Biography of Sydney James SMITH
[Ref. Q.112]
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Index for SMITH |
Biography of Sydney James SMITH
[Ref. Q.112]
| Ancestors | |
Profile | |
Index for SMITH |
Sydney James Smith was born on 1 July 1874 in the village of Eynsford in Kent. He was the eldest of the nine children on Thomas and Mary Smith.
According to the census of 1881, Sydney was living with his parents at 3 New Row in Eynsford. However, by 1891, he is shown as living at the house of his cousin Rosina and her husband at 18 Monmouth Road in Paddington, Middlesex, At that time he was employed as a County Council clerk.
Sydney married Sophia Cooper at Eynsford parish church on 3 October 1897. Sophia's elder sister Susan signed the marriage certificate as a witness. Sydney's occupation was given as that of labourer on the certificate.
The census of 1901 showed the couple as living in the Bakers Shop of which Sophia was the shopkeeper. The Malt Shovel public house was next door and Sydney's parents and siblings lived two doors away in the other direction. Sydney's occupation was given as cutting down brushwood for sale, in which respect he was working with his father and brother Ernest as seen in this picture.
Daughter Agnes Annie was born in 1903.
The census of 1911 showed the family living in Station Road, Eynsford and Sydneys occupation as that of Basket Maker & Shopkeeper.
In 1913, the family decided to emigrate to Australia, so on 15 May that year they boarded S.S.Beltana at London and sailed for Sydney.
Little is known of them thereafter, however, there is a photo of him taken around 1925. It is believed that he and Sophia started The Whitehorse Bus Company in 1927 and they sold it on to their daughter and son-in-law in 1948.
Sydney passed away in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia.
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