As I am catching up on my queue of scanning during this lockdown time I am coming across lots of wonderful different old photos that I haven’t shared with you all yet. Some that have names may be interesting characters, I hope! Some I have found a bit of information on, others I haven’t looked into yet. But hopefully, someone out there might be able to identify or at least give me a helping hand. These here below I found at Ford Market in Sussex.
UPDATE: I had a lovely chap called Jim contact me about the first photo here that I shared, so here’s what he had to say: I happened across your interesting website and post concerning Gustavus Smith. As far as I know, there are no other images of Gustavus Thomas Smith that you mention, though I think there is some probability that you have discovered his photograph, given the society studio in Leamington, less than 15 miles from his home and the age of the sitter, perhaps in his 60s, which would fit.
Gustavus Thomas Smith was born in about 1800. He inherited the very fine Goldicote House, (in Alderminster) with an estate, in Warwickshire on his father’s death.
He married, firstly, Sarah Elizabeth Yates, a cousin of Sir Robert Peel Bt., the eldest daughter of Rev William Yates of Eccleston, Lancashire. Secondly, he married Caroline Sophia Mordaunt (nee Murray), widow of Sir John Mordaunt 9th Baronet, on 25 Apr 1853, whom I have researched. See : Mordaunt.me.uk
Gustavus Thomas Smith was a captain in the Queen’s Buffs (2nd Dragoon Guards). He was a wealthy landowner and shareholder/member of the Provisional Committee of the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway, which opened in the 1850s (see : The Railway Chronicle: Joint-stock Companies Journal. Register Volume 1).
Gustavus Thomas Smith was an amateur cricketer (associated with the Marylebone Cricket Club from 1815 to 1823). He died on 6 Jan 1875, at age of 75. Regards, Jim Symington. Thanks so much Jim!
‘For Papa, from Mr Smith’ The small slip of paper was with the CDV when I bought it, the CDV had come out of an album & the seller had cut out the slip to keep with the photo.
a) I have had a very quick look and found an 1819 marriage of a Gustavus Smith to Miss Jane Travers, both of Highbury, Islington. b) 1862 reference of a Mr Gustavus Smith Esq at Goldicote, Stratford on Avon. Is either of these snippets of info our man? I don’t know, what do you think? Maybe neither of these apply to this chap at all! Anyone any ideas?
With a quick lookup, I found a ‘Lieutenant & Adjutant Robert Hoare Dwyer to be a Captain, Vice Cooper on half-pay being Barrack Master, dated 29 June 1879’
Interesting to have his signature on the back isn’t it. Can anyone find out any more information about this chap?
Mary from my Facebook page writes: “From Brit Newspaper Archives and Ancestry … Robert Hoare Dwyer was a Captain in the Royal Marines Light Infantry, born Ascencion Island 1843. Married a Carrie Georgina Thurlow Cunynghame in 1871. He died 1881 in Portsmouth aged only 38. Appears to have had only one son, Denys, born 1874 who was a Midshipman and sadly died aged only 19 in Portsmouth in 1893.” Thanks so much Mary, well done!
What a beautiful woman, hair and dress perfect and that necklace is gorgeous, but who is she? Photographer from Naples, Italy. So was she on a grand tour when this was taken? I am not entirely sure of her surname either, what do you think it says?
Once again just as my Photo 1, a small slip of paper was with the CDV when I bought it, the CDV had come out of the same album & again the seller had cut out the slip to keep with the photo, well done to him! So the question is, could he be related to Mr Gustavus Smith or at least a friend? Enabling him to have his photo in the same album and taken by the same photographer in Leamington, Warwickshire. There has to be some connection don’t you think? Any ideas anyone?
After having a very quick look I spotted a Helena Anne Moore marrying a Robert Percival Maxwell on the 19 Sep 1839, that particular Helena Anne died on 22 Jan 1888, is this our lady above or is this lady above someone else, what do you think?
The photographers above, Theweneti Bros who took this photo were at this address in Bath for some years after 1862, more information about these photographers (3 pages & some CDV examples) and many other Photographers of Somerset can be found in the excellent book produced by the Somerset & Dorset Family History Society you can buy this super book (this is my own copy below, bought just after publication) from their lovely website: Secure The Shadow
The Somerset & Dorset Family History Society website has a lot to offer a researcher searching for more information about their family history. They say ‘We will help you to find documented facts about the lives of your former family members which will unlock doors to your own personal family story. Although we do specialise in Somerset and Dorset and have extensive records from our two counties, our experienced Research Volunteers have skills which can help you trace your family roots, regardless of where they might have originated‘. A direct link to their Home Page: Somerset & Dorset FHS
They are a wonderful helpful group of people and they have lots to offer from their site including a great online shop and also produce a super blog if you have the time to take a look: SDFHS Blog
I would appreciate any help at all with these fabulous CDV photos if you have the time, I know some of you love a challenge! If you do know something or find out something please leave a comment and then I can add it to the writing about the photos above for all to see. Thank you!
Till next time then………
LYNNS WAFFLES 
Hi Lynn. You do have a challenge here. I myself would not know where to start but I do hope you have some success .Great post as always. Hope all is well with you Stay safe.
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Thanks Rita, there’s always a challenge with any research but it’s all good fun! All good here, hope you are too x
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Dear Lynn
Thank you for your kind mention of me on your website.
There are several references to Gustavus Thomas Smith in a book by Elizabeth Hamilton, who lived in a house belonging to the Mordaunts :
* Sir John Mordaunt Bt purchased “Dovehouse Farm from Mr Smith of Goldicote” (1840) Page 170
* “The hounds met twice at Goldicote, the home of Captain Smith”(1846) Page 213
* “By contrast was a cold winter, and Charlie (Mordaunt) heard from Captain Smith of Goldicote that there was snow at Walton”. (1852) Page 218
* “Captain Smith’s name had by now been mentioned several times in Charlie’s letters and it was becoming apparent that Lady Mordaunt’s neighbour was taking more than a casual interest in her welfare. In March 1853 her brother George Murray received a letter from Mr Hunt, the Stratford solicitor,discussing the terms of a marriage settlement. Captain Smith proposed that the mansion at Goldicote,as well as the estate of about 550 acres,should be settled upon Lady Mordaunt for her life should she survive him; it was assumed that she would not forfeit her present jointer by a second marriage, and therefore would not require the usual pin money. On 26 April, just two days before Charlie’s seventeen birthday, the Bishop of Rochester married them by special licence at St Michael’s Church, Pimlico. Charlie subsequently received a letter from his mother written on her marriage tour and the adventures she described amused him exceedingly. ‘I was surprised by what you told me of the way Sunday is kept in Paris’ he wrote ‘and one does not wonder that God’s anger was shown against such wickedness’. (1853) Pages 218 – 219)
* “In his letters (Charlie’s letters from Eton) he sent respectful messages to Captain Smith, who had been I’ll, and hoped that he would soon feel well enough to ride again. ‘I expect that he will find it hard to get his troop about this time of year’ he wrote”.(1853) Page 222
* “There was a good attendance, too, at the dinner in the evening, Sir Charles’s stepfather, Captain Smith, responding to the toast of the Army and Navy, being the only member of the services there, even though he had retired many years before. ‘I am sure the Army is as efficient as it ever was’ he said, adding that the great work in India was a proof of that…….Mention was also made at this dinner of a meeting that had been held the previous summer in the Town Hall at Stratford-on-Avon to consider the best means of putting an end to the custom of hiring farm servants at fairs and mops. It had been one of Sir Charles’s first public duties after becoming a member of Parliament to chair the meeting. Captain Smith had proposed that registration offices should be established in market towns and neighbouring villages, where books could be kept with the names of those seeking employment. The degrading and demoralising hiring fairs were thought to be inconsistent with the civilisation of the age,and as usual the ‘reformers’ adopted a high moral tone, pointing out the evils to which young persons of both sexes were exposed on such occasions – ‘temptations and excitements which are alike ruinous to their moral welfare and future happiness’.” (1854) Pages 230 -231
* “Marriage of Captain Smith and Lady Mordaunt: Gustavus Thomas Smith, a captain in the Horse Guards, was a widower, living at 17 Chester Terrace and at Goldicote which he re-built. The Smith family originally came from Dorset. SRO Bloom Collection vol 5 DR 41 /103. WA 30/4 1853” (Source References Page 259)
Publication:
The Old House at Walton, More about the Mordaunts, Elizabeth Hamilton, Michael Russell (Publishing) Ltd 1988 ISBN 0 85955 150 4
Kind regards,
Jim Symington
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Thank you so much once again Jim for adding all this information to my Blog, it would be lovely if descendants of the family see it, so interesting. Wishing you a very Happy Christmas, kind regards Lynn
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My pleasure.
Happy and peaceful Christmas to you.
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