Person:William Smith (789)

William Smith was baptised on 17th April 1796 at Luton in Bedfordshire, son of Elisamirah Smith, formerly Davis, and her husband John Smith. The family lived at Limbury, then a small hamlet in the rural area of the parish to the north of the town itself. By 1798 they had moved to the neighbouring hamlet of Leagrave where they were living when William's brother James was baptised. In 1801 William's parents had a daughter, Elizabeth, but she died as a baby. A couple of months later William's mother died too, aged only 24.

William's next sighting is in October 1814, aged eighteen, when he married Esther Sheffield. His brother James was one of the witnesses to the marriage. William and Esther moved away from Luton soon after their marriage, living for a time at North Mymms in Hertfordshire, some 16 miles to the south-east. Quite likely they moved to be near Esther's family, as she was from that area. Whilst living at North Mymms they had two sons, John and George. Some time between 1817 and 1819 they returned to Luton, where they had another five children between 1819 and 1831, although the youngest, Daniel, died as a baby.

The 1841 census finds William and Esther living with their children John, James and Esther at Park Street. By 1851, William and Esther were living at a place called Smiths Yard off Park Street.

Esther died in 1858, aged about 66. William appears in the 1861 census living alone on Tower Hill. By 1871 he was living in the Luton Union Workhouse. On that occasion he described himself as a shepherd. William died in the workhouse just over two years later, on 26th May 1873. He was 77 years old.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish registers of St Mary, Luton, 1603-1944. (Bedford: Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service).

   Baptiz[e]d in 1796
   April 17 William Son of John & Elismiah Smith from Limbrey

   There are a number of baptisms of William Smiths in Luton at about the right time. We know that William's marriage in 1814 was witnessed by a James Smith who was presumably a relative:
   30 Sep 1781: Wm s Tho & Ann Smith - can be ruled out as buried 7 Apr 1784: Wm s Tho & Ann Smith
   6 Jan 1782: Wm s Jas & Eliz Smith - this couple does not appear to have had a son named James, but the witness in 1814 could have been the father. This William also perhaps a bit old given the ages quoted for William in the censuses.
   15 Oct 1786: Wm s Tho & Ann Smith - this couple did have a son named James in 1779 who could be the witness to William's marriage in 1814.
   3 Sep 1788: Wm s Wm Smith & Eliz Juffs 5½ yrs, parish - a bit old given the ages quoted for William in the censuses, plus this couple (who presumably weren't married) do not appear to have had any other children, so who would the James Smith who witnessed William's marriage in 1814 be?
   31 Jul 1791: Wm s Wm & Mary Smith, Falconers Hall - can be ruled out as buried 3 Jul 1792: Wm s Wm & Mary Smith (plus Falconers Hall was the opposite side of the parish to Leagrave and Limbury)
   19 Aug 1792: Wm s Wm & Ann Smith - can be ruled out as buried 14 Apr 1793: Wm s Wm & Ann Smith
   17 Apr 1796: Wm s Jn & Elismiah Smith, Limbury - this couple lived in the right hamlet plus had a son called James (see below)
   19 Mar 1797: Wm s Wm Fra Smith, Biscot - but William and Frances do not appear to have had a son called James
   17 Nov 1797: Wm s Robt & Eliz Smith - but Robert and Elizabeth do not appear to have had a son called James
   
   The 1796 baptism is considered most likely as it gives the family's abode as Limbury, one of the hamlets William quoted as his place of birth in the later censuses, and that William had a brother called James baptised 1798 when the family was living at Leagrave, the other hamlet William quoted as his place of birth, plus this would presumably be the James who witnessed William's marriage in 1814:
   9 Dec 1798: Jas s Jn & Elizmariah Smith, Leagrave
   Alternatively the 1786 baptism may work, albeit the baptism doesn't specify a hamlet, but that William did also have a brother called James. However, given that none of the sightings for William suggest that he was born earlier than 1792, the 1788 baptism is considered too early, and therefore we conclude the 1796 baptism is him.

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[ricultural] L[a]b[ourer], 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
   William Smith, head, married, male, 58 [1792/3], Ag[ricultural] Lab[oure]r, b. Legrave, Bedfordshire
   Ester Smith, wife, female, 59 [1791/2], b. Colney, Hertfordshire
   John Smith, son, unmarried, male, 36 [1814/5], Rail Lab[oure]r, b. North Mimms, Hertfordshire

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 1014; Folio 35; Page 26, 7 Apr 1861.

   Address: Tower Hill, Luton, Bedfordshire
   William Smith, head, widower, male 67 [1793/4], Ag[ricultural] Lab[oure]r, b. Limbury Luton, Bedfordshire

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 1574; Folio 109; Page 6, 7 Apr 1871.

   Address: Luton Union Workhouse, Dunstable Road, Luton, Bedfordshire
   [many inmates, including:]
   Smith, William, inmate, widower, male, 69 [1801/2], Shepherd, b. Limbury Luton, Bedfordshire

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

   d. William SMITH, June Quarter 1873, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 252, aged 77 [1795/6]

   There are a number of plausible deaths in the Luton district between 1871 and 1881 which could be this William:d. William SMITH, June Quarter 1873, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 252, aged 77 [1795/6]
   d. William SMITH, March Quarter 1875, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 353, aged 78 [1796/7]
   d. William SMITH, March Quarter 1879, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 311, aged 81 [1797/8]
   d. William SMITH, June Quarter 1879, Luton Registration District, Volume 3b, page 292, aged 77 [1801/2]
   As the 1873 death corresponds with one listed in the register of deaths at Luton Union Workhouse, where this William had been living in 1871, that is considered to be the correct death.

7. ↑ Luton Union Volume 1 Workhouse Births & Deaths 1866-1905 (Bedfordshire Family History Society, Bedford).

   Date of death: 26 May 1873
   Name: SMITH, William
   Age: 77 [1795/6]
   From what parish admitted: Luton
   Where buried: Luton Church Cemetery

8. ↑ Burials in Luton, 1813-1904 (Bedfordshire Family History Society, Bedford).

   bur. 29 May 1873, William Smith of Luton Union, aged 77 [1795/6]