The Smith Brothers
Peter Wise and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
John McDowell Smith married Margaret Stout at Teesdale in the summer of 1882. The couple went on to have 12 children although sadly 1 died. Of the 11 siblings remaining there were six sons and five daughters as follows:-
John William Stout 1880 -1917; Sarah Jane 1884 -1946; Alfred 1888 – 1918; George Henry 1890 -1916; Margaret 1892 – 1954; Robert 1894 – 1916; Frederick 1897 – 1917; Wilfred 1898 – 1968; Elizabeth 1901 -1997; Kathleen 1903 – 1977; Lillian 1906 - ??
Alfred was born at Startforth, Co. Durham in 1888.
The 1901 census shows the family living at Oliver’s Yard, Bridgegate, Barnard Castle. His father was a chimney sweep whilst Alfred and sister, Sarah both worked as machine minders at the flax mill.
By 1911 the family of now ten were living in three rooms. The older children were working mainly as mill hands at Ullathorpe’s flax mill. George was a yarn washer, Margaret a swifter, Robert a labourer whilst 12-year-old Frederick was a flax dresser.
Alfred was not shown with the rest of the family in 1911 as he had married Mary Elizabeth Wilson of Thorngate on May 14th 1910. They went on to have four children together. In 1911 Alfred was working as a mason’s labourer whilst living in his 2 roomed accommodation with his wife and first baby, Edna May born July 10th 1910. Followed by Alfred September 23rd 1911, George Henry July 24th 1915 and Thomas Barnes May 4th 1918.
Writing home in 1915 Alfred wrote in his letter which was published in the Teesdale Mercury on 14/07/1915.
Private Alfred Smith, of the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, writes to Mr John Appleby, Galgate, Barnard Castle (his former employer), under date Friday, the 9th of July, 1915, as follows:
“We are having fine weather out here, and everything looks well. I have been in hospital out of health, but I am about ready for the trenches again. This is a nerve-straining job out here, and we have had rather a rough time of it, but we are still as game as ever. We have about got used to it by now, and take no notice of shot and shell. I have seen many Belgian towns and villages wrecked, and the beautiful churches are all in ruins. I have had many narrow places to get out of, but I have always got through. We are about thirty yards off the Germans, and doing our bit. We have got a good leader In Captain Heslop, who is a brave young man. We get plenty of tobacco and cigarettes from good friends, and I would like to thank the people of Barnard Castle for their kindness. “
In June 1917 he was wounded in France and spent a short furlough at home recovering.
Alfred was wounded in action in July 1918 and died later on that month, July 22nd 1918. In a letter to the Smith family, Lieutenant W. E. Meikle wrote about how he considered Alfred a "gallant comrade."
Alfred was the last of the five Smith sons to be killed in the war. His death prompted Mrs Bircham to write to the Queen regarding the "Heavily Bereaved" family.
His father John McDowell Smith died in 1923 and his mother Margaret on October 13th 1923 was asked to lay a wreath at the dedication of the Barnard Castle War Memorial in the grounds of Bowes Museum. Margaret died in 1924.
On November 11th 2018 members of the Smith family gathered to remember their relatives- the six Smith Brothers of Barnard Castle.
The photograph includes clockwise from left to right Alfred, George Henry, Frederick and John. The inset is of Wilfred in later life. No photograph has been found of Robert.
Alfred Smith is remembered at Barnard Castle on B135.02, B135.23 and B135.25
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 190
