Dear Truebrit
I have Smiths around Ward St Bilston, Gibbet Gate, which was the behind The Gate Pub which is still at Priestfields on the Bilston Road, first names are William Smith born 1814 Bilston parents George and either Sarah or Anne, brother Richard, born Bilston 1818, he married Lucetta Dancer of Wednesfield Heath in December 1837 at St Peter's Wolverhampton and had children , Caroline born 1847, Jane born 1844, Sarah Ann, born 1857, Emma born 1842, Mary Ann born 1838 and finally Alfred born 1859 or 1860. The Smiths were metal workers, either Blacksmiths, or Iron Rollers, William was a railway engineer who worked the mines, but also a iron roller, he died some time between 1871 and 1881 because he was on the one census but not the other. His youngest son became a Boiler maker at the large Thompsons place that used to be in Millfields Road. I descend from Caroline, who got knocked up by a swarthy irish gyspy from the Stow Heath gypsy passing place or possibly when they were at Buggins Lane, Wednesfield, another gypsy passing place back in the day.She never married him so that her son, Samuel, born October 1867 was illegitimate until she married Isiah Hughes in 1870. Do any of these names mean anything to you? I ask because Sam's father is shrouded in mystery, we just know he was a gypsy and probably a smithyman, ie a metal worker because blacksmithing and tool making are common trades on that side of our family and tool making/Brasiering was a very well known gypsy trade along with chair making and of course , Horsetrading! The Hughes family into which Caroline married were also, Horsetraders, and Horseshoemakers, well known gypsy trades. If your Smiths are my Smiths can you tell me what you know about them? Sam married twice, don't know his first wife, but second wife was Mary Ann Lewis, married 1st April 1895,and they had children Alice 1901(my grandmother), Sam (1903) Lucetta (1904) Alfred (1905) , William, (known as Bill) 1906 and Violet 1910
Anything you can tell me about the Smiths would be appreciated.
