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I have got stuck following up on my gt grandfather James Smith who married Eliza Ann Trayte & then Ruth Ford and had the following children:
William;James;Florence;Ruth; John;Annie;Ernest;Grace;Stanley & Alfred. James' father was William Henry Smith - a painter. Pls can anyne help with info or ideas on how to pursue? Thanks Marian

Do you have this?
Name: James Smith
Age: Full Age
Estimated birth year: abt 1884
Spouse Name: Eliza Ann Trayte
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 11 Apr 1884
Parish: St Margaret, Plumstead
County: Middlesex
Borough: Greenwich
Father Name: William Henry Smith
Spouse Father Name: George Trayte

Original gives address for both as Plumstead. he was an iron turner, his father a painter (deceased), her father a painter (deceased). Witnesses were Rdward David Davis and Jane Mary Davis.

Note that when the person's age isn't given, just full age, they put the year of marriage as estimated birth year. Silly!

1891 census
150 Burrage Rd., Plumstead, London
James Smith, head, 27, fitter of machinery, born Kent, Woolwich
Eliza A., wife, 33, born "
William G., son, 2, born Plumstead
Joseph U. Trayte, brother-in-law, 22, painter journeyman, born Woolwich

1901 census
72 Brewer St., Woolwich, Kent
James Smith, head, 37, engineer fitter & turner, born Woolwich
Ruth, wife, 25, born Plumstead
William G., son, 12, born Woolwich
James H., son, 9, born Plumstead
Florence R., dau, 7, born "
Ruth, dau, 6 months, born Woolwich

Name: James Smith
Age: 8
Estimated birth year: abt 1863
Gender: Male
Where born: Woolwich, Kent, England
Civil parish: Sutton
Ecclesiastical parish: St Nicholas
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: Epsom
Sub-registration district: Carshalton
ED, institution, or vessel: South Metropoliton District Schools
Household schedule number: 1

1881 census - household transcription
Person: TRAYTE, George
Address: 20, Charlotte Pl, Plumstead
TRAYTE, George Head Married M 60 1821 Painter
Ringmore
Sussex VIEW
TRAYTE, Sarah Wife Married F 59 1822
Woolwich
Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Eliza Daughter Single F 22 1859 Dressmaker
Woolwich
Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Walter Son Single M 19 1862 Carpenter
Plumstead
Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Urban J Son Single M 12 1869 Scholar
Plumstead
Kent

1871 census - household transcription
Person: TRAYTE, George
Address: Durham Street, Portsea, Portsmouth
TRAYTE, George Head M 50 1821 Sussex VIEW
TRAYTE, Sarah A Wife F 49 1822 Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Mark Son M 15 1856 Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Eliza A Daughter F 12 1859 Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Walter Son M 9 1862 Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Joseph U Son M 2 1869 Kent VIEW
TRAYTE, Emily Granddaughter F 4 1867 Kent

Marriage to Ruth:

Marriages Dec 1897 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FORD Ruth Woolwich 1d 2182
Smith James Woolwich 1d 2182

1911 census - household transcription
Person: SMITH, Ruth
Address: 32 St John's Road Plumstead
SMITH, James Head Married M 47 1864 General Engineer Woolwich VIEW
SMITH, Ruth Wife Married F 35 1876 Plumstead VIEW
SMITH, Ruth Daughter Single F 10 1901 School Woolwich VIEW
SMITH, John Horace Son Single M 8 1903 School Wellhall VIEW
SMITH, Annie Alice Daughter Single F 5 1906 School Plumstead VIEW
SMITH, Ernest Son Single M 2 1909 Plumstead VIEW
SMITH, Grace Elizabeth Daughter Single F 1 1910 Plumstead

Hi Margaret

Thanks - this marriage cert., together with one to 2nd wife Ruth Ford, is the farthest back I have got on James Smith. I suppose my only option is to apply for all birth certs in the Plumstead/Woolwich area for James Smiths?
How can I track him further back on the census without knowing about any siblings to reference check? Any thoughts? Would I get any further if I visited the Woolwich Family History Centre?

Marian

Thank you so much - I have got this far back also but wondered if anyone had any further info on James' father William which might help hone in on the search for James as a child. I don't know any of his siblings (if he had any) so don't know how I can ever be sure I've got the right James & Willam Smith!

Marian

Hi there. Many thanks for this.. I take it that this is from the 1871 census?
My problem is that I know nothing about James apart from his fater's name so don't know how sure I can be that this is my James Smith (being as it's such a common name). Any thoughts?

Thanks
Marian

James Smith(1864-1921) was my husbands grandfather. James's father was William Henry Smith (1817) who was a shoemaker/leatherworker. William married Mary Ann Busby (1823) in Lewisham March 1842. By 1881 Mary Ann was a widow living with James at 2 Lower Market Street Woolwich.

My tree continues from Ernest Smith (1909-1977).

Regards
Margaret

Welcome to the boards Margaret.

The thread was started almost 7 years ago and Marian is probably not looking for replies now, and may even no longer be a member.

You could try clicking on her name to send a Personal message through the GR system. They can notify her their is one for her if she still has the same email address she registered with GR.

You have to hope she is in a position to receive the message, and is able or willing to reply. Many members no longer are for a variety of reasons.