Biography of Agnes Marie SMITH
[Ref. R.22]
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Dwellings | |
Photos |
Biography of Agnes Marie SMITH
[Ref. R.22]
| Profile | |
Dwellings | |
Photos |
Agnes Marie Smith was born on 8 January 1912 at 11 Corsehill Street, Streatham. She was known as Marie and was the youngest child of three, having older brothers Harvey and Archie.
The family moved around 1914 to Rosemont at 189 Mitcham Lane in Streatham, London SW16. Marie attended St.Leonard's school in Streatham where her father was a master in the boys school, however, she would have been in the girls school. Her brothers attended the boys school and all three children achieved a high academic standard. Some of Marie's certificates from that school survive in the possession of her family. She went on to Streatham High School.
Between 1924 and 1926, Marie worked for a shipping company called Stott and Hotoff in London. She then worked at 111 Leadenhall Street for a Patent and Trede Mark registration company called Wildboar. Whilst there, she would sometimes meet her brother Archie who worked around the corner in Great Winchester Street. When her brother Harvey was working in London, she used to accompany him as he was susceptible to epeleptic fits. By about 1938, she moved with her parents to Beechylees Road in Otford, Kent. She continued working in London during much of World War 2, enduring the blitz.
After leaving school, Marie had reversed her christian names, now being known as Marie Agnes Smith. This is how she gave her name when she married George Edward Cecil Cowdery at Tonbridge Register Office on 14 March 1944. George had lived along the road from Marie's family home in Otford. The couple went to live in a flat in Brixton initially then moved to a maisonette in Ingleborough Street.
George worked as a manager for a builder in Brixton called H Bragg & Sons and Marie also joined the business as a secretary.
Their daughter Eileen Marie Cowdery was born at Shardeloes hospital in Amersham on 3 June 1946. Shardeloes was used to help mothers from London give birth in an environment away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.
Sadly, George passsed away in 1951 and Marie and Eileen lived at 19 Hale Lane in Otford. Marie continued to work for H Bragg until they sold up soon after George's death. On 6 November 1954, Marie married widower Arthur Philip Greartorex at Otford parish church. Arthur had been a friend of the Smith family since childhood in Streatham. In 1958, they went to live at Winchmore Hill in London where they stayed until 1970. They then moved to St.Albans closer to where Arthur was working.
Upon Arthur's retirement, he and Marie moved to 42 Roman Way in Long Melford, Suffolk. They were living there when Arthur passed away in April 1984 and Marie wrote a letter to her sister-in-law Doady Smith to advise of the event. Marie moved to a flat at 5 Whitehall Court in Newland Street, Witham, Essex where she remained for 20 years before passing away in April 2004. She chose a woodland funeral which took place at Oakfield Wood in Wrabness on 20 April.
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