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In 1881 England Census William Alfred Smith's wife-to-be, Annie Allen (b. Rowhedge, Essex about 1860) was living alone 'unmarried' in Colchester as a tailoress.
On 18 Oct 1881 their first child, Alice, was born in Dover, Kent, with father William Alfred Smith a Private in the East Kent Regiment.
In Feb 1885 their second child, Lily, was born in Ancoats area of Manchester and William Alfred was 'Velvet Finisher'.
Feb 1887, 3rd daughter, Ada, was born in Bradford with William Alfred 'General Labourer'.
December 1888 the family were back in Colchester and fourth daughter, Grace Annie, was born at East Donyland (Rowhedge), where Annie Allen's parents lived and where Annie had been born in about 1860.
1891 Census they were all living in Colchester, William Alfred as 'Hawker.  They then had two sons, William Alfred (b. 1890) and Harold (b. 1893) in Colchester, with Harold being born Dec. 1893 in 'Married Quarters, Abbey Fields, Colchester, about 2 weeks after the death of his father, William Alfred, also in Colchester.   On Harold's birth certificate and also on William's death certificate he is called 'Barrack Labourer, Army Pensioner'.
I can't find a marriage for William Alfred Smith and Annie Allen, nor anything about William Alfred before 1881 - trying to search for William Alfred Smith in the Military, even in East Kent Regiment brings hundreds of possibilities and I wonder is someone could please suggest a way to narrow down my search.  I only know he was born in Ireland from the 1891 Census and I think its very probable he was a Catholic.

Thanks for your help Ken - I've had another look on FindMyPast but as I don't know where in Ireland William Alfred was born, I think it's going to take me some time to find him, if I ever do.
It's helpful to know that the Buffs were in Ireland in 1866, as that would possibly have been about the time that William Alfred signed up.
Would I find the muster books on FindMyPast too?

Thanks
Ann

I have found a Lily Smith birth in 1885 in Army Births and Baptisms/Regimental Birth Indices 1761-1924 - Hounslow - father in 7th Foot - but that's a bit vague:   I don't know how to take that any further other than send for the birth certificate - which I might do. 
I need to understand more about how the Army regiments/battalions etc worked.   I don't know whether Lily's father, William Alfred, was always in the EKR 'The Buffs' or whether he transferred to another Regiment - did they do that?
Thanks - I wouldn't have got to this point without your help

Thanks for your input Rosie - I've received certificates from GRO and am almost certain this is my Lily and her family.   Birth certificate of Harold Smith (b.Dec 1893) shows Annie's maiden name as Allen, and that Harold's father, William Alfred was deceased at the time of his birth;  this ties up with the death certificate of William Smith (d.Nov 1893);  on both certificates William Alfred is 'Barrack labourer' 'Army Pensioner';  the family were living in married quarters at Colchester.   The marriage certificate of Annie Smith and William Radford in Oct 1898 also shows Annie's father as Alfred Allen (deceased) and I'm in the process of searching/finding her family in East Donyland/Rowhedge, Essex - all seem to have been mariners/fishermen.   
I still haven't been able to find the birthplace of William and Annie's first 3 children - Alice (abt 1882) Lily (abt. 1885) and Ada (abt. 1887) but will keep working on that.

Thanks again Rosie - Yes I found Annie Radford at Shorncliffe in 1901 and also William Radford (age 35).   I can't find the children either, although I have found a William Smith (b. Colchester age 10) at Ongar Road, Brentwood as a boarder, but haven't followed that up yet.   Also found Harold Smith's enlistment in the ASC in 1914 age 20, in London.   Alfred John Scragg enlisted in the Buffs in July 1892 at Canterbury, but so far I haven't found a definite connection except for the fact that his mother was Alice Smith, born Colchester.   I've searched the parish registers around Rowhedge, where Annie was born, but can't find anything definite, neither can I find any of the children's baptisms - I think this could be because they may have been Catholics - I know that Lily and Thomas John Smith married in a Catholic Church and Thomas wasn't catholic at the time, so it must have come from Lily's family.   
I've sent to the GRO for 3 certificates which I hope will give me Annie's maiden name.