Sydney Joseph Smith

[j2sea2002]

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to find information about my father Sydney Joseph Smith. Specifically, where and when he worked, his war record and any other relevant information please.

The information I have is as follows:

BIRTH 4 FEB 1903 • Croydon, Surrey, England
DEATH JUN 1967 • Westminster, Greater London

I believe that in 1911 he was 8 years old and lived at 96 Station Road, Penge with
Williams Henry Smith Age 40
Henrietta Smith Age 45
Ernest Smith Age 13
Emily Kathleen Smith Age 12
Bert Edward Smith Age 11
Frank James Smith Age 9
Beatrice Rose Smith Age 2

When he died in 1967 he was living with my Mother Mary Smith (she took his name as they were never married) at 113 Wellington Buildings, Ebury Bridge Road, London SW1.

He was 64 years old when he died and I suspect that he may have been married to someone else and could even have had another family.

At the time of his death I believe that he was working as a Hotel Chef for a company called Forté but I don't know where or which hotel. I would assume that it would be located in London.

Forté have since gone bust so I don't know how to get information on their past employees.

Thank you in anticipation.

[Pam Downes]

The service records for WW2 personnel are still held by the Ministry of Defence. Details of how to apply, links to forms to send (in addition to a copy of Sydney's death certificate and thirty quid) can be found here.

Even if Forte's hadn't gone bust I doubt if you'd have had much luck in finding details of where he worked.

I'm assuming that you have copies of his birth and death certificates. If not, then apply through the GRO.
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

With a surname such as Smith you've unfortunately got a bit of a mountain to climb.

Pam

[Pamelawagster]

1939 has Sydney J Smith
DOB
15 Feb 1903

OCCUPATION
Chef (Hotel)

30 Ponsonby Terrace,
The transcript doesn’t have marital status but the image states M - married.

Also Gertrude Smith
21/06 / 93 (or 03) difficult to read.
Chambermaid.

[Pamelawagster]

Sorry but meant to add that Ponsonby Terrace was in City of Westminster.
The address had quite a few residents with different schedule numbers so was possibly,flats or rooms.

[Pam Downes]

Following on from t'other Pamela's post #3, there's a marriage of a Sydney J Smith and Gertrude Lord, September quarter 1929 Pancras registration district volume number 1b page number 279.

Thinking that the closed entry beneath Gertrude might be a child of Sydney and Gertrude, a search for a Smith, mother's maiden name Lord, between 1929 and 1939 shows one birth registration in each of Rochford, Romford (both Essex), Surrey South Western, and Woolwich registration districts. (There are others, in other parts of the country, but they're the nearest ones.)
I haven't checked to see if any of those people are now deceased and showing on the 1939 Register.

Pam

[christanel]

There is a Gertrude Lord, single, age 34, a housemaid admitted to the St Pancras workhouse 3 March 1927. Her age would match a 1893 birth date per the 1939 register.

Christina

[j2sea2002]

Thank you Pam,

I'm not sure that the MOD will be willing or able to help as I don't even know what service he was in (if any) let alone service number, regiment etc.

John

[christanel]

You don't need to know his service number. You need his birth date, a copy of his death certificate and 30 pounds. Not knowing which branch of the service he was in could make things difficult though and if he didn't serve you won't get your 30 pound payment back either.

Having read the Mod's guide to applying each service division has separate forms so a fee of 30 pounds for each one to be payed. That is a prohibitive cost and not refundable if he didn't serve.
Christina

[j2sea2002]

You don't need to know his service number. You need his birth date, a copy of his death certificate and 30 pounds. Not knowing which branch of the service he was in could make things difficult though and if he didn't serve you won't get your 30 pound payment back either.

Having read the Mod's guide to applying each service division has separate forms so a fee of 30 pounds for each one to be payed. That is a prohibitive cost and not refundable if he didn't serve.
Christina

Ouch!

[Pam Downes]

John - I've sent you a PM. (Private message.)

Pam