Genealogy Chat

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As many of you will know I am researching my gt gt grandfather John SMOOTHY and his family. My mother has the family bible, which is inscribed 'To John Smoothy, a gift from Mrs. Woodroffe, 25 December 1858.' John had married Ann Chowns earlier in 1858. His address at the marriage was 21 Stockwell Road, Lambeth. I didn't have any clues about this Mrs Woodroffe. As she is calling herself 'Mrs' in a rather formal way, I thought she must be an employer, or an elderly relative. I knew that John had been born in Chelmsford, Essex, (according to the family bible in 1811, according to various census ages 1813, but I found him in the baptism register for 1812). But I lost sight of him until he appeared for his marriage in Kennington, Surrey. No trace of him in Chelmsford or Kennington in 1841 or 1851 censuses. I've been playing around with the 1861 census on 1837online and just idly decided to see how many female Woodroffes there were in Surrey in 1861 - figuring that she must be around that area if he was working for her before he married. Up pops Matilda P. Woodroffe in Lambeth and surprise surprise she was born in Chelmsford! Is this a coincidence? am I clutching at straws? or is this a breakthrough? I must state that on his wedding cert John's occupation is gentleman's servant and Matilda is a widow with 3 sons. As for the mistranscriptions - one son is Waller [Walter] and one Henny [Henry] - and the images are quite clear. nell

This may be way off, but are there any clues from the witnesses to his wedding? Maybe they worked for her too? Just a random thought. (Another thought - can you find a marriage and maiden name for this Mrs Woodroffe? Maybe she was someone closer to him in childhood?) Sue (in NZ)

Sue Thank you for your suggestions, I appreciate your input - I've just realised its 2.05 AM and I need to sleep. Will have a fresh look tomorrow! nightnight nell

Hi, I've been digging a little while you were sleeping, and came up with this: Matilda Guy Female Family Event(s): Birth: About 1815 Of, Chelmsford, Essex, England Christening: Death: Burial: Marriages: Spouse: Charles Woodroff Family Marriage: 1836Source Information: Film Number: 184261 Page Number: 536 Reference number: 11254 (IGI) MATILDA GUY Female Family Event(s): Birth: Christening: Death: Burial: Marriages: Spouse: CHARLES WOODROFF Family Marriage: 1836 Chelmsford, Essex, England Messages: Record submitted by a member of the LDS Church. The source films cannot be sent to family history centers and have limited access at the Family History Library. A family group record for this family may be in the Family Group Record Collection; Archive Section. (See the Family History Library Catalog for the film number.) These records are alphabetical by name of the father or husband. Source Information: Batch Number: A456504 Sheet: 00 Source Call No.: 456504 Type: Book (IGI) Deaths Dec 1851 Woodroffe Charles John Lambeth 4 255 Deaths Sep 1852 Woodroffe Charles Lambeth 1d 158 (FreeBMD) Also (but this may well be you posting this, anyway) try: http://www*curiousfox*com/history/essex_3*html 'SMOOTHY - Chelmsford My gt gt grandfather JOHN SMOOTHY was born Chelmsford 1811 (according to family bible) 1813 (according to various censuses). He married in Kennington, South London, in 1858. So...if this is the right Mrs Woodroffe, maybe you could find your Smoothy family and her Guy family had a connection in Chelmsford? Looking forward to hearing what you think. Sue (in NZ) :-)