Charles Smeed [sm.10.1]
Charles Smeed was the first child of Charles Smeed & Ellen Lindfield born May 7th, 1865 at Hoskins Farm, & christened May 17th, 1865 at East Grinstead.
In 1871 Charles & his parents were living at Fairlight Cottage, East Grinstead. He had a younger brother, Albert, & a younger sister, Emma.
By 1881 Charles & his parents had moved to Hoskins Farm, East Grinstead & he now had 2 brothers & 2 sisters.
Charles married Ann Maria Burt on January 12th, 1887 at East Grinstead. Ann Maria was born April 28th, 1866 in Lamberhurst, Kent, the daughter of Mary Bailey & James Burt, a tailor.
In 1891 Charles & Ann were living at Blackwell Farm, East Grinstead which was nearby Hoskins Farm where his parents were still living. Charles was described as farmer’s son & he & Ann had a 2 year old daughter, Audrey M & a 1 year old son, Charles. They had a farm servant & a general domestic servant.
A notice in the Sussex Agricultural Express of September 29th 1900 announced the sale of valuable live farming stock as Charles was quitting Blackwell Farm.
By 1901 Charles & Ann had moved to Burstow, Surrey where Charles was now a gamekeeper. As well as daughter Audrey, they now had Percy O (9), Beatrice V (5) & Cicely E (2). Son Charles was with his grandparents, Charles & Ellen Smeed at Hoskins Farm at the time of the census.
Charles Smeed (Photo from JETAYLOR, Ancestry.co.uk)
Charles was still employed as a gamekeeper in 1911 & he & Ann were living at Keepers Cottage, Newchapel, Lingfield, Surrey. With them were children Audrey Madeline, Charles, a farm foreman, Percy Oswald, a stableman, Beatrice Violet, Cicely Ellen & new additions Evelyn Elsie (6) & Doris Florence (3). Charles was in the employ of Alfred Palmer J.P., son of George Palmer of Huntley & Palmer biscuit fame. Alfred had inherited the West Park Estate from his father & it was on this estate that an incident occurred in 1911 which almost resulted in Charles’ death. He found 3 men in a wood at midnight who were poaching & the poachers fired at Charles – 18 shots partly penetrating his body! He was saved by his silver pocket watch that he was wearing over his heart, the watch showing 9 shot marks. Two of the poachers were committed for trial in late March, but the third escaped. (Nottingham Evening Post April 1st, 1911)
The 1939 register shows Charles & Ann living at Orchard Cottage, the Platt Hareshaw, Godstone, Surrey & Charles was described as incapacitated. With them was daughter Audrey, a shop keeper & son Percy, a general farm hand. Son Charles & his wife Frances M (nee Tester) & their family were also living in Godstone at 4 The Platt. Daughter Beatrice & her husband Reginald G Nash, a foreman aircraft fitter, & family were living in Cheltenham, Gloucester in 1939. Daughter Cicely & her husband Reginald Swann, a storekeeper dental instrument maker, & their family were living at 314 Molesey Road, Walton & Weybridge, Surrey. Also with them was Doris Elizabeth Smeed (born 1919), a stillroom maid, the daughter of Cicely’s brother Charles. Daughter Evelyn & her husband Hubert, a civil servant in the air ministry, & their family were living at Cosy Nook, North Cotswold, Gloucesteshire in 1939. Daughter Florence & her husband Duncan C Bowen, a cowman, & family were living at 10 Lodgewood Cottages, Sevenoaks, Kent.
Charles died on May 27th, 1942 at Orchard Cottage, Dormansland, Surrey & was buried June 1st at St John the Evangelist, Dormansland. Adminstration of his estate was granted to widow Ann & his effects were £470.
Ann Maria died on December 19th, 1943 at Orchard Cottage, Dormansland, Surrey & was buried December 23rd at St John the Evangelist, Dormansland. Administration of her estate was granted to son Percy Oswald, a store labourer & her effects were £470.
The children of Charles Smeed & Ann Maria Burt were:
sm.10.1.1 Audrey Madelaine Smeed born June 23rd, 1888 at East Grinstead, Sussex; died October 27th, 1970 in Dormansland, Surrey
sm.10.1.2 Charles Smeed born January 15th, 1890 at Blackwell farm, East Grinstead, Sussex; died January 27th, 1979 in Dormansland, Surrey
sm.10.1.3 Percy Oswald Smeed born January 9th, 1892 in East Grinstead, Sussex; died March 30th, 1969 in Dormansland, Surrey
sm.10.1.4 Beatrice Violet Smeed born February 16th, 1896 in East Grinstead, Sussex; died May 20th, 1983 in Witcombe, Gloucestershire
sm.10.1.5 Cicely Ellen Smeed born June 29th, 1898 in East Grinstead, Sussex; died Febraury 17th, 1979 in Hersham, Surrey
sm.10.1.6 Evelyn Elsie Smeed born February 9th, 1905 in East Park Farm, Newchapel, Surrey; died March 1989 in North Cotswolds, Gloucestershire
sm.10.1.7 Doris Florence Smeed born May 22nd, 1907 in Newchapel, Surrey; died March 23rd, 1984 in Hersham, Surrey