The Smith Family of the Wyre Forest and their Descendants
Photo by John Robinson taken in 2003
The Smith family descendants are flung far and wide now and the people who remember the past are rapidly disappearing. On these pages are the descendants. If anyone would like to add to the families or correct mistakes, please see the CONTACT page and email us with information or memories.
The list was compiled initially by Derek Shorthouse who sadly died a few years ago. Derek, seen here sat next to Joyce, the lady in red, would update all the family on an annual basis when we all met on the third Saturday in August (and still do) in the grounds of Lodge Hill farm by kind permission of John and Jean Robinson who live at Lodge Hill now.
From Left: Margaret Tremellen, Liz Jones, Nell Tansley, Christine Tansley, Rosie Hackett, Joyce Smith, Derek Shorthouse, Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse
On all of the pages, everyone is colour coded according to their generation of the Smith family: The ten children of William and Sarah are all Blue (3rd generation), their children Pink (4th generation), their children Red (5th generation), their children Aqua (6th generation) and their children Green (7th generation)
The photo below was taken in 1981
The Smith family descendants are flung far and wide now and the people who remember the past are rapidly disappearing. On these pages are the descendants. If anyone would like to add to the families or correct mistakes, please see the CONTACT page and email us with information or memories.
The list was compiled initially by Derek Shorthouse who sadly died a few years ago. Derek, seen here sat next to Joyce, the lady in red, would update all the family on an annual basis when we all met on the third Saturday in August (and still do) in the grounds of Lodge Hill farm by kind permission of John and Jean Robinson who live at Lodge Hill now.
From Left: Margaret Tremellen, Liz Jones, Nell Tansley, Christine Tansley, Rosie Hackett, Joyce Smith, Derek Shorthouse, Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse
On all of the pages, everyone is colour coded according to their generation of the Smith family: The ten children of William and Sarah are all Blue (3rd generation), their children Pink (4th generation), their children Red (5th generation), their children Aqua (6th generation) and their children Green (7th generation)
The photo below was taken in 1981
This photo was taken in 1995
This photo was taken in 1996
These two photo's were taken in 1997 - this one on the bridge at Lodge Hill
1997
This was taken in 1999
Think this is probably 2000
From left: Margaret Tremellen, Christine (Sam) Tansley, Joyce Smith, Derek Smith, Sheila Smith, Nell Tansley, Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Lilian (Queenie) Smith, Derek Shorthouse
From left: Margaret Tremellen, Christine (Sam) Tansley, Joyce Smith, Derek Smith, Sheila Smith, Nell Tansley, Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Lilian (Queenie) Smith, Derek Shorthouse
A rainy reunion in 2001
2003
This photo was taken around 2004/5? and from left are:
Liz Jones, Margaret Tremellen, Rosie Hackett, Nell Tansley, Joyce Smith, Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Derek Smith and his wife Sheila
Liz Jones, Margaret Tremellen, Rosie Hackett, Nell Tansley, Joyce Smith, Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Derek Smith and his wife Sheila
This picture was taken in 2008 in the garden at Lodge Hill
Starting middle top: Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Joyce Smith, Derek Smith, Sheila Smith, Richard Hackett, Jingru Hackett, Margaret Tremellen, Rosie Hackett
Starting middle top: Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Joyce Smith, Derek Smith, Sheila Smith, Richard Hackett, Jingru Hackett, Margaret Tremellen, Rosie Hackett
This photo was taken in the front garden of Lodge Hill 2010
From left: Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Margaret Tremellen, Liz Jones, Rosie Hackett, Paul Hackett, Sharon Tansley, Roger Bray, Edward Bray, Christine (Sam) Tansley, Sheila Smith, Derek Smith
From left: Lawrence, Stella Shorthouse, Margaret Tremellen, Liz Jones, Rosie Hackett, Paul Hackett, Sharon Tansley, Roger Bray, Edward Bray, Christine (Sam) Tansley, Sheila Smith, Derek Smith
2013 photo by John Robinson, our resident photographer at Lodge Hill
From left: Rosemary Hackett, Sharon Tansley, Christine Tansley, Stella Shorthouse, Mary Tree, Paul Hackett, Margaret Tremellen, Claire Hackett, Simon Hackett
From left: Rosemary Hackett, Sharon Tansley, Christine Tansley, Stella Shorthouse, Mary Tree, Paul Hackett, Margaret Tremellen, Claire Hackett, Simon Hackett
Here Laurence Dopson records the Reunion in the Kidderminster Shuttle in 1992
The Smiths made their annual pilgrimage to their 'ancestral home' in the middle of Wyre Forest on Saturday (14th August)
'My grandparents William and Sarah Smith moved to Lodge Hill Farm in 1881 and a hundred years later, in 1981, a group of their descendants _ they had 16 children of whom 10 survived - thought it would be a nice idea to meet once a year at Lodge Hill' explains Mrs Evelyn Eccles, who lives at Wribbenhall, where William Smith kept the turnpike toll before moving to the farm.
She arranges the annual picnic with English Nature Warden John Robinson who now lives at Lodge Hill with his wife Jean.
As a young man William walked from Bewdley to the Black Country in search of work and found a bride. He and Sarah were married at Sedgley parish church but they returned to Bewdley. William Built an extra bedroom over the cowshed for his large family.
Twelve descendants and partners came to Lodge Hill on Saturday. The youngest was three year old Douglas Robertson, making his first visit. After their picnic lunch they walked through the Forest to the nearby mill on Dowles Brook.
'William Smith was the last miller, as well as farmer at Lodge Hill' says Evelyn. 'In 1891 there was a very severe winter and the ice and the flood when the thaw came broke the wheel, which William couldn't afford to repair. The mill is now called Knowles Mill - in an old map, it was Coventry Mill. There used to be a busy trade among the mills along Dowles Brook.'
William's son Edwin 'Ted' Smith went to live in the cottage by the mill when he married, moving to Far Forest in 1924. The youngest of the sixteen children, Fred, remained at Lodge Hill until he had to be admitted to Kidderminster Hospital in 1965. He lived another 13 years before dying at the age of 92.
'When we had our first reunion in 1981, 68 descendants came' says Evelyn. 'If all had turned up it would have been more like 680! They are numerous in Bewdley, I met another unknown cousin only the other day.'
Lodge Hill is no longer a farm. The field in front is unrecognisable as the garden which went up to the now disused railway. But the apple blossom in an early photograph still bears fruit.
The Smiths made their annual pilgrimage to their 'ancestral home' in the middle of Wyre Forest on Saturday (14th August)
'My grandparents William and Sarah Smith moved to Lodge Hill Farm in 1881 and a hundred years later, in 1981, a group of their descendants _ they had 16 children of whom 10 survived - thought it would be a nice idea to meet once a year at Lodge Hill' explains Mrs Evelyn Eccles, who lives at Wribbenhall, where William Smith kept the turnpike toll before moving to the farm.
She arranges the annual picnic with English Nature Warden John Robinson who now lives at Lodge Hill with his wife Jean.
As a young man William walked from Bewdley to the Black Country in search of work and found a bride. He and Sarah were married at Sedgley parish church but they returned to Bewdley. William Built an extra bedroom over the cowshed for his large family.
Twelve descendants and partners came to Lodge Hill on Saturday. The youngest was three year old Douglas Robertson, making his first visit. After their picnic lunch they walked through the Forest to the nearby mill on Dowles Brook.
'William Smith was the last miller, as well as farmer at Lodge Hill' says Evelyn. 'In 1891 there was a very severe winter and the ice and the flood when the thaw came broke the wheel, which William couldn't afford to repair. The mill is now called Knowles Mill - in an old map, it was Coventry Mill. There used to be a busy trade among the mills along Dowles Brook.'
William's son Edwin 'Ted' Smith went to live in the cottage by the mill when he married, moving to Far Forest in 1924. The youngest of the sixteen children, Fred, remained at Lodge Hill until he had to be admitted to Kidderminster Hospital in 1965. He lived another 13 years before dying at the age of 92.
'When we had our first reunion in 1981, 68 descendants came' says Evelyn. 'If all had turned up it would have been more like 680! They are numerous in Bewdley, I met another unknown cousin only the other day.'
Lodge Hill is no longer a farm. The field in front is unrecognisable as the garden which went up to the now disused railway. But the apple blossom in an early photograph still bears fruit.
Here, Derek Shorthouse records who went to a Smith family meeting in the forest 16th August 1997
The Smith Family of Lodge Hill
'It is generally said that William Smith and Sarah Groom had sixteen children but I know the names of only eleven. Of these two had no descendants - THOMAS and FREDERICK JOHN. Of the other nine, five had representatives at the Family Reunion at Lodge Hill on Saturday 16th August 1997. They are as follows:'
Ancestor Names
William Henry Smith Ruby Vera Smith (Hughes)
Joyce Marie Smith
Shirley Rosalind Ardley (Price)
Laurence Michael Ardley
Harry Smith Derek Shorthouse
Stella Shorthouse
Elizabeth Louie Angela (Betty) Smith (Higgs)
Keith Leslie Osmund-Smith
Faye Louise Osmund-Smith
Thea Grace Osmund-Smith
Lilian Muriel (Queenie) Smith (Bullock)
Louie Smith (Shorthouse) Yvonne Mary Shorthouse (Sharp)
Heather Shorthouse (Staples)
Florrie) Smith (Cartwright) Evelyn Cartwright (Eccles)
Cecil John Eccles
Donald William Eccles
Nellie Smith (Snape) Nell Snape (Tansley)
Harold William Snape
Susan Snape (Gartland)
Molly Snape (Harris)
John Graham Harris
Kathryn Elizabeth Harris
Rosie Janet Bray (Hackett)
Margaret Lucy Bray (Tremellen)
Roger John Bray
Elizabeth Anne (Nan) Bray (Jones)
The four siblings not represented were Edwin (Ted) Smith, Priscilla (Emmie) Smith, Annie Smith, and Martha Jane (Ginny) Smith
The Smith Family of Lodge Hill
'It is generally said that William Smith and Sarah Groom had sixteen children but I know the names of only eleven. Of these two had no descendants - THOMAS and FREDERICK JOHN. Of the other nine, five had representatives at the Family Reunion at Lodge Hill on Saturday 16th August 1997. They are as follows:'
Ancestor Names
William Henry Smith Ruby Vera Smith (Hughes)
Joyce Marie Smith
Shirley Rosalind Ardley (Price)
Laurence Michael Ardley
Harry Smith Derek Shorthouse
Stella Shorthouse
Elizabeth Louie Angela (Betty) Smith (Higgs)
Keith Leslie Osmund-Smith
Faye Louise Osmund-Smith
Thea Grace Osmund-Smith
Lilian Muriel (Queenie) Smith (Bullock)
Louie Smith (Shorthouse) Yvonne Mary Shorthouse (Sharp)
Heather Shorthouse (Staples)
Florrie) Smith (Cartwright) Evelyn Cartwright (Eccles)
Cecil John Eccles
Donald William Eccles
Nellie Smith (Snape) Nell Snape (Tansley)
Harold William Snape
Susan Snape (Gartland)
Molly Snape (Harris)
John Graham Harris
Kathryn Elizabeth Harris
Rosie Janet Bray (Hackett)
Margaret Lucy Bray (Tremellen)
Roger John Bray
Elizabeth Anne (Nan) Bray (Jones)
The four siblings not represented were Edwin (Ted) Smith, Priscilla (Emmie) Smith, Annie Smith, and Martha Jane (Ginny) Smith
All of Nellie Smith's family are on their own pages but on this page are the descendants of Samuel Smith and Joseph Smith who were William's brothers. This is what we know - we don't know a lot and have very few dates
1st generation was William Smith m Elinor Street , they had three boys
2nd generation: three children 2 Samuel and 2 Joseph 2 William
2 Samuel Smith - did not marry
2 Joseph Smith m Susan?
3 Mary Smith m Thomas Edward Weaver
4 John William Weaver m Minnie Trow and m Alice Ennis 15th May 1897
5 Harold Weaver
6 Richard Weaver
5 Thomas Edward Weaver b 26th Jan 1900
5 Ada Weaver m Harry Priestley Potter 24th Dec 1928
6 Clarice Potter
5 Bert Weaver m Nell Gittens
4 Bert Weaver m ? Garbett
4 Louie Weaver m John Horton
5 Florrie Horton m Harry Hunt
5 Lucy Horton m Walter Broome
6 Fred Broome
6 Walter Broome
6 Trevor Broome
6 David Broome
5 John Horton
5 George Horton m Cissie Reynolds
6 Dorothy Horton m Victor Bow
6 Nancy Horton m Eddie Merchant
7 Paul Merchant
6 Betty Horton m Ray Gunstone
7 Suzanne Gunstone m Tom Phillips
6 Violet Horton m John Cheadle
7 Philip Cheadle
7 Robert Cheadle
7 Andrew Cheadle
6 Julie Horton
4 Harry Weaver
4 Ted Weaver
4 Hubert Weaver
3 Louisa Smith b 1852 d 12 Mar 1910 m James Lloyd
4 Arnold Lloyd
4 William Lloyd
4 Edwin (Ted) Lloyd
4 Arthur Lloyd
4 Bert Lloyd m ?Watkins
5 Nellie Lloyd
5 Dorothy Lloyd m P Lacey
6 Christopher Lacey
4 Louie Lloyd m Frank Green
5 James Green m Doris Barker
6 Malcolm Green
6 Peter Green
5 Phyllis Green
5 Joan Green m Ivor Morris
4 Ethel Lloyd m Ted Miles
5 Ted Miles m Roma Woodward
6 Melvin Miles
6 Brian Miles
5 Clifford Miles
4 Nellie Lloyd m James Draper
5 James Draper
5 Sidney Draper
5 Dorothy Draper m Sid Link
5 Edna Draper m Stan Hassall
3 Emma Smith m James Draper
3 Nellie Smith
2nd generation: three children 2 Samuel and 2 Joseph 2 William
2 Samuel Smith - did not marry
2 Joseph Smith m Susan?
3 Mary Smith m Thomas Edward Weaver
4 John William Weaver m Minnie Trow and m Alice Ennis 15th May 1897
5 Harold Weaver
6 Richard Weaver
5 Thomas Edward Weaver b 26th Jan 1900
5 Ada Weaver m Harry Priestley Potter 24th Dec 1928
6 Clarice Potter
5 Bert Weaver m Nell Gittens
4 Bert Weaver m ? Garbett
4 Louie Weaver m John Horton
5 Florrie Horton m Harry Hunt
5 Lucy Horton m Walter Broome
6 Fred Broome
6 Walter Broome
6 Trevor Broome
6 David Broome
5 John Horton
5 George Horton m Cissie Reynolds
6 Dorothy Horton m Victor Bow
6 Nancy Horton m Eddie Merchant
7 Paul Merchant
6 Betty Horton m Ray Gunstone
7 Suzanne Gunstone m Tom Phillips
6 Violet Horton m John Cheadle
7 Philip Cheadle
7 Robert Cheadle
7 Andrew Cheadle
6 Julie Horton
4 Harry Weaver
4 Ted Weaver
4 Hubert Weaver
3 Louisa Smith b 1852 d 12 Mar 1910 m James Lloyd
4 Arnold Lloyd
4 William Lloyd
4 Edwin (Ted) Lloyd
4 Arthur Lloyd
4 Bert Lloyd m ?Watkins
5 Nellie Lloyd
5 Dorothy Lloyd m P Lacey
6 Christopher Lacey
4 Louie Lloyd m Frank Green
5 James Green m Doris Barker
6 Malcolm Green
6 Peter Green
5 Phyllis Green
5 Joan Green m Ivor Morris
4 Ethel Lloyd m Ted Miles
5 Ted Miles m Roma Woodward
6 Melvin Miles
6 Brian Miles
5 Clifford Miles
4 Nellie Lloyd m James Draper
5 James Draper
5 Sidney Draper
5 Dorothy Draper m Sid Link
5 Edna Draper m Stan Hassall
3 Emma Smith m James Draper
3 Nellie Smith