Norah Howard (Smeed)

[Jane MT]

Norah Howard was a stage and screen actress in England and the US in the 1920s - 1960s.
She was born Norah Smeed in 1901 and took her father's first name, Howard, as her stage name.

My mother remembers her visiting the family when Mum was a child. It was always said she and my grandfather, Charles Smeed, were cousins but I know of most of his immediate family and can find no connection so far.

Does anyone have knowledge of Norah that could help me solve this problem one way or another?

[Trish]

Norah Howard was a stage and screen actress in England and the US in the 1920s - 1960s.
She was born Norah Smeed in 1901 and took her father's first name, Howard, as her stage name.

My mother remembers her visiting the family when Mum was a child. It was always said she and my grandfather, Charles Smeed, were cousins but I know of most of his immediate family and can find no connection so far.

Does anyone have knowledge of Norah that could help me solve this problem one way or another?Jane, have you seen this from the 1901 census?

Census: 1901: RG13/67 Folio 56 Page 40
Address: 133 Hurlingham Road, Fulham, London
-- Alfred Howard Smeed Head M 21 Commercial Clerk [born] Tollington Park
-- Elizabeth Hetty Do Wife M 21 [born] Chelsea
-- Nora Lilian Do dau 3 mo [born] Fulham

And from FreeBMD:

Birth Record: Alfred Howard Smeed
4th Quarter 1882 Islington
Volume 1b Page 309

Birth Record: Elizabeth Hetty Warner
2nd Quarter 1880 Chelsea
Volume 1a Page 349

Marriage Record: Alfred Howard Smeed and Elizabeth Hetty Warner
3rd Quarter 1900 Fulham
Volume 1a Page 762

Birth Record: Norah Lilian E. Smeed
1st Quarter 1901 Fulham
Volume 1a Page 342

HTH,
Trish

[Trish]

Jane, when and where was your grandfather born?

There are a fair number of Smeeds in the Fulham area around 1901, including a couple of Charles Smeeds. For example, there's a Charles Alfred Smeed born in 1888 in Islington.

Trish

[Jane MT]

Jane, have you seen this from the 1901 census?

Census: 1901: RG13/67 Folio 56 Page 40
Address: 133 Hurlingham Road, Fulham, London
-- Alfred Howard Smeed Head M 21 Commercial Clerk [born] Tollington Park
-- Elizabeth Hetty Do Wife M 21 [born] Chelsea
-- Nora Lilian Do dau 3 mo [born] Fulham

And from FreeBMD:

Birth Record: Alfred Howard Smeed
4th Quarter 1882 Islington
Volume 1b Page 309

Birth Record: Elizabeth Hetty Warner
2nd Quarter 1880 Chelsea
Volume 1a Page 349

Marriage Record: Alfred Howard Smeed and Elizabeth Hetty Warner
3rd Quarter 1900 Fulham
Volume 1a Page 762

Birth Record: Norah Lilian E. Smeed
1st Quarter 1901 Fulham
Volume 1a Page 342

HTH,
Trish

Hello Trish,

Yes, I had found this information about Norah's family. My grandfather was born in East Grinstead, Sussex in 1890.

My mother remembers Norah coming to visit her parents or grandparents. That would be in the 1920s or early 1930s. Norah went back and forth to the USA in the 1930s and later. She died in the late 1960s. I have a copy of her application for a US Social Security number (needed to work there) which gives her father's name.

So far I haven't been able to determine the connection to my Smeed line who were always within a small area of Sussex, Surrey and Kent at least since the late 1700s.

Thanks for your reply and interest.

Jane