Person:Richard Smith (220)

Richard Smith was baptised on 2nd October 1867 at Luton in Bedfordshire, son of a hat sewer called Sarah Smith, formerly Halsey, and her husband William Smith, a farm labourer. Richard appears in the 1871 census living with his parents and siblings at 26 New Town Street in Luton. The family was still at that address in 1881, by which time Richard's mother had died.

The 1891 census finds Richard living with his brother John and his family at 13 Windsor Street in Luton. Richard was working in the town's straw hat industry by this time.

On 14th December 1891, aged 24, Richard married Alice Maud Mary Moss. She had a baby son born earlier that year, Sidney Arthur. As a child Sidney adopted Richard's surname, appearing in the censuses as Smith, but as an adult he reverted to using the name Moss, which may indicate that Sidney did not believe Richard to be his actual father. Richard and Alice went on to have another five children in Luton between 1894 and 1913, although at least two died as infants.

Richard and Alice settled at 48 New Town Street, being the same street where Richard had grown up. They appear there in both the 1901 and 1911 censuses. By 1911 Richard was working as a decorator. Their daughter May died in 1917 aged 16.

Richard died in 1924, aged 57. Alice survived him by about 35 years.

1.   Births index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).

   b. Richard SMITH, June Quarter 1867, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 444, mother's maiden name Halsey

2. ↑ England. Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. (FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, Findmypast).

   ch. 2 Oct 1867, Christ Church, Luton, Bedfordshire: Richard / William & Sarah / Smith

3. ↑ 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 106; Page 23, 2 Apr 1871.

   Address: 26 New Town Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, head, married, male, 52 [1818/19], Labourer, b. Biscott, Luton, Bedfordshire
   Sarah Smith, wife, married, female, 29 [1841/2], Hat Sewer, b. Flamstead, Hertfordshire
   John Smith, son, unmarried, male, 17 [1853/4], Labourer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Robert Smith, son, male, 14 [1856/7], Blocker, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Fanny Smith, daughter, female, 10 [1860/1], Hat Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Richard Smith, son, male, 3 [1867/8], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

4. ↑ 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 107; Page 25, 3 Apr 1881.

   Address: 26 New Town Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, head, widower, male, 68 [1812/13], Farm Labourer, b. Biscott, Bedfordshire
   Fanny Smith, daughter, unmarried, female, 17 [1863/4], Straw Hat Sewer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Richard Smith, son, male, 14 [1866/7], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Smith, lodger, married, male, 26 [1854/5], General Dealer, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Emily Smith, lodger, married, female, 24 [1856/7], Sewer Straw Hat, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, son, male, 7 [1873/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Smith, daughter, female, 5 [1875/6], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

5. ↑ 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 1274; Folio 47; Page 13, 5 Apr 1891.

   Address: 13 Windsor Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   John Smith, head, married, male, 38 [1852/3], Shoe Mender, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Emily Smith, wife, married, female, 36 [1854/5], Hat Sewer, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, son, single, male, 17 [1873/4], Hat Polisher, emplyed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Ellen Smith, daughter, female, 14 [1876/7], Hat Finisher, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Walter Smith, son, male, 10 [1880/1], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Clara Smith, daughter, female, 7 [1883/4], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Arthur Smith, son, male, 5 [1885/6], Scholar, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Eva Smith, daughter, female, 8m [1890], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Richard Smith, brother, single, male, 21 [1869/70], [illegible - overwritten "Straw H."] Maker, employed, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

6. ↑ England. England. 1901 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 RG13; Piece 1516; Folio 112; Page 37, 31 Mar 1901.

   Address: 48 New Town Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Richard Smith, head, married, male, 31 [1869/70], [illegible] Manufacturer, worker, at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Alice Smith, wife, married, female, 30 [1870/1], Hat Manufacturer, worker, at home, b. Aley Green, Bedfordshire
   Sidney Smith, son, single, male, 9 [1891/2], b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lily Smith, daughter, single, female, 2 [1898/9], b. Luton, Bedfordshire

7. ↑ England. 1911 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 RG14; Piece 8997; Schedule 71, 2 Apr 1911.

   Address: 48 New Town Street, Luton, Bedfordshire
   4 rooms occupied
   Richard Smith, head, male, 41 [1869/70], married, General Labourer - Decorator, worker, working at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Alice Maud Mary Smith, wife, female, 41 [1869/70], married 19 years, 5 children born to marriage, 3 children still living, home work, own account, working at home, b. Aley Green, Bedfordshire
   Sidney Arthur Smith, son, male, 19 [1891/2], Single, Engineer - Iron Foundry, worker, working at home, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   Lily Smith, daughter, female, 11 [1899/1900], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire
   May Smith, daughter, female, 9 [1901/2], School, b. Luton, Bedfordshire

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

   d. Richard SMITH, December Quarter 1924, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 397, aged 57 [1866/7]