Birth year : Family Bible gives date 16 Dec 1811.
Baptism: St Mary's, Chelmsford
John, son of John & Elizabeth Smoothy, 12th Jan 1812.
1820 John's sister's baptism gives family home as Clapham's Rents.
1841 HO107/ 1066/2 fol. 29 p.3
Windsor Street, Putney, Wandsworth, London
Sarah Sewell or Savill, 75 independent. not born in county
John Smoothy 25 MS (manservant) not born in county
Henry Noble 15 [occup. illegible, cd be tailor/garden man] born in county
Edward Noble 12 born in county
[this would give John a birth year of 1816, when he should really be abt. 29 - census enumerator was supposed to round ages down to the nearest 5. So perhaps his employer was really 80! 1841 does not state whether she was widowed or unmarried]
1851 H0 107/1605/88 P. 13
recorded as
John Smarthy, aged 39, footman to Sarah Woodroffe*, (b. 1778, Beckenham, Kent) fundholder, at 2 Maid of Honour Row, Richmond, Surrey.
*Family Bible has inscription "John Smoothy. A gift from Mrs Woodroffe, Dec 25th 1858".
23 October 1858 John married Ann Chowns at Kennington Parish church. The address he gave was Chapel Road, Stockwell. Have not located this, but south of the church on 1888 map of London is Saint Anne Road with a baptist chapel marked.
1860 Feb on daughter Elizabeth Louisa's birth cert, occupation is domestic servant.
1861
John Smoothy, aged 45 is on census as butler to Emma Byrom at Clarendon House, Broadwater district of Worthing in Sussex. John's wife Ann and their daughter Elizabeth are in Richmond, Surrey
1871 RG10 869 69 p.10
24, The Green, Richmond
John head 55 Chelmsford lodging house keeper
Ann wife 44 Stoke Bucks
Elizabeth L. daur 11 scholar
Emily E. 10 scholar
John D.R. 2, scholar
Edith 1
1881 RG11/0843 172 p.7
Vestry Cottage, Richmond, Surrey
John (beadle & vestry messenger), Chelmsford
Ann wife Farnham, Buckingham
John son age 12, scholar, Richmond, Surrey
Edith 11, daur scholar Richmond, Surrey
boarder George Newboult, 57 former school master Grosvenor Square, London
William Mott, 13. visitor (who later is witness to JDR's first marriage).
[Vestry Cottage was near the Old Burying Ground, off Paradise Road, and on the same side of the road and near to Halford Rd]
1891 RG12 620 9 p.10&11
Vestry Cottage [no numbers given for rooms, so over 5] Richmond
John Smoothy head 79 Assistant Overseer Essex Chelmsford
Ann Smoothy wife 63 Bucks St Poges
Charles Vine son-in-law 28 cellarman Sussex Lewes
Elizabeth L. Vine daur 31 Surrey Richmond
Edith M. Smoothy 21 daur Surrey Richmond
Emily F. Vine grand daur 5 scholar
Alfred J. Vine grandson 4 scholar ) all born
Florence M. Vine grand daur 2
Alice L. Vine grand daur 1 ) Sussex Lewes
George Newboult 67 boarder retired schoolmaster London Grosvenor Sq.
1893 Jan-Feb-Mar Richmond Sry their long term lodger died, aged 69 , registered as George Newbolt
10 Sep 1894, John died at Vestry Cottage of senile decay and cystitis.
His burial place is unknown but his son is buried in Richmond Cemetery.
Link to gt grandfather:
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/f...ead.php?t=1826