Hard Nut to Crack

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
Thank you for all your help.
It does look like William Smith existed and married an Elizabeth Richardson .
And I couldn't find his death either .He must have been still alive in 1849 for George to have been born 1850  but just no deaths on line.
Does anyone have any access to the parish records to have a look at that marriage 1829 or burials for William Smith around  1850?
And big thanks to Willow for that possible census entry in 1861.
I'm going to follow up on that now.

Ciderdrinker

[ciderdrinker]

Hi
Still not getting anywhere with the military records.
I have followed up on Mrs Smith nee Richardson.
#
It  looks like Elizabeth the widow in 1851 and unmarried in 1861 remarried June 1866 to her landlord from 1861 John Watson poulterer.
His children Ellen/Eleanor Watson born June 1856 and Edward born mar 1858 both have a mother's maiden name of Richardson.
So it looks like they are hers.
His first wife also Elizabeth  seems to have died 8.10.1852 age 38.
So why didn't they marry straight away ,unless William Smith was still alive?

Ciderdrinker

[Willow 4873]

there is one possibility but proving it would be hard

Several times in the criminal records there is a William Smith named and one was also transported Tasmania in 1852 down as William Wright aka Smith

Could be the reason Elizabeth wasnt free to marry and we cant find a death record?

Willow x

[ciderdrinker]

That could well be.
Why did it have to be Smith?
And if it had to be Smith ,why not a first name like Marmaduke or Egbert?


Ciderdrinker

[Willow 4873]

  That would make it too easy William Smith/Wright didnt set sail until 1852

Willow x