Ada Smith

(1862 - 1912)

1862 Birth
Name: Ada Smith
Registration Year: 1863
Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration district: Wolverhampton
Inferred County: Staffordshire
Volume: 6b
Page: 538

Census information indicates she was born in 1862 - but probably in December and not registered until the following year.

Later census information says that she was born in Broad Lanes. This was a hamlet that was at the border between Bilston. Sedgley and Coseley.

1871 Census

The family are living at 86,Broad Lanes,Coseley,

Father: Robert Smith age 30 is a cordwainer

Mother: Jane A Smith age 28

Siblings:

  • Edward W Smith age 10
  • Ada Smith age age 6
  • Albert Smith age 3
  • Theresa Smith age 9 Months
1881 Census

Ada's family are living at 'Coseley Street'. This does not exist any more, but as the continuation of Broad Lanes is called Coseley Road today, it is probably in this area. The address suggests a court of houses. These often had shared facilities such as a washroom and toilets in a central block. The area has now been redeveloped, so it is impossible to see what the housing was like.

Ada is now 17/18 and no longer listed with her family.

It seems that she left home to try to earn her own living.

Name: Ada Smith
Age: 18
Estimated birth year: abt 1863
Relationship to Head: Pauper Inmate (Pauper)
Gender: Female
Where born: WolverhamptonStaffordshireEngland
Civil Parish: Crumpsall
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address: "Manchester Workhouse" Srumpsall Nr Manch
Occupation: Tailoress
Registration district: Prestwich
ED, institution, or vessel: Manchester Workhouse 1

Her trade as a tailoress makes sense with the training she could have got from her parents. But, it seems that setting out on her own did not go well.

17 Dec 1882

Marriage

(Age 20)

FHL Film Number: 1526109
Reference ID: 2:1SMBSFT
Name: Ada Smith
Gender: Female
Birth Date: abt 1862
Age: 20
Father's Name: Robert Smith
Spouse's Name: Thomas Howell
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse's Father's Name: Thomas Howell
Marriage Date: 17 Dec 1882
Marriage Place: Sedgley, Staffordshire, England
1901

Thomas Howell age 39 - (working as a wheelwright labourer)

Ada Howell age 38 - wife

Children:

  • James Howell 15 (working as a crane driver)
  • Leonard Howell 13
  • (Ada) Teresa Howell 11
  • Elizabeth Maud Howell 9
  • Thomas Howell 6
  • Christiana Howell 3
1911

The family has moved to 35 Tame Street, Bilston.

Thomas Howell - householder - age 48 ( working as an engine driver)

Ada Howell age 47 - wife

Children:

  • Albert Howell 23 (steel worker)
  • Thomas Howell age 16 (butcher's assistant)
  • Christiana Howell age 13
  • Frederick Howell age 11
  • Arthur Howell age 7

1912

Age 49

Death
Name Ada Howell
Estimated Birth Year abt 1863
Registration Year 1912
Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at Death 49
Registration district Wolverhampton
Parishes for this Registration District Wolverhampton
Inferred County Staffordshire
Volume 6b
Page 874

By my reckoning, Ada's 49th birthday would have been in the December of 1911, so she was only just 49 when she died.

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