William Henry Smith (1792 - 1865)

Born 7 Jul 1792 in Little Thurlow, Suffolk, England

Husband of Mary Ann (Cooper) Smith — married 1817 in St George, Hanover Square, London, England

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1865 at age 73 in 25, Westbourne Terrace, Hyde Park, London, England

Biography

William Henry Smith (1792–1865)

Originally a newsagent in a small way of business, Smith had the idea of sending London newspapers to provincial towns and rural districts by the morning mail coaches and by local services of swift-horsed carts, rather than by the traditional post office night mails.

Later he chartered express trains and, on one occasion, a boat to deliver the news promptly.

1847 Used a special train to deliver newspapers from London to Glasgow quickly; the final leg from Beattock was by road[1]

His business eventually became W. H. Smith and Son, the High Street Newsagents chain.

He was stern and irritable in his personal dealings but was meticulous, ambitious, and exacting in business, eventually ruining his health and nerves by the pitch at which he worked.

He married Mary Ann Cooper in 1817; one son William Henry Smith and 6 daughters.

Sources

The Peerage.com (M, #21125)

Wikipedia William Henry Smith 1792-1865

Westminster Marriages Transcription

First name(s) William Henry

Last name Smith

Residence St George Hanover Square

Marriage year 1817

Parish St George, Hanover Square

Spouse's first name(s) Mary Ann

Spouse's last name Cooper

Spouse residence St George Hanover Square

County Middlesex

Country England

Archive City of Westminster Archives Centre

Find A Grave Memorial# 21794

Census

1841 U.K. census for Kilburn House, Willesden, Hendon, Middlesex, England :

William Smith : Head : Age 49 : Staitioner : Birth Place: Middlesex, England.

Mary Smith : Wife : Age 49 : Birth Place: Middlesex, England.

William Smith : Son : Age 16 : Birth Place: Middlesex, England.

Louisa Smith : Daughter : Age 20 : Place: Middlesex, England.

Augusta Smith : Daughter : Age 18 : Place: Middlesex, England.

Emma Smith : Daughter : Age 14 : Place: Middlesex, England.

Priscilla Smith: Daughter : Age 9: Place: Middlesex, England.

1851 U.K. census for Kilburn House, Willesden, Hendon, Middlesex, England :

William H Smith : Head : Widower : Age 58 : Bookseller : Birth Place St George's, Middlesex, England.

Augusta Smith : Daughter : Unmarried : Age 27 : Birth Place: St Clement Danes, Middlesex, England.

William H Smith : Son : Unmarried : Age 25 : Book Seller : Birth Place: St Clement Danes, Middlesex, England.

Emma S Smith : Daughter : Unmarried : Age 23 : Birth Place: St Clement Danes, Middlesex, England.

Priscilla Smith : Daughter : Unmarried : Age 18 : Birth Place: St Clement Danes, Middlesex, England.