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Messages - Smeddles

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10
Australia / Re: SMEDLEY - Victoria
« on: Thursday 10 January 13 03:37 GMT (UK)  »
Kris,

No problem, thanks.

John

11
Australia / SMEDLEY - Victoria
« on: Wednesday 09 January 13 01:34 GMT (UK)  »
Hi Bellejazz,

I am researching my late father's family line without a great deal of success and in searching have noted that you had a couple of antecedents called William Smedley.

My father, Alan Smedley b. 30/10/1915 was the son of Michael Alfred Smedley b. 31/07/1883 at Colac Common, to William Smedley and Emma Wigby (possibly Rigby). William and Emma also had a son Patrick, born according St Mary's Colac Baptism records as 31/11/1881?

I have searched the Vic. online historical index but have been unable to find birth records for Michael, Patrick, William or Emma, nor William and Emma's marriage. From your experience, you may be able to tell me if registration of Births was patchy in the 1880's?

Anyway, to have fathered Michael and Patrick, William was probably between 20 - 30 in 1883, putting his birth somewhere between 1853 and 1863. I have seen the subject email and responses and as a longshot, wondered if you had been able to gain more information on William Smedley born in 1851.

If you are unable to help with the above, I wonder whether you can direct me further.

There seems to be quite a bit of activity around a William & Margaret Smedley (nee Ward) who married and lived at Toolangi/Wandong during the period. I note that Smedleys from Kilmore/Broadford are mentioned and I recollect that Dad had contact with someone researching that line in the 1990s but a link was never made. If you have a contact, I'd like to dig a bit further.

For background, Michael Smedley subsequently married Isabel Woods of Learmonth in 1906, at Ballarat and moved sometime prior to 1909 to Broken Hill where he managed the Barrier Daily Truth newspaper. Together they had 3 children, Doris Isabel (23/06/1909), Alfred Roydon (21/04/1913) and Alan George (my father).

The family moved to Adelaide in the 1920s where Michael was active in the ALP and managed the Workers Weekly Herald until its closure in 1948. Subsequently, Michael and Isabel helped their children establish a printing business at Glenelg (Smedley Press) which traded until 1979. Michael died 17/12/1953 (Isabel 10/07/1952).


Anyway, hope this email finds you well; I'd be grateful for any information/leads that you might be able to provide.

rgds
John Smedley
Glenelg, South Australia

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