Joseph Copley Smith of Sprotbrough

[Milliepede]

Little early but there's a Mary Skeet baptised Milding Suffolk in 1812. 

Is Milding a place?  May have been misheard for the census.

[hookleg]

Parents William Skeet and Mary Sargent.

[Milliepede]

Snap!  Oh dear what is this place 

Does Mary appear later on or has she passed away too - was she alive when Joseph died do you know?

[hookleg]

Milden is between Sudbury and Hadleigh. I know it. Birth dates of Joseph and Mary are similar.

[hookleg]

Joseph sold the pub 5 days before he died!!

[Milliepede]

Did he really?  He must have known his end was nigh. 

Milden it is then.  I can't find them in 1841 but with Smith not an easy task!

The marriage details are here if you do want to get the certificate 

Mar 1841 London 2 109
Skeet Mary
Smith Joseph Copley

[hookleg]

Thanks for that. I have just found 2 baptisms of Lionel C F Smiths 18 months apart. I have found surviving one living with mother 1871 but this time her birth place is given as Dovercourt, Essex!!! Mother's surname now Gooch , Married but no sign of that husband.

[Milliepede]

Found another possible birth and death

Nicholas Copley Smith born 1842 mothers maiden name Skeet

Death 1869 age 26

So where is he in 1851/1861.

[hookleg]

The plot seems to be thickening as the next landlord  John Gooch, is married to a Mary from Dovercourt, Essex and on the 1861 census has a 'Son in law' but could possibly be a step son, Nicholas, born in Norton abt 1842/3, also similar George Smith born Norton 1845/6. Did Mary wife of Joseph Smith marry John Gooch. It looks very likely. However on subsequent censi (Sorry I did Latin at school and cant bear English plurals of Latin words, therefore not censuses) he registers as married but she is never there till his death in 1898. John Gooch was a plumber and he moved across the road to an adjacent pub called The Plumber's Arms. Have yet to find an original name.