William John Robert Smith

My fathers second cousin twice removed.. W J R Smith as i have found him was born 15th August 1876 at 11 Clarence Street, Middlesborough. His parents are Robert Alfred Smith and Christiana Burrill.

Christiana's parents are Barnabas Burrill my 5x great grandmother's [Ellen Burrill] nephew and Mary Anderson [my 4x great grandmother's [Elizabeth Anderson] sister.

Christiana dies in 1879 Brearton a small village just outside Knaresborough and Robert Alfred Smith then marries Elizabeth Brooks the daughter of John Brooks and the above mentioned Elizabeth Anderson so Elizabeth being my 3x Great Aunt.

With Smith being a very common surname i have always struggled to find any suggestion of him in Census Records although he is with his Parents in the 1881 Census the 1891 i believe i have found him in Shipley age 14 birthplace listed as brearton he is a farm Servant.

So far can not find him in 1901 or 1911 census can not see any Marriages for him or even his death - in fact untill today i have always assumed he had died at an early age just did not know where to look or even thought he may have gone abroad. Well all that changed today as i have just received his fathers death certificate and informant is W J R SMITH of Beckmeetings, Kirkby Malzeard.

So the hunt for him is on again - if any one has ever come across a WILLIAM JOHN ROBERT SMITH in this area the NORTH RIDING of YORKSHIRE at any point in time especially around or after 1927 when he registers his fathers death please let me know.

W J R Smith had a sister Elizabeth Ann Smith born 24th June 1878 at 19 Birks Street, Middlesborough i have always found her with the BURRILLS she has registered her Aunt Mary Ellen Burrills death in 1899 Ripon. By the 1901 Census she is back in Harrogate at 89 Valley Drive a servant. That is also the last time i see her and nothing obviouse in the 1911 census or Marriage or Death records.