How can I trace the Smith family/ies that went to South Africa in the second half of 1800's from Notting Hill?

Question

My grandmother, Nellie Smith died in childbirth in 1907 in Eastern Cape, South Africa, and the paperwork filled in by her husband at the time just says she was from Notting Hill, England. The daughter that was born was brought up by two maiden ladies also in the same area. It leads me to believe that she must have had other family there. I have no names to go on but wondered how I could find out if I might be able to trace the family further. Smith is such a common name and I don't know where to start. She was about  thirty years of age and had also lived in Southern Rhodesia with her first husband, surname Dodge, who I think died there. She also had a son from him and I know he was brought up by the second husband, called William John Gager. I do hope you can help me.find out more about this side of my family.

Comments

You might try Dodgefamily.org to see if their extensive family tree has any help. I found it helpful for my family which is extremely remotely related.

...Irene

Answer 1

She was born Smith in Notting Hill, possibly in the 1870's, do you know if she married Dodge in England? It would seem likely as a single woman going to Africa at that time was rare. 

There were 760 Nellie Smiths born in London in the 1870's, I am not sure which registration didtrict Notting Hill was in then I thought Bloomsbury but can find no registrations there. Using Kensigton there are a dozen possibles but only one ties with the marriage below:

Name: SMITH,  Ellen Mary M

Registration district: Kensington

County: London

Year of registration: 1875

Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep

Volume no: 1A Page no: 45 

There is one possible marriage:

Name: SMITH,  Ellen Mary

Registration district: Kensington

County: London

Year of registration: 1888

Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep

Volume no: 1A

Page no: 396 

MarriageFinder:  Ellen Mary Smith married DODGE, George

 

Do you have any ideas about the daughter?

 

The first step would be the marriage certificate I think.

Comments

Hi Rhian & Ailsa

Nottinghill is in the Kensington & Chelsea district of London.

For further information see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notting_Hill

Ailsa the following 3 free sites will help you with your English records searches

Free BMD http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

 

Free Census http://www.freecen.org.uk/

 

Free Registers http://www.freereg.org.uk/

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Thank you. What

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Sorry about the glitch. Have macular degeneration so seeing is difficult, especially with one eye only, press wrong spot at times and slow, one finger typing. Thank you for the info I will follow it through as best I can. It fits what I know personally as I am old enough to have known the next generation as a parent or uncle etc.iwould also like to find out when they left the uk to find out if other family members went with them.

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Thank you for the free sites. I Shall give them a go and see what I can find. Greatly appreciated.

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Hi Ailsa,

           If you need any help with the Free site searches just let myself or your mentor know, or just ask the question here and we'll all do what we can for you.

All the best

Billy