Biography of William Richard SMITH
[Ref. Q.111]
| Profile |  |
Index for SMITH |
Biography of William Richard SMITH
[Ref. Q.111]
| Profile | |
Index for SMITH |
William Richard Smith was born on 24 October 1876 in the village of Eynsford in Kent and was the second of the eleven children of Thomas and Mary Smith and his name and date of birth are recorded on the Family Register that his parents kept. He was known as Bill.
The census of 1881 shows the family at 3 New Row in Eynsford but by 1891, they had moved to 7 High Street in Eynsford.
The census of 1901 shows William living at 6 Gibson's cottages, Eynsford with three of his brothers and parents. He was listed as being a Wood Carter and would have been working with his father and brothers.
On 12 July 1903, William married London born Lillian Rose Birtchnell at Eynsford parish church. William's brother Leonard was one of the witnesses to sign the register. Daughter Lillian Mary was born in 1906, Edith Emily in 1908 and son William Leonard in 1910. The census of 1911 shows this family living at 1 Wellington Road in Dartford, Kent and William had described his employment as a Stationary engine driver for corn cutting and chaff cutting. Son John Richard was born in 1912, daughter Rose Henrietta in 1914 and Alma Gladys in 1918.
According to local directories between 1919 amd 1925, Richard was living at "The Bungalow" in Lowfield Street, Dartford. Directories between 1926 and 1931 list the property as The Bungalow Dairy
Lily passed away at their home in 1937 and on her death certificate William was shown as being a Master Dairyman. According to William's niece Marie Smith, he had a farm near Dartford, so one would presume that it was a dairy farm, possibly land at The Bungalow Dairy. In the 1939 register, William is recorded as widowed and being a retired dairyman living with his unmarried son John and spinster daughter Rose at the same address. Richard had left The Bungalow by 1946 as it was then occupied by Thomas Miles.
William died on 21 December 1947 and was buried in St.Matin's churchyard in Eynsford, Kent.