Died
Josephine: 10 January 1910
John: 19 May 1941
Sources
Sankey Family Photographic Collection
Cumbria BMD
Ancestry
Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer
North Western Evening Mail
Place
Walks
Josephine Smith
Of your charity pray for the repose of the souls of
JOSEPHINE M. T. SMITH
(olim DELAHUNTY)
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
J. P. SMITH OF ARNDENE
BORN OCTR 15TH 1880 DIED JANY 10TH 1910
ALSO OF
AGNES MARY HOUGHTON
DAUGHTER OF MATTHEW AND ANN HOUGHTON
BORN AUGT 3RD 1860 DIED OCTR 14TH 1910
A FAITHFUL FRIEND
*olim means “formerly”.
1871 Census
At 3 Cable Street, Lancaster in the 1871 Census are Joseph Smith (48) Town Councillor and Corn Merchant, born Lancaster; Mary Anne Smith (44) Landowner, born Ashton, Lancs.; William Smith (21) Corn Merchant, born Lancaster; Anne Smith (17) Scholar, born Lancaster; Edward Gregory Smith (8) Scholar, born Lancaster; John Peter Smith (6) Scholar, born Lancaster.; Mary Smith (4) Scholar, born Lancaster; Mary (sic) Gertrude Smith (1), born Lancaster. There are two servants: Johanna Gaynon? (22) General Servant, born Ireland; and Elizabeth Smith (18) Nursemaid, born Claughton, Lancs.
1881 Census
The Smiths are at 1 Cable Street, Lancaster in the 1881 Census. Joseph Smith (58) is a Corn Merchant employing 9 men. The rest of the household is Mary A. Smith (54), Ellen Smith (24); Richard Smith (20) Edward G. Smith (18) and John P. Smith (16). The younger girls must have been away, perhaps with relatives or at school. There are two servants: Elizabeth Proctor (19) Domestic Cook, born Halton, Lancs.; and Annie Connell (17) Housemaid, born Liverpool, Lancs.
1891 Census
In the 1891 Census the Smith family are living at 5 Cable Street, Lancaster. Mary A. Smith (64) Widow, Living on Own Means, born Ashton on Ribble is Head of the Household, sharing with her children, all born in Lancaster. They are Ellen Smith (34) no recorded occupation; Edward G. Smith (28) Milling Expert; John P. Smith (26) Corn Merchant’s Miller; Mary Smith (24) no recorded occupation; Gertrude M. Smith (21) no recorded occupation. Their servant is Margaret E. Thompson (18) Housemaid, born Dalton-in-Furness.
Whether the Smiths moved house, or the houses were renumbered, or the enumerator made a mistake somewhere, cannot be certain.
John P. Smith married Edith J(ane) Edge in 1892 (Registrar attended) in Barrow. In 1893 they had twins, Wilfred Joseph Smith (died 1893) and Winifred Mary Smith (died 1893); in 1895 came Joseph B. Smith; in 1896 Margaret Mary Smith; 1897 Wilfred Thomas Smith; 1898 Cecil John Smith (died 1899). Edith J. Smith died in 1900. (Cumbria BMD)
1901 Census
In the 1901 Census John P. Smith (36) Widower, Corn Miller (Employer), born Lancaster was living at “Ellerslie”, Prospect Road, later the home of Colonel Briggs. Next door was “Claverton”, the home of Harper Gaythorpe and his son Sidney Gaythorpe, all of whom have entries on this website. But in 1901 the rest of the household was Joseph Smith (6) Son, born Barrow; Margaret Smith (4) Daughter, born Barrow; Wilfred Smith (3) Son, born Barrow; Winifred Messinger? (38) Lady Housekeeper Domestic, born Gloucester; Mary Daniells (sic) (31) Domestic Cook, born Millom, Cumberland; and Mary Antcliffe (22) Domestic Housemaid, born Mansfield, Notts.
Josephine Mary T. Delahunty married John Peter Smith in Dublin North Registration District on 31 July 1907. Soulby's Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer of Thursday 1 August 1907 reported:
BARROW ALDERMAN MARRIED
INTERESTING CEREMONY IN IRELAND
An interesting marriage took place on Wednesday morning at the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough-street, Dublin, between Alderman J. P. Smith, J.P., of Arndene, Barrow-in-Furness, and Miss Josephine Delahunty, of Cork. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. E. G. Smith, brother of the bridegroom, who also celebrated the Nuptial Mass. After the wedding breakfast, the happy couple left for the Engadine, where the honeymoon will be spent. The event was very quietly celebrated.
The Engadine is a valley in Switzerland.
1911 Census
After her death, Josephine’s widower, John Peter Smith (46) retired corn merchant, born Lancaster was living at “Arndene”, one of the large mansions on Abbey Road in the 1911 Census. It is currently (2023) “Happy Tots” nursery. J. P. Smith had been Mayor of Barrow 1901-02, and was again 1911-12. At the time of the Census he had four servants: Frances Redding? (43) Lady Housekeeper, born (unreadable); Annie Dooley (26) Cook (Domestic), born Moone, Kildare; Emily Heavyside (22) Parlour Maid, born Millom, Cumberland; and Henrietta Appleby (21) House Maid, born Barrow, Lancs.
Picture from NWEM 21 May 1941
His son, Second Lieutenant Joseph Basil Smith was killed in action on 18 September 1918 in Salonika.
1939 Register
John P. Smith (DoB 17 May 1864), Retired Engineer, was still resident at Arndene at the time of the 1939 Register. The five other residents were Helen Murray (DoB 22 December 1886) Widow, Paid Housekeeper; Margaret Platt (DoB 27 September 1914) Paid Cook; Marjorie Ward (crossed out Gallagher when she married) (DoB 16 September 1919) Paid Parlour Maid; Joan Connell (crossed out Crawford when she married on 11 February 1946) (DoB 30 March 1924) Paid House Maid; and Edward J (or T). Murray (DoB 28 April 1913) Lieutenant (E) Royal Navy (on leave). Edward Murray is presumably Helen Murray’s son.
Documents on Ancestry indicate that John Peter Smith was made a Freeman of the City of London in the Company of Feltmakers on 23rd January 1917, having been admitted to that Company on 8thJanuary 1917. He gives his address as “Arndene”, Barrow-in-Furness, and his father as Joseph Smith, late of Cable Street, Lancaster.
The National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1941 has:
SMITH John Peter of Arndene Abbey-road Barrow-in-Furness Lancashire died 19 May 1941 at Blackpool Probate Lancaster 23 July to Wilfred Thomas Smith solicitor Joseph Holden bank accountant and William Garencieres Pearson solicitor. Effects £56689 12s 11d. Resworn £56530 5s 4d.
The North Western Evening Mail 20 May 1941 reported:
TWICE MAYOR OF BARROW
DEATH OF MR. J. P. SMITH, AT ST. ANNES
We regret to learn of the death of Mr. John Peter Smith J. P. which occurred at a nursing home at St. Annes just before midnight on Monday. He was 77 years of age.
The late Mr. Smith was an ex-Mayor of Barrow, having held that office in 1901-2 and again in 1911-12. He served on the Barrow Town Council with distinction for many years, his work as chairman of the Electricity Committee of which he was chairman from 1897 to 1918, being particularly noteworthy. He was the first chair of that committee, and rendered very valuable services in putting the undertaking on a sound footing.
He was an Alderman of the borough and retired from civic life a good many years ago. He was the senior Borough magistrate having been appointed in 1901.
Mr. Smith, who had been a widower for many years, leaves one son and one daughter, the latter the wife of Commander Cummings.
No-one is certain why Edward Sankey took photographs of graves in the period 1910-1920ff. Were they advertising the skills of his friend William Hull, or later Hull and Fairbairn? Were they to be made into postcards that the bereaved family could send to members who were not able to attend the funeral?
The historic photograph is from the Sankey Family Photographic Collection, courtesy of Cumbria Archives.
