The Smith family

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William Smith, a chemist and druggist, took up residence at No. 1 in 1896 and remained there until his death in 1931.1 His daughter Catherine Janet Smith, also a chemist, continued to occupy the apartment until 1959.2

William Smith was born at Lerwick, Shetland on 20 February 1848, son of bookseller Robert Smith and his wife Janet Jamieson.3  He grew up in Caithness, attending school at Dunbeath and Wick, before an apprenticeship in Edinburgh.4 He qualified as a chemist and druggist on 09 November 18695 and opened his own business at No. 1 Deanhaugh Street in 1872. His business premises were at 1 Deanhaugh Street until 1900, when he relocated to 57 Roseburn Terrace, Murrayfield. He later opened branches at Warriston and Canonmills. William Smith specialised in insecticides, styptics and horticultural chemicals.6 He retired about 1920 and died at No. 1 (7 St Bernard’s Row) on 15 March 1931.7

William Smith married Louisa Selina Ferguson in Glasgow on 18 January 1872.8  She was born at Monzievaird, Perthshire in 1848, daughter of John Ferguson, a carpenter, and Catherine McCowan.9  She died at 7 St Bernard’s Row on 02 July 1923.10

William Smith and Louisa Ferguson had six children before taking up residence at No. 1 Malta Terrace. Three of their children were living at No. 1 (7 St Bernard’s Row) in 1901.

The eldest was John Ferguson Smith, who was born at 18 North Bridge, Edinburgh on 24 May 1874.11 He was an insurance clerk living at 7 St Bernard’s Row in 190112 and worked for many years for the North British Mercantile Insurance Company.13 During the first world war he was an officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps.14 He died at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh on 05 May 1952.15 In 1901 he married Hilda Bennett Macaulay,16 who was born in Manchester on 29 July 1877, daughter of William Henry Martin Macaulay and Emma Ward Jackson.17 John F. Smith and his wife were listed at 7 St Bernard’s Row in the electoral registers of 1924 and 192518 and later lived at 12 Pitt Street, Joppa.19 Hilda Bennett Macaulay or Smith died in 1945.20

William Oswald Smith was born at 4 Upper Dean Terrace on 13 August 1882.21 He was still at school, living with his parents at No. 1 (7 St Bernard’s Row) when the 1901 census was taken22 and was listed there again in electoral registers between 1946 and 1948.23 He was a comedian and variety artist with the stage name ‘Billy Oswald.’ He died aged 66 and a divorcee at No. 1 (7 St Bernard’s Row) on 28 May 1949.24

Catherine Janet Smith was born at 4 Upper Dean Terrace, Edinburgh on 09 May 1884.25 She was recorded living at No. 1 in the censuses of 1901,26 191127 and 1921.28 She qualified as a chemist and druggist in 190929 and in 1931 worked as a chemist for the Medical Officer of Health.30 She succeeded her father as owner of the apartment at No. 1 (7 St Bernard’s Row) and remained there until 1959.31 She died a widow on 08 June 1969 at Edenhall Hospital, Inveresk.32

Catherine Janet Smith married John Ford at 7 St Bernard’s Row on 03 October 1941.33 John Ford was born in Edinburgh in 1877, son of George Ford, vanman, and Ann Wallace.34 His occupation in 1901 was recorded as wood carver.35 He was described as a retired furniture works manager when he died on 27 February 1959.36 John Ford’s first wife, Mary Bruce, died at Craig House, Edinburgh on 17 March 1940.37

References

  1. PO Directories 1896-97 to 1930-31.
  2. Electoral Register 1959.
  3. Baptisms (OPR) Scotland. Lerwick, Shetland. 20 February 1848. SMITH, William. 005/ 20/ 113. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 27 August 2024.
  4. ‘Death of Edinburgh Chemist.’ The Scotsman. 17 March 1931. p. 7, col. 3. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 27 August 2024.
  5. Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. (1919) The registers of pharmaceutical chemists and chemists and druggists. London. p. 299. https://archive.org/details/registersofpharm00pharuoft/: accessed 27 August 2024.
  6. ‘Death of Edinburgh Chemist.’ The Scotsman. 17 March 1931. p. 7, col. 3. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 27 August 2024.
  7. Death announcements. Scotland. The Scotsman. 16 March 1931. SMITH. p. 14, col. 7. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  8. Births (SR) Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 03 August 1882. SMITH, William Oswald. 685/1 1579. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 27 August 2024.
  9. Census records. Scotland. Monzievaird and Strowan, Perthshire. 30 March 1851. FERGUSON, John (Head). 383/ 01/ 01. Ancestry collection ‘1851 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  10. Death announcements. Scotland. The Scotsman. 03 July 1923. SMITH. p. 12, col. 7. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  11. Births (SR) Scotland. Canongate, Edinburgh. 26 May 1874. SMITH, John Ferguson. 685/3 492. Ancestry collection ‘Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  12. Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 31 March 1901. SMITH, William (Head). 685/1 46/ 07. Ancestry collection ‘1901 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  13. Death announcements. The Scotsman. 07 May 1952. SMITH, John Ferguson. p. 10, col. 1. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 07 January 2024.
  14. War Office. Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War. 1914-1920. SMITH, John Ferguson. WO 372/18/158544. National Archives. Ancestry collection ‘UK, British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  15. Deaths (SR) Scotland. Edinburgh. 06 May 1952. SMITH, John Ferguson. 685/5 638. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 07 February 2024.
  16. Marriages index (SR) Scotland. Portobello, Edinburgh. 1901. SMITH, John F. and MACAULAY, Hilda Bennett. 685/6 33. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 19 June 2024.
  17. Baptisms (PR) England. Collyhurst St James, Lancashire. MACAULAY, Hilda Bennett. GB127.M229/1/1/2. Ancestry collection ‘Manchester, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  18. Electoral registers 1924 and 1925.
  19. Death announcements. Scotland. The Scotsman. 07 May 1952. SMITH. p. 10, col. 1. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 14 May 2024.
  20. Deaths index (SR) Scotland. Edinburgh. 1945. SMITH, Hilda B. 685/5 1580. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 19 June 2024.
  21. Births (SR) Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 31 August 1882. SMITH, William. 685/1 1579. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 07 February 2024.
  22. Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 31 March 1901. SMITH, William (Head). 685/1 46/ 07. Ancestry collection ‘1901 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  23. Electoral registers 1946, 1947 and 1948.
  24. Deaths (SR) Scotland. St Andrew, Edinburgh. 30 May 1949. SMITH, William Oswald. 685/2 323. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 07 February 2024.
  25. Births (SR) Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 28 May 1884. SMITH, Catherine Janet. 685/1 902. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  26. Census records. Scotland. St George, Edinburgh. 31 March 1901. SMITH, William (Head). 685/1 46/ 07. Ancestry collection ‘1901 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  27. Census records. Scotland. St Bernards, Edinburgh. 02 April 1911. SMITH, William (Head). 685/1 25/ 04. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 15 April 2019.
  28. Census records. Scotland. St Bernards, Edinburgh. 19 June 1921. SMITH, William (Head). 685/1 03/ 15. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 30 November 2022.
  29. Pharmaceutical Society. (1919) The Registers of Pharmaceutical Chemists and Chemists and Druggists. p. 296. https://archive.org/details/registersofpharm00pharuoft/page/296/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater: accessed 21 June 2024.
  30. ‘Death of Edinburgh Chemist.’ The Scotsman. 17 March 1931. p. 7, col. 3. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 27 August 2024.
  31. Electoral Register 1959.
  32. Deaths (SR) Scotland. Inveresk, Midlothian. 09 June 1969. FORD, Catherine Janet. 689/ 138. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 21 July 2020.
  33. Marriage announcements. Scotland. The Scotsman. 04 October 1941. FORD – SMITH. p. 8, col. 7. https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk: accessed 28 August 2024.
  34. Births index (SR) Scotland. St Andrew, Edinburgh. 1877. FORD, John. 685/2 436. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 21 June 2024.
  35. Census records. Scotland. St Andrew, Edinburgh. 31 March 1901. FORD, John. 685/2 115/ 09. Ancestry collection ‘1901 Scotland Census.’ https://ancestry.co.uk: accessed 20 June 2024.
  36. Deaths (SR) Scotland. George Square, Edinburgh. 28 February 1959. FORD, John. 685/5 377. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 20 June 2024.
  37. Deaths (SR) Scotland. Morningside, Edinburgh. 19 March 1940. FORD, Mary. 685/7 416. https://scotlandspeople.gov.uk: accessed 20 June 2024.

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