Person:James Smith (495)

James Smith was baptised on 11th April 1819 at Luton in Bedfordshire, son of Esther Smith formerly Sheffield and her husband William Smith, a labourer. The 1841 census finds James living with his parents and some of his siblings at Park Street in the town.

In 1848, aged 29, James married Phoebe Devonshire, who was originally from Hedgerley in Buckinghamshire, some distance from Luton. The 1851 census finds them living at Smiths Yard off Park Street in Luton, which is also where James's parents were living at that time. James and Phoebe lived the rest of their lives in Luton, and appear not to have had any children. They did have a niece, Eliza Smith, living with them in the 1861 census, whose birthplace was given as Farnham in Buckinghamshire, but her connection to the couple has yet to be established. Perhaps as she was from Farnham, she was more likely to be a relative of Phoebe's than James's, despite being called Smith.

James and Phoebe appear to have lived most of their married life in the small yards off New Town Street to the south of Luton town centre. James worked as an agricultural labourer, whilst Phoebe was a laundress. They died at about the same time as each other - both their deaths were registered in the June quarter of 1897. Phoebe was 71 and James was 78. He died in an almshouse on Chobham Street on 20th May 1897 and his estate was administered by his sister, Sarah Mayo.

1. ↑ Bedfordshire Family History Society. Luton Parish Register Transcript. (Bedford).

   ch. 11 Apr 1819, St Mary: James s William & Hester SMITH labourer

2. ↑ England. 1841 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 4; Book 23; Folio 13; Page 20, 6 Jun 1841.

   Address: [Western side of Park Street], Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, male, 46 [1794/5], Ag Lb, born in county
   Esther Smith, female, 47 [1793/4], born in county
   John Smith, male, 28 [1812/3], born in county
   James Smith, male, 22 [1818/9], born in county
   Esther Smith, female, 18 [1822/3], born in county

3. ↑ England. 1851 Census Returns for England and Wales. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class HO107; Piece 1757; Folio 690; Page 27, 30 Mar 1851.

   Address: Smiths Yard, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Jams Smith, head, married, male, 32 [1818/9], Ag Labr, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Pheby Smith, wife, married, female, 25 [1825/6], b. Edgerly, Buckinghamshire

4. ↑ England. 1861 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG9; Piece 1013; Folio 18; Page 30, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: 1 Browns Cottages, Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Smith, head, married, male, 40 [1820/1], Ag Lab, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Pheobe Smith, wife, married, female, 30 [1830/1], Laundress, b. Farnham, Buckinghamshire
   Eliza Smith, niece, female, 12 [1848/9], Scholar, b. Farnham, Buckinghamshire

5. ↑ England. England and Wales. 1871 Census Schedules. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG10; Piece 1571; Folio 104; Page 20, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: Browns Yard [listed in between addresses on New Town Street], Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Smith, head, married, male, 53 [1817/8], Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Phebe Smith, wife, married, female, 45 [1825/6], b. Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire

6. ↑ England. 1881 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: . (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG11; Piece 1651; Folio 105; Page 22, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 1 Yard [listed in between addresses on New Town Street], Luton, Bedfordshire
   James Smith, head, married, male, 62 [1818/9], General Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lilley Smith, wife, married, female, 54 [1826/7], Laundress, b. Hely, Buckinghamshire

7. ↑ England. 1891 Census Schedules for England and Wales, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. (
   Kew, Richmond, Greater London TW9 4DU, United Kingdom:
   The National Archives (abbreviated TNA), formerly the UK General Register Office.)
   Class RG12; Piece 1273; Folio 139; Page 32, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 3 Briden's Passage [listed after New Town Street], Luton, Bedfordshire
   Rooms occupied: 3
   James Smith, head, married, male, 72 [1818/9], General Labourer, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Phoebe Smith, wife, married, female, 64 [1826/7], b. Edgeley Hill, Buckinghamshire

8. ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   d. James SMITH, June Quarter 1897, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 254, aged 77 [1819/20]

9. ↑ England. National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1858 onwards. (Ancestry.com).

   1897
   SMITH James of 2 Almshouses Luton Bedfordshire died 20 May 1897 Administration London 25 June to Sarah Mayo widow Effects £34 8s.

10. ↑ Luton News and Bedfordshire Chronicle, in United Kingdom. The British Newspaper Archive
    Page 4, 27 May 1897.

    DEATHS
    SMITH-May 20, at the Almshouses, Chobham-street, Luton, James Smith, aged 77.