Alfred Smeed was the third child of Thomas Smeed & Sarah Dray born October 28th, 1852 at Farningham, Kent.
The whereabouts of Alfred’s parents at the time of the 1861 census are unknown but Alfred, with 3 of his brothers & a sister, was boarding with Hannah Sale, a school mistress living in Farningham.
In 1871 Alfred, 2 brothers & 2 sisters & his parents were living at 5 York Square, Ratcliffe, Stepney. Alfred was as assistant school master.
Alfred was working as a bank clerk by 1881 & at the time of the census he was boarding with Alfred Chesher & family at 12 Hill St, St Margaret, Westminster, London.
On October 29th, 1881 Alfred married Lilian Josephine Marie Mulligan at Holy Trinity, Brompton, Middlesex. Alfred was now a deputy bank manager & one of the witnesses at the wedding was brother Benjamin Smeed. Lilian was born c1861 in Dublin, Ireland, the daughter of Elizabeth & John Mulligan.
In 1891 Alfred & Lilian were living at 34 Charleville Rd, Fulham, London & Alfred was now secretary of a public company. Living with them was Lilian’s widowed mother, Elizabeth Mulligan. They had 2 visitors at the time of the census, Grace & John Musgrave, a mineral merchant. They also had a general servant. Alfred & Lilian had a son, Alfred Howard, in 1882 & he was visiting his grandparents Thomas & Sarah Smeed at Kingswood, Horne at the time of the 1891 census.
By 1901 Alfred & Lilian had moved to 30 Fairholme Rd, Barons Court, Fulham & Lilian’s mother was still with them. Alfred was now described as managing director of Saddletree Manufacturing Company. Again they had a domestic servant.
Alfred & Lilian were still living at 30 Fairholme Rd in 1911 & Alfred was now a merchant of vulcanite goods.
Lilian died on April 8th, 1924 at 30 Fairholme Rd, West Kensington. Probate was granted on May 28th 1924 to widowed Alfred, metal merchant. Her effects were £1,163.8s.1d.
The children of Alfred Smeed & Lilian Josephine Marie Mulligan were:
sm.3.3.1 Alfred Howard Smeed born August 23rd, 1882 at 19 Turle Rd, Islington Middlesex; died July-September 1917 at Godstone, Surrey
The 1939 register shows widowed Alfred living with his brother, George Edward, at Home Park Farm, Bones Lane, Godstone, Surrey. Alfred was now a retired merchant.
Alfred married again at the age of 93 on September 25th, 1946 at Fulham by special licence granted from the Archbishop of Canterbury. He married Charlotte Sophia Lawrence, who was listed as his brother George Edward’s housekeeper at Home Park Farm in 1939. Charlotte was born on September 29th, 1873 at Shepherds Bush, London, the daughter of Elinor Susannah & George Lawrence, an engineer. An article in the West London Observer of October 4th, 1946 stated that Charlotte had become housekeeper to Alfred & his wife 34 years previously. She had looked after Alfred ever since his wife died & although she knew he was fond of her Charlotte had been very surprised when he had asked her to marry him a month ago.
Alfred died on September 6th, 1947 at 30 Fairholme Rd, West Kensington. Probate was granted on February 24th, 1948 to Jack Howard Smeed, insurance inspector. His effects were £2,771.8s.4d.
Charlotte Sophia of 30 Fairholme Rd, West Kensington, London died on April 27th, 1949 at Fulham Hospital. Probate was granted to Jack Howard Smeed, insurance inspector & her effects were £1,985.6s.11d.