| Author |
Message |
    
Phillip Adams
Member
Username: astro
Post Number: 2
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 3:20 pm: | 
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I was lead to this board by a google search on the above name in the course of some family history research.
My mother's maternal grandfather was named Richard William Smith. He disappeared from the family before WWI, abandoning his wife, Maria (nee Wilmot) and 3 children. They lived at 38 Noyne Road, Streatham. They had been married on Feb 3, 1894, at St. Leonard's Church in Streatham. At that time they lived at Sternhold Avenue, Streatham. My Mum recalls that even into the 1930's, her Gran would scan the death notices for news of him. He was originally a cabinet-maker, then a pianoforte carpenter-joiner and later a pianoforte tuner. The family was quite well-off, owning the home on Noyne Road, where my Great-gran took in abandoned and orphan children after R. W. left.
So, these elements seem to point to the Titanic passenger R. W. Smith, travelling with Mrs. Nichols, being my long-lost scoundrel of a great-grandfather. He is shown as being in cabin A19. But, I have "my" R. W. Smith's birth date as 1871 in Chesterton, Cambridgeshire.
These elements do not agree with the bio on this site, so I was wondering what are the sources of the information about the passengers and if the original information given at the time of purchase of the tickets still survives?
My Mum says that she has one photo of her grandfather and she is searching the boxes of photos for that. They have been put away for almost 60 years since she arrived as a war bride from England on July 1, 1946, to Halifax, Nova Scotia on the Aquitania.
I'll be interested if anyone has any further information on this. |
Brian Ahern
Member
Username: brian_ahern
Post Number: 249
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 11:43 pm: |
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Hi Phillip,
In the Eaton & Haas book, there is a photo of a telegram from this Richard Smith's brother on the subject of Richard's body being found. There was also a copy of a physical description of him sent to Halifax from his alma mater, Bowdoin College in Maine, USA, from which he had graduated not long before.
So it looks like his family was accounted for, and that he was indeed a young American travelling with his father who never got a chance to start a family.
I'm afraid your search must continue. Good luck! |
Lester Mitcham
Member
Username: lester
Post Number: 1157
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 - 12:29 am: |
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Hello Brian,
Which E&H book? - You say Richard Smith was "a young American travelling with his father".
It seems that either you or E&H are confusing Richard Smith with Richard White. |
Lester Mitcham
Member
Username: lester
Post Number: 1158
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 - 1:37 am: |
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Hello Phillip,
According to Craig Stringer [informations from his CD: Titanic People], Richard Smith was 57. He was born in Newington Surrey the son of Marianne Smith, who remarried. Her new married name was Megson. Richard was a tea merchant working for Reinach-Nephews & Co. He had been married, but in 1912 was a widower living with his widowed mother at 53 Stanhope Rd, Streatham, Surrey. His mother died in March 1914. Richard's estate went to a widow: Susan Hepburn.
You can find a photograph now identified as being that of Richard Smith and Mrs Nichols in a number of books.
Hope that helps,
Lester |
Brian Ahern
Member
Username: brian_ahern
Post Number: 250
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 - 8:02 pm: |
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Whoops! That is what I did. It was Richard White I was thinking of.
Apologies! |
