Margaret Ellen Smith nee Taylor (1886-1970)

Margaret was a sister of my grandfather William Taylor (1890-1972). Most of the information in this item came from Sarah, a great grand-daughter of Margaret. I made contact with Sarah as a result of a match from my Ancestry DNA test.

Margaret Ellen Taylor was born on 28 December 1886 at 4 West Street, Charlton in SE London. She was the fifth of twelve children born to George Taylor (1849-1903) and his wife Margaret nee Smiles (1852-1917). George had been a Bombardier in the Royal Artillery, but left the Army in 1886. Margaret’s birth certificate describes his occupation as “sawyer”. Later records describe him as a labourer. West Street was an area of poor housing. The road is now called Westmore Street.

The 1901 census lists George Taylor (aged 50, a labourer local board), his wife Margaret (47), and children George (24, a covering machinist), Jane (19, a covering machinist), Charles (16, a covering machinist), Margaret (14, a daily servant), William (10), Samuel (9) and May (6) living at 7 West Street, Charlton. Margaret’s father George died in 1903, when she was 16.

On 16 August 1910 Margaret married Alfred Charles Smith at Holy Trinity, Charlton, a church on Woolwich Road, near the junction with West Street. Margaret was aged 23, Alfred was 20, a milkman. His father was Edward Smith, a foreman joiner.

The 1911 census shows Alfred and Margaret living at 20, Alfred Street, Bermondsey. His occupation is milkman and his birth place is recorded as Staines (a town on the West side of London). They are living in just 1 room. Sometime later in 1911 they moved to Staines. Their first child, Charles Alfred Smith, was born there on 10 October 1911. They later had three more children namely Vera May Margaret (born 5 June 1913), Edith Rose (born 19 October 1915) and Edward Douglas (born 22 March 1918).

Alfred volunteered to join the army on 25 January 1915 at Kingston Upon Thames, aged 23. His occupation is recorded on the Attestation Form as engine driver and his address with Margaret was 23 Ruskin Road, Staines, Middlesex. He initially joined the Army Service Corps (source Surrey Recruitment Registers 1908-1933 and Army Record). He was based in England from 25 January to 2 September 1915 and was then sent with the Expeditionary Force to France on 3 September 1915. He had been promoted to Corporal by the time he left the Army in April 1919. His address at the time of leaving was 41 Hummer Road, Egham, Surrey.

A newspaper report shows that Alfred and Margaret attended the funeral of my grandmother Gertrude Taylor nee Wilkins, who died in 1919 of influenza.

The 1921 census shows Alfred (aged 29) and Margaret Smith (33) living in 5 rooms at 41 Hummer Road, Egham with their children Charles (9), May (8), Edith (5) and Douglas (3) plus a boarder. Alfred's occupation was pipe fitter and he worked for Austin Palmer in Egham.

In 1927/28 on the Electoral Register, Alfred and Margaret Ellen are recorded against 93 Thames Street, Staines but their actual abode was 48 Hummer Road, Egham.

Family recollection appears to indicate that Margaret Ellen was a formidable lady and could be quite a dominant figure in her household even to her husband. She was strict with her children, commanded respect and was always ready to voice her opinion on what they did, even as adults.

Electoral Registers for 1938 and 1939 and the 1939 Register show Margaret living at 32 Hurstdene Avenue, Staines with her daughter Edith. In the 1939 Register Margaret is recorded as undertaking ‘unpaid domestic duties’. Edith is a sewing machinist with a cotton clothing manufacturer. Alfred is not listed at the address. It seems likely (although I am not sure of this) that Alfred and Margaret had separated by 1938 as they were not living together.

 Margaret Ellen Smith at her daughter Edith’s marriage to Victor Offord in 1945

Margaret continued to live in the family home at 32 Hurstdene Avenue, Staines. Her daughter Edith and Edith's husband, Victor Offord also lived with her there. Google Streetview shows the house to be semi-detached, probably built in the 1920s or 1930s, in a quiet residential road.

Alfred died in 1964 aged 73 in Windsor registration district. Probate records give his address as The Bungalow, Mushroom Castle, Winkfield, Berkshire. He left no will and administration of his estate (£700) was granted to his daughter Edith.

Margaret died on 17 March 1970 at Ashford Hospital, Stanwell (near Staines) aged 83. Her death certificate gives her address as 32 Hurstdene Avenue. She is described as the widow of Alfred Charles Smith, a Clerk of Works (retired). The informant was her daughter Edith Offord, who had the same address. The main cause of death was pulmonary embolus (a blocked blood vessel in the lungs).

Probate records show that Margaret’s estate was valued at £6,000. This is equivalent to about £150,000 now, when assessed relative to the wage of the average worker. Administration was approved, indicating that Margaret left no will.