 13

What does the date of 22 May 1844 on the will refer to?

[kiterunner]

22 May 1844 should be the date that the will was proved, which could be some time after the death.

[ElizabethHerts]

22 May 1844 should be the date that the will was proved, which could be some time after the death.

Oops, thanks Kiterunner! I could order the death cert. too.:)

[ElizabethHerts]

George and Sally Smith appear to have been landlords of the Bell Tavern, North Cross Street, Gosport. George was dead by 1841 but Sally was there until her death (looks like Jun qr 1864). The family (Jane Smith) ran it after she died.

[ElizabethHerts]

I've found another will to order, and another death:

George Smith
Sep qr 1837 Alverstoke 7 8

1837B/098 Will of George Smith of Gosport, Hampshire, Spirit Merchant1837

[ElizabethHerts]

Do you think I have cracked this? Or am I jumping to conclusions?

I noticed that George and Sally Smith had a first child named George Walter, bap 12Apr 1815 Holy Trinity Gosport.

Also, William and Jane Smith's first son was Walter chr. 2 Aug 1800 Holy Trinity Gosport.

I had noticed a Walter having children baptised at St Mary's Portsea.

Wm. Smith chr. 13/11/1768 Father Walter
George Smith chr. 2/5/1773 Father Walter

Walter Smith married Elizabeth Langford 11/8/1758 St Mary's Portsea.

The dates look fairly promising. William and Jane married 1791.

[kiterunner]

It does all look very promising, but with a name like Smith you want as much evidence as possible to prove it. Is there a Walter Smith will at all?

[ElizabethHerts]

Hi Kiterunner:

1774A/106 Will of Walter Smith of Portsea, Hampshire, gardener 1774

This ties up with possible children, all baptised at St Mary's, Portsea:

Richard? 5/1/1759 Father Walter SMYTH (different spelling - although not crucial)
Elizabeth 21/6/1761
Molly 24/5/1763
Robert 20/12/1764
Wm 13/11/1768
Thos 17/2/1771
George 2/5/1773

I think I have a big order to the Hampshire Archives!

[Phoenix]

Gosh, all that looks interesting.

I have links by marriage to a Langford in Portsmouth & although I have no info, I know a cousin's cousin has done a lot of work.

Other line to persue is Dockyard records. I've only looked at the ordinary people, but TNA should have records for the higher ups as well. Realise you won't get anything online, but you might try a search with ADM & Portsmouth in their search engine as you might find correspondence.

[ElizabethHerts]

Gosh, all that looks interesting.

I have links by marriage to a Langford in Portsmouth & although I have no info, I know a cousin's cousin has done a lot of work.

Other line to persue is Dockyard records. I've only looked at the ordinary people, but TNA should have records for the higher ups as well. Realise you won't get anything online, but you might try a search with ADM & Portsmouth in their search engine as you might find correspondence.

Phoenix, thanks for that advice, it is very useful as I have lots of shipwrrights in my line - Purkis, Quintrell, Smith etc., not to mention my RN engineers!

It would be interesting to know more about the Langfords. I did quite a big tree for my Smiths yesterday and it appears that Walter Smith and Elizabeth (nee Langford) had a few children. One of them appears to be Robert Smith who had two daughters - the first Ellen Elizabeth Langford Smith, who sadly died shortly after birth, and the next, Helena Elizabeth Langford Smith. I haven't found out what happened to her yet. Also a son, Robert Walter Smith.