Anyone up for a Challenge? - Smith Surname?!

[kellysmith1976]

Ive been researching my family tree for years.. And i decided to start on my hubbys, I have searched and gone back a fair way on his mothers side, But his fathers is another story!..
If i tell you what i know for sure, and hopefully someone will be able to help or at least point me in the right direction!..

William Victor Smith born 7 March 1900 (dob from 1939 register), He met and married in 1934 an Ivy Lillian Taylor, In Strood, Kent ..I have Marriage cert, It states Williams Father was called Alexander Smith, (No occupation as says deceased). William Died in 1962, Again in Strood, where the family lived.
I have spoken to Williams Son, Who was only 10 when his dad died, He said His Dad was From Sunderland, and had a 'proper Geordie' accent.. He thinks he may have had siblings, but doesnt remember meeting them. No one else in the family knows anything more about him..

Hubby has had his DNA tested with Ancestry, And his ethnicity is 55% South England, and 45% Celtic ..As I said i have done Hubbys Mums side, and there are no Celtic connections as yet, And i have done Ivy Taylors side again no Celtic.. So im presuming the Celtic must be the Smiths Side..

I have started one line of enquiry, but the line im following has a few people who have also taken the DNA test and Hubby doesnt match to them, so i could be barking up the wrong tree!

Any help or advice please..
Thank you
Kelly x

[avm228]

Hi there

Was he a bachelor when he married at 34?

Who were the witnesses to the marriage?

I wouldn’t pay much heed to the supposed “ethnicity” results from genealogical DNA tests, to be honest.

[Ruskie]

Do you have William in the 1901 and 1911 censuses?

I agree with avm - I would put the ethicity results to the side for the time being. 

Have you located William's birth certificate?

[kellysmith1976]

He was a bachelor when he married..

The witnesses were both on Ivy Taylors Side,

No I dont have him on any census.. I have him after 1934... 1939 register, his childrens baptisms and his death.. All of which are in Strood, Kent,

[avm228]

Just to rule out one candidate from near Sunderland: he is unlikely to be the 8mo old William V Smith in Houghton-le-Spring in the 1901 census.  That one was registered William Vincent Smith.  Parents were Vincent and Julia.

[avm228]

An online tree refers to a family rumour that William may have been adopted.

Alternatively it tentatively links him to a William Smith shown as aged 5 in 1901, son of Alexander Smith in Jarrow.

Is that your tree, or are you aware of it?

[Ruskie]

I was just about to ask if Kelly needed help looking for William in the censuses. 

If that is the correct William in Jarrow he obviously didn't know his year of birth if he claimed to have been born in 1900 ...

It would be interesting to know how the adoption rumour originated. 

[avm228]

The son of Alexander Smith of Jarrow and his wife Rachel nee Chandler (marr Dec qtr 1882 S Shields):

William Smith, mmn Chandler, Dec qtr 1896 South Shields 10a 857.

Doesn’t look a strong match.

[kellysmith1976]

Yes thats my Tree...
I have looked and a few people who have done DNA are researching Rachael and Alexander, and they do not match to hubby.. So i think i have gone in the wrong direction...

The rumour of him being adopted... I have heard it from one person, who was Williams Great Granddaughter, and I would think if it was true, His son would have known about it...