Biography of Sydney James SMITH
[Ref. Q.112]
| Profile |  |
Electoral registers | |
Photos | |
Index for SMITH |
Biography of Sydney James SMITH
[Ref. Q.112]
| Profile | |
Electoral registers | |
Photos | |
Index for SMITH |
Sydney James Smith was born on 1 July 1874 in the village of Eynsford in Kent. He was the eldest 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.
According to the census of 1881, Sid, as he was known, was living with his parents at 3 New Row in High Street, Eynsford. However, in 1891, he is shown as living at the house of his cousin Rosina and her husband at 18 Monmouth Road in Paddington, Middlesex. At that time he was employed as a County Council clerk.
Sydney married Sophia Cooper at Eynsford parish church on 3 October 1897. Sophia's elder sister Susan signed the marriage certificate as a witness. Sydney's occupation was given as that of labourer on the certificate.
The census of 1901 showed the couple as living in the Bakers Shop in Eynesford of which Sophia was the shopkeeper. The Malt Shovel public house was next door and Sydney's parents and siblings lived two doors away in the other direction. Sydney's occupation was given as cutting down brushwood for sale, in which respect he was working with his father and brother Ernest as seen in this picture.
Daughter Agnes Annie was born in Eynsford in 1903.
The census of 1911 showed the family living in Station Road, Eynsford and Sydney's occupation as that of Basket Maker & Shopkeeper. Presumably the basket making materials were sourced by brushwood from the business with his father and brothers then he was selling the baskets from the shop.
There is a reference to a newspaper cutting reporting that his workshop burned down on Friday 22 December 1911.
In 1913, the family decided to emigrate to Australia, it is understood that Sydney had tuberculosis and was advised to seek a warmer climate. On 15 May that year they boarded S.S.Beltana at London and sailed for Sydney. Sydney found work at The Standard Brick and Tile Works in Box Hill and the family's address in 1914 was at Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill, Kooyong in Victoria State. The following year they were listed as being at 200 Station Street in Box Hill. By 1921 they had moved to 3 Alexandra Street, Box Hill, Flinders in Victoria and were still there the following year.
By 1924, Sydney with his wife and daughter were living at 145 Canterbury Road, Box Hill, Flinders, Borodoonbara in Victoria and were still there in 1931. The electoral registers between 1936 and 1954 list the family at 128 Canterbury Road. Sydney was still employed at the tile works.
It is believed that he and Sophia started The Whitehorse Bus Company in 1927 and had five buses running. They sold it on to their daughter and son-in-law in 1948.
Descendants of Sydney and Sophia decribed them as lovely people who spoiled their great grandchildren with lollies and a coin when they visited. Sydney passed away in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia and Sophia in 1958.
| Top of page |