WIGLEY-SMITH

SEE NOTES AT THE END OF THE PAGE

PAGE UPDATED 5 NOVEMBER 2016

WIGLEY FAMILY HISTORY

page 3

SMITH

THE SMITH FAMILY, SHROPSHIRE

including THE ATKINSON FAMILY, AUSTRALIA

and THE COOPER FAMILY, SHARESHILL, STAFFS

GENERATIONS ARE NUMBERED FROM THE FIRST TRACED ANCESTOR, RICHARD WIGLEY I (about 1600-1661), AND HAVE THE FOLLOWING COLOUR BACKGROUND:

EDWARD WIGLEY III’s CHILDREN (continued)

MANY OF THE DETAILS ABOUT MARY’s FAMILY HAVE BEEN KINDLY PROVIDED BY

FANNY MARIA SMITH COOPER’s GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER

MARY WIGLEY VIII

GENERATION

born 6 AUG 1844, Chelmarsh, Shropshire^FAM, baptized 15 SEP 1844, St Peter, Chelmarsh, Shropshire^CERT

died after 1911^CENSUS

married 4 MAY 1871, Morville, Shropshire^FAM, JAMES SMITH I^BMD, son of – and Sarah Smith^BAPTISM^CERT

baptized 17 AUG 1846, St Lawrence, Church Stretton, Shropshire^CERT

died after 1911^CENSUS

nothing more is known about James Smith I

CHILDREN

BORN

DIED

NOTES

SARAH ANN SMITH

28 MAY 1867, Union (Work?)House, Bridgnorth, Shropshire^FAM, baptized 1 AUG 1867, St Leonard, Bridgnorth, Shropshire^CERT

3 MAR 1940, General Hospital, Ingham, Queensland, Australia, age 72 [died of Gastro-enteritis, Senility, but see below], buried Victoria Mill cemetery, Ingham, Queensland, Australia^FAM

SEE BELOW

JAMES SMITH II

Q4 1871^BMD, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

nothing more is known about them

SARAH JANE SMITH

Q4 1873^BMD, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

ELIZABETH SMITH

Q2 1875^BMD, Claverley, Shropshire

FANNY MARIA SMITH

11 NOV 1876, Murdy Ford, Claverley, Shropshire

29 DEC 1965, Stafford, Staffs, age 89

SEE BELOW

WILLIAM SMITH

2 FEB? 1879, Bridgnorth, Shropshire^FAM, baptized 2 FEB 1879, All Saints, Claverley, Shropshire^CERT

JOHN EDWARD SMITH

26 SEP? 1880, Shropshire^FAM, baptized 26 SEP 1880, All Saints, Claverley, Shropshire^CERT

buried 6 NOV 1880, All Saints, Claverley, Shropshire, age 8 weeks^CERT

nothing more is known about him

CHARLES SMITH

Q3 1882^BMD, Beckbury, Shropshire^CENSUS

SEE BELOW

child

before 1911^CENSUS

nothing more is known about him or her

● total 9 children by 1911 census, of whom 3 died before

MARY WIGLEY VIII’s CHILDREN

THE SMITH FAMILY, SHROPSHIRE

MANY OF THE DETAILS ABOUT SARAH ANN’s FAMILY HAVE BEEN KINDLY PROVIDED BY

HER GRANDDAUGHTER IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

SARAH ANN SMITH

GENERATION

born 28 MAY 1867, Union (Work?)House, Bridgnorth, Shropshire^FAM, baptized 1 AUG 1867, St Leonard, Bridgnorth, Shropshire^CERT

died 3 MAR 1940, General Hospital, Ingham, Queensland, Australia, age 72 [died of Gastro-enteritis, Senility, but see below], buried Victoria Mill cemetery, Ingham, Queensland, Australia^FAM

married 26 JAN 1903, Court House, Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia, JOSEPH ATKINSON, widower, son of Jonathan Atkinson, joiner, and Catherine Naylor

born 9 FEB 1862, St Helens, Lancs

died 6 JUN 1919, Atherton District Hospital, Queensland, Australia, age 57

all the following notes on Sarah Ann and Joseph have been provided by their granddaughter:

● Sarah Ann emigrated to Australia on the “Duke of Sutherland”, departing London 25 JUL 1902, arriving Thursday Island, Queensland 8 SEP 1902 - she was a remittance passenger

● her granddaughter notes: “As to why Sarah emigrated to Australia, I have been told that she had health problems (chest) and was told by a doctor that she needed to move to a warm climate. Considering that she was 72 years old when she died, it seems to have been a good idea. However there is a mystery surrounding her death. I was told that she was admitted to hospital after suffering a fall down a couple of stairs. As she was a heavily set lady (her occupation had been a cook) she fell heavily and was admitted to hospital where she later died. Apparently the attending doctor had a drinking problem and 2 or 3 other patients died around the same time as Sarah for no apparent reason. My father and the families of the other patients considered taking the doctor to court but the costs prohibited them, and it would not bring her back. Her death certificate was signed by another doctor and states that the cause of death was 1. Gastro-enteritis 2. Senility. As my father had died when I was 12 years old, I was unable to ask him about the cause of death when I obtained an extract of the death certificate – when I questioned my mother about whether Sarah was senile, she told me she wasn’t. I will forever wonder about the actual cause of death”

● Joseph first emigrated to Australia, age 21 years, on the “Duke of Buckingham”, departing Plymouth, England 6 DEC 1883, arriving Cooktown, Queensland 27 JAN 1884

● he was accompanied by his father Jonathan (died 1909, Chorley, Lancs), who spent some time in Cooktown

● Joseph’s granddaughter doesn’t have any info on what else Jonathan did while in Queensland, or when he returned to England, but thinks it is possible that he returned with Joseph and Thomas Patrick (see below)

● he married (1) 23 JUL 1890, Cooktown, Queensland, Australia, Margaret Hennessy, born 10 JAN 1870, Dublin, Ireland, died 26 OCT 1891, Cooktown. Queensland, Australia, age 21 years, 1 month, 21 days [died of Syncope after great debility from Intermittent Fever]

● they had 1 child, a son, Thomas Patrick Atkinson, born 17 JUN 1891, Cooktown. Queensland, Australia, died 26 OCT 1918, Denain, France

● the latter was killed in action just before the end of WW1 (WW1 casualty) – he was a Private in the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, 1st Battalion ● he married 19 JUN 1915, Register Office, Bury, Lancs, Sarah Birks

● after the death of his 1^st wife in 1891, Joseph returned to England with his baby son for his mother Catherine to raise

● he then returned to Thursday Island on the same ship as Sarah - it is unclear if they met prior to the voyage or during the voyage

CHILDREN

BORN

DIED

NOTES

JOSEPH WYBEN ATKINSON

31 JAN 1904, Pearl Street, Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia

20 MAR 1905, John Street, Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia, age 1 [died of Chronic Meningitis/Exhaustion]

● Wyben is the native name for Thursday Island

● nothing more is known about him

MARY KATE ATKINSON “Molly”

17 AUG 1905, John Street, Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia

12 AUG 1993, Ingham, Queensland, Australia, age 87

SEE BELOW

JOHN CHARLES ATKINSON “Jack”

24 AUG 1908, Hope Street, Cooktown, Queensland, Australia

27 JUN 1959, Lucinda. Queensland, Australia, age 50

FANNY MARIA SMITH

GENERATION

born 11 NOV 1876, Murdy Ford, Claverley, Shropshire

died 29 DEC 1965, Stafford, Staffs, age 89

married 22 SEP 1898, Bradley, Staffs, WILLIAM ERNEST COOPER, son of Henry Cooper and Ann Richards

born 1 OCT 1872, Sydnal, Donington, Albrighton, Shropshire

died 25 FEB 1937, Shareshill, Staffs, age 64

nothing more is known about William Ernest Cooper

CHILDREN

BORN

DIED

NOTES

MINNIE COOPER

6 AUG 1899

Shareshill, Staffs

Q4 1966, Cannock, Staffs R/D, age 67

SEE BELOW

ANNIE COOPER

10 SEP 1901

Q4 1979, Wolverhampton, Staffs R/D^BMD, age 78

CHARLES HENRY COOPER

6 MAR 1904

Q3 1948, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, Staffs, age 44

MARY ELIZABETH COOPER

5 MAY 1905

BERTHA COOPER

22 JUN 1910^{CENSUS, DEATH BMD}

Q3 1975, East Staffordshire, Staffs R/D^BMD, age 65

● unmarried

● nothing more is known about her

ERNEST JAMES COOPER

19 MAY 1917^{DEATH BMD} / 1 AUG 1917^FAM, Shareshill, Staffs^FAM

10 APR 1993^WILL, Slough, Bucks^FAM, age 75

SEE BELOW

● total 5 children by 1911 census, all alive

9W..

WILLIAM SMITH I

GENERATION

born 2 FEB? 1879^CENSUS, Bridgnorth, Shropshire^FAM, baptized 2 FEB 1879, All Saints, Claverley, Shropshire^CERT

died ?

married – LONG?

born ?

died before 1939^CENSUS

this family is based on these facts:

● in the 1939 Register, a William Smith, born 2 FEB 1879, widower, is listed, with a Ronald, Thomas and Harold Smith and 1 other person born after 1916, presumably his sons

● these 3, plus William Smith (II), appear in the birth records, mother’s maiden name Long

● no record can be found online for a marriage between a William Smith and a – Long, but the latter may have been, say, a widow, so would have married under her late husband’s surname

● as the author has not been able to find this William Smith in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, it has not been able to trace him in this period

● and as the name William Smith is so common, it is difficult to research any further

● nothing more is known about -- Long

CHILDREN

BORN

NOTES

WILLIAM SMITH II

Q1 1921

West Bromwich, Staffs R/D^BMD

nothing more is known about them

RONALD SMITH

16 MAY 1923^CENSUS / Q2 1923^BMD

died APR 1987, Sandwell, Staffs R/D^BMD, age 63

THOMAS SMITH

3 AUG 1925^CENSUS / Q3 1925^BMD

died JUL 1990, Sandwell, Staffs R/D^BMD, age 64

HAROLD SMITH

26 APR 1928^CENSUS / Q2 1928^BMD

died JUL 2001, Birmingham, Warks R/D^BMD, age 73

CHARLES SMITH

GENERATION

born about 1886, Beckbury, Shropshire

died ?

married Q3 1919, Cannock, Staffs R/D, ELIZA E. LINK

born about 1890, Shropshire?

died ?

● another source has Eliza E. as Polly Link – perhaps that was a nickname

● nothing more is known about her

CHILDREN?

SARAH ANN SMITH’s CHILDREN

THE ATKINSON FAMILY, AUSTRALIA

MARY KATE ATKINSON “Molly”

GENERATION

born 17 AUG 1905, John Street, Thursday Island, Queensland, Australia

died 12 AUG 1993, Ingham, Queensland, Australia, age 87

married 15 JAN 1930, Atherton, Queensland, Australia, JOHN JOSEPH HOLLAND “Jack”

born 1 JUN 1901, Ravenswood, Queensland, Australia

died DEC 1980/1, Ingham, Queensland, Australia

nothing more is known about John Joseph Holland

1 DAUGHTER, 4 GRANDCHILDREN, including the CARR, HAINES, HOBBS and PERRY families – SEE NEXT PAGE

JOHN CHARLES ATKINSON “Jack”

QUEENSLAND AMBULANCE REVUE article

GENERATION

born 24 AUG 1908, Hope Street, Cooktown, Queensland, Australia

died 27 JUN 1959, Lucinda, Queensland, Australia, age 50

married 28 JAN 1936, Cairns. Queensland, Australia, MAVIS MURIEL ROURKE-DAVIE, daughter of William Henry Rourke-Davie and Elizabeth Jane Bickell

born 26 MAR 1914, Mackay, Queensland, Australia

died 7 APR 1998, Ingham, Queensland, Australia, age 84

nothing more is known about Mavis Muriel Rourke-Davie

1 SON, 1 DAUGHTER, including the JANZ and KOENIG families – SEE NEXT PAGE

FANNY MARIA SMITH’s CHILDREN

THE COOPER FAMILY

MINNIE COOPER

GENERATION

born 6 AUG 1899, Shareshill, Staffs

died Q4 1966, Cannock, Staffs R/D, age 67

married Q1 1924, Cannock, Staffs R/D, ALFRED BROOKES

born about 1895, Midlands, England^FAM

died about 1966, Huntingdon, Hunts, age about 71

nothing more is known about Albert Brookes

CHILDREN?

ANNIE COOPER

GENERATION

born 10 SEP 1901^{CENSUS, DEATH BMD}, Shareshill, Staffs

died Q4 1979, Wolverhampton, Staffs R/D^BMD, age 78

married 9 JUN 1928, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, Staffs, FRANCIS LEEDHAM I, son of James Leedham and Jane Bartlett

born 13 JUN 1891^CENSUS, Cranmore Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, Staffs

died Q4 1961^BMD, Horsehay, Shropshire, age 70

2 CHILDREN, GRAND CHILDREN, GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, including the GEE, RATHBONE and HOLLAND families – SEE NEXT PAGE

10W..

CHARLES HENRY COOPER

GENERATION

born 28 JAN 1904^CENSUS / 6 MAR 1904^FAM, Shareshill, Staffs^…..

died Q3 1948, Bushbury, Wolverhampton, Staffs, age 44

married Q1 1929, Cannock, Staffs R/D, RACHEL ELIZABETH BRADBURY

born about 1906^….. / 1 DEC 1910^{CENSUS, DEATH BMD}, Midlands, England

DEC 1996, Stafford, Staffs R/D^BMD, 86

● Rachel Elizabeth married (2) Q4 1951, Wolverhampton, Staffs R/D, Uvedale Jones^CENSUS^{, BMD}, (15 JUN 1892?-Q3 1976, South Staffordshire, Staffs R/D?^BMD)

● nothing more is known about her

CHILDREN?

MARY ELIZABETH COOPER

GENERATION

born 5 MAY 1905, Shareshill, Staffs

died ?

married – LITTLE

nothing more is known about -- Little

1 SON, nothing more is known about him – SEE NEXT PAGE

10W..

ERNEST JAMES COOPER

PHOTOS

GENERATION

born 19 MAY 1917^{DEATH BMD} / 1 AUG 1917^FAM, Shareshill, Staffs^FAM

died 10 APR 1993^WILL, Slough, Bucks^FAM, age 75

married Q3 1939, Biggleswade, Beds R/D, PHYLLIS MAUD MALES

born 10 JAN 1920, Henlow, Beds

died NOV 2002, Slough, Bucks R/D, age 82

nothing more is known about Phyllis Maud Males

2 SONS, nothing more is known about them – SEE NEXT PAGE

one of MARY WIGLEY VIII and JAMES SMITH I’s children’s CHILDREN

10W..

JOHN STANLEY SMITH

GENERATION

born about 1897, Southport, Lancs^CENSUS

died ?

● he was listed in James I’s 1901 census record as “housechild” and in 1911 as “grandchild”

● possibly an illegitimate child

● nothing more is known about him

one of FANNY MARIA SMITH and WILLIAM ERNEST COOPER children’s CHILDREN

11W..

GEOFFREY COOPER

GENERATION

born 12 SEP 1925^{CENSUS, DEATH BMD} / Q3 1925, Cannock, Staffs R/D?^BMD

died FEB 1997, Wolverhampton, Staffs R/D^BMD, age 71

● he was listed in Fanny Maria Smith Cooper’s 1939 Register entry

● the possible birth record shows his mother’s maiden name was Cooper, so perhaps he was the son of one of Fanny Maria Cooper’s daughters

● nothing more is known about him

· NOTES:

Roman numerals after a person’s name, eg. Richard I, are purely to distinguish different people with the same name

R/D = Registration District

R/O = Register Office (for an explanation of these two terms, see homepage)

i = odd notes

● SOURCE ABBREVIATIONS:

^BMD online birth/marriage/death indexes ^CENSUS various census records ^CERT birth/marriage/death certificate ^FAM family sources

^IGI International Genealogical Index (not always completely reliable) ^WILL will/letters of administration/probate details

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