Walter Robert Smeed was the third child of Robert Smeed & Esther Bridgman born July-September 1855 at Newington, Surrey.
In 1861 Walter & his parents & 2 older sisters & a younger brother were living at 28 St Georges Road, Newington, Lambeth.
Walter was still living at home in 1871, now 107 Falmouth Rd, St Mary Newington & was now working as a council clerk.
Walter married Sarah Jane Smith on December 2nd, 1876 in the parish of St Mary, Lambeth, Surrey. Walter was a pattern maker at that time. Sarah was born c1858 in Leigh, Worcs, the daughter of Jane & Sidney Smith, a stone mason. Witnesses at the wedding were Walter’s sister Mary Jane Smeed & Sarah’s father Sidney Smith.
Sadly Sarah died in Jan-March 1877 at Lambeth.
The children of Walter Robert Smeed & Sarah Jane Smith were:
sm.7.3.1 Walter John Smeed born Oct-December 1876 at St Giles, Lambeth; died April-June 1877 St Giles, Lambeth
Walter married again on June 23rd, 1878 at St John’s, Deptford, Kent. His second wife was spinster Jane Johnson. At this time Walter was still a pattern maker. Jane was christened December 22nd, 1854 at St Peter & St Paul, Milton by Gravesend, Kent the daughter of Mary Ann & William Harvey Johnson, a customs house officer.
In 1881 Walter & Jane were living at 14 Edward St, Greenwich & Walter was described as a pattern maker at works. Children with them were daughter Alice M J (2) & Walter S (3 months).
Walter died on March 11th, 1886 at 1 Woodbine Cottages, Victoria Rd, Charlton, Kent. He was buried on March 13th, 1886 at Southwark. Administration of his estate was granted to widower Jane of 4 Frobisher St, East Greenwich. His effects were £102.12s.9d.
The children of Walter Robert Smeed & Jane Johnson were:
sm.7.3.2 Alice Maud Jane Smeed born Jan-March 1879 at Pimlico, London & christened December 8th, 1886 at Christ Church, Greenwich; died July-September 1955 at Bishop Stortford, Herts
sm.7.3.3 Walter Sidney Smeed born Jan-March 1881 at Greenwich & christened December 8th, 1886 at Christ Church, Greenwich
sm.7.3.4 Amy Florence Smeed born Jan-March 1883 at Greenwich; died March 2nd, 1886 & buried March 5th, 1886 at Greenwich
sm.7.3.5 Norah Violet Smeed born April-June 1886 in Charlton, Kent & christened December 8th, 1886 at Christ Church, Greenwich; died April-June 1962 at Hendon, Middlesex
In 1891 widowed Jane was living at 4 Frobisher St, East Greenwich with children Alice, Walter & Norah (5). There was a lodger with them – Valentine Coombes, a settlement & removal officer, & a number of visitors at the time of the census.
Daughter Alice married Frank Benjamin Emery in 1899 in Gravesend.
By 1901 Jane was living at 16 Tuskar St, Greenwich & now working as a sick nurse. With her was son Walter, a ship’s steward & daughter Norah, a dressmaker. With them was Jane’s married sister Alice Higgins (39) & her son Harvey Higgins (2). There was also a boarder, George Smart (47), a portable engine driver.
Jane married boarder George Smart in July-September 1901 at Greenwich.
Daughter Norah married Leopold McManus in 1905.