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Dear all
I'm trying to complet my famil tree from my grandfather down to my grandchildrens level. I'm having a lot of trouble tracing Alfred Edward Smith down. He was born 4th Sept 1892 at Arrow, Alcester, Warwickshire where his Father was chief coachman to the Marquis of Hertford. In 1901 Census he is found at Berkeley, Frome and in 1911 he was at Clink, Frome as a farm labourer. In 1919 he was a PC at Dolgellau Police station. I know he had a Son William Charles Smith because he reportd Alfreds death in 1986 at Daventry his occupation as Police Sergeant Retd. Alfred also had a daughter Winifred. I cannot find a marriage record for Alfred there can't use Mothers maiden name to trace family downwards. Any Help or advice anyone can offer would be most welcome.

Hi David - not having much luck with Alcester - found this one

Alfred Smith
England and Wales Census, 1901

birth: 1892 —Birmingham, Warwickshire
residence: 31 Mar 1901 —Aston, Warwickshire, England
census: 31 Mar 1901 —Aston, Warwickshire, England

record title: England and Wales Census, 1901
name: Alfred Smith
event: Census
event date: 31 Mar 1901
gender: Male
age: 9
relationship to head of household: Son
birthplace: Birmingham, Warwickshire
record type: Household
registration district: Aston
sub-district: Deritend
ecclesiastical parish: St Johns
civil parish: Aston

this one perhaps;
Name: Alfred Smith
Age: 8
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Charles Smith
Mother's Name: Eliza Smith
Gender: Male
Where born: Arrow, Warwickshire, England

Civil parish: Berkley
Ecclesiastical parish: Berkley St Mary
Town: Berkley
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England
Members: Name Age
Charles Smith 48 / coach man
Eliza Smith 48
Fredrick Smith 16
Gordon Smith 14
Albert Smith 12
Alfred Smith 8
Evelyn Smith 4

was Alfred your grandfather?

Hi David,

Ancestors with the surname Smith are not the easiest to find out about. With the limited information that you have it is going to be a longer process than usual since you cannot positively identify a marriage for Alfred Edward.

As Alfred was born in 1892 if he followed normal life patterns it might be that he married sometime between his 20th and 40th birthdays, I.E 1912~1932. If that were so then it is likely that if William Charles and Winifred were his children then again following normal life patterns they were likely to have been born within the first 20 years following their parents marriage.

All I can really suggest is that you take a look at the free site www.freebmd.org.uk to see if you can spot the birth of a William C Smith and a Winifred Smith who both had the same mothers maiden name indicated on their birth registration. I would search first for William C Smith (as that is probably the least common) between 1912~1952. Note the mothers maiden name for any that you may find. Then search for any Winifred Smith that has the same mothers maiden name. Hopefully the number of possible combinations will be relatively small and will then allow you to look for any marriages of an Alfred Smith to a lady having the same maiden name as indicated on the children's birth registrations.

A bit long winded I know but with a bit of luck it might turn up trumps and only produce one or two possibilities. To confirm that it is indeed your Alfred Smith you will need to purchase a copy of what appears to be the correct marriage certificate.

Good luck.

Hi David
Have you tried the local Dolgellau library, they also have their own records office, being a police officer they may have details on him, do you know when he went to Wales?

All, I eventually found the data but it was complicated by the fact that Alfred married a widow Born Jane Dyas who had been married to George Vile. This led to William Charles Mothers maiden name entered as Vile and Winifrede entered as Mothers Maiden name Dyas but I got there many thanks to all.