Thomas SMETHAM or SMITHAM Redruth

[Izzycat]

I am researching a friend's family tree & I have hit a brick wall with this individual who ends his days in Swansea. He was buried at Llansamlet parish church in 1870. In all the census returns, he gives his place of birth as Redruth & his approximate year of birth is 1821. In Swansea his occupation was a copper miner.
If anyone links in or recognises him, please let me know.

I think he may have been or become non conformist because I cannot find any baptisms for his children in the Swansea area although frustratingly, some of them marry in the local parish churches & he is buried in one himself!

Thanks

IC

[MarkJ]

There is a Thomas SMYTHRAM baptised in Camborne 5th February 1814, parents Joseph and Jane - but possibly a little early for your chap (and nobody from Camborne would claim they were from Redruth, even if they are only a couple of miles apart!).
However, parts of Redruth were covered by Camborne parishes, so it may be that your Thomas could perhaps be that chap I suppose...

Also a couple of SMITHERAM baptisms in Breage, again, a little out of the 'Druth area and they were in 1826.

Any sign of him on the 1841 census - was he still in Cornwall or had he moved to Wales by then?

Mark

[Izzycat]

Hi Mark

I must have been tired last night & didn't check the 1841 census. I've rechecked his marriage & his father was Thomas. I've checked the 1841 census & there is a Thomas Smetham aged 15 & his father is Thomas. They are in Breage in Cornwall so the baptisms in 1826 could be this family.

Many thanks for your help Mark, I have added another generation to Steve's family.

Bye

Eileen

[Izzycat]

unfortunately, the family I found in Breage aren't the right ones. I have found them in the 1851 census of Cornwall & Thomas is still with them, unmarried. My Thomans married in 1847 in Swansea & I have him in the 1851 Swansea census. I'll keep looking.

Bye

Eileen

[MarkJ]

There is another Thomas, aged 10 (but in 1841 that could be 10 to 14 remember), living with what I assume is his mother, Prudance
HO107/136 book 4 folio 34 page 3, again this is the far West of Cornwall.

There is a possible at Connor Downs, again with a mother and no father -
HO107/172 book 4 folio 16 page 2
This one is aged 11 and his mother is Jenefor.

Note that the above Thomas' are all SMITHAMs.

I suppose one line worth considering is trying to see if you can locate a marriage between a Thomas (i.e the father of your Thomas) and either a Prudance/Prudence or a Jenefor/Jenifer/any of the other ways of spelling the name

Mark

[Izzycat]

I've considered both of the above. I've found that the surname is spelled in a variety of different ways, SMITHAM, SMETHAM, SMETHEM, SMITHERAM, etc. etc. I have even looked at his children's names to see if there are any clues. There is a Thomas SMITHAM in the IGI baptised in Feb 1821 at Redruth. I think I'm going to let Steve chase down this side of his family. [If I can curb the urge to do it myself )]
Thanks for your help, it is always helpful to have another head thinking around it too.

Eileen

[smitham]

Hi , I know its been some time since you posted, I have a thomas smitham (my tree) born in Redruth 1821 (died in Swansea 1870married a Sarah Walker 1840 they had 5 children I have also his parents and grandparents details should you want them please let me know
Danny