Walter Harold Smith
January 22, 1878 - October 20, 1948
Brangwin Family Newsletter: October 2003
Welcome to the October 2003 edition of our family newsletter.
This month I acquired copies of three Dodwell Wills. Edmund Brangwin Dodwell, the son of Richard Dodwell and Elizabeth Brangwin, died on September 13, 1894. His Will was a lengthy document but full of interesting provisions. His Will is included in this newsletter along with an update of his part of the family.
Irene Cambridge has written an interesting article on her father and grandfather and included quite a collection of family photos. Thanks Irene.
I hope you enjoy learning more about your extended family.
Contributions to the Newsletter are most welcome. If you find something that you would like to share please send it to me so that it can be included in a newsletter or post it on the family web site. My email address is lwuth@hups.net
Lorraine Wuth
Editor
The Smiths
from Irene Cambridge
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Walter Harold Smith
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WALTER HAROLD SMITH, born January 22, 1978 Hambleden, Bucks. He was the 7th child of Stephen Smith and Mary (Hobbs) Smith. The Smith family was “a descendent of one of the oldest and most respected yeoman families in Berkshire.” (The South Bucks Standard, Friday, July 31, 1896). He spent his early years at “The Grange” Turville Heath.
After the sudden death of his father and a poor economy, the family moved from England early in the 1900’s. Mother Mary, with 2 sons (Walter and Frank) and at least 3 daughters (Madeline Mary, Frances Ada, and Bessie (Frieda) Winnifred) moved to Vancouver, BC. The other 2 sons moved to New Zealand.
| The monumental inscription on the grave of Mary Smith (nee Hobbs) and her daughters Frances Ada and Madeline Mary in the Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, BC. Mary was born at Cookham, BRK on December 4, 1846. She married Stephen Smith on June 22, 1869. They went on to have 11 children. Mary, who was known as Polly within the family, died on December 12, 1916. | 
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Jobs were not easy to obtain and Walter found work as an accountant in Barriere, BC, a very small logging community 400 kms northeast of Vancouver. Walter had met Margaret Ellen Weeks in Vancouver. She was born in London and moved to Vancouver with her family. Walter and Margaret were married in Vancouver April 13, 1914. They moved to Barriere. Their first home was a wooden sided building and canvas for the roof. Barbara Helen Smith (May 20, 1915) and David John Stubington Smith (November 4, 1917), were born in Barriere. After the end of the First World War Walter’s job finished and the family moved to Vancouver, and located in North Vancouver, where son Peter Barnet was born in 1922. Walter continued to work as a self employed bookkeeper/accountant. They lived there until the early 1930’s and moved to Vancouver.
| Margaret, Walter, Barbara and David Smith [1920] | 
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The Smith family - August 1941
L to R: Walter, Barbara, David, Clara, Peter and Margaret |
| Barbara, David, Grannie and Peter [1950] | 
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Walter was a rower, and I am fortunate to have a “loving cup” he won at Marlow Regatta in 1901. He did play tennis. He also enjoyed a good game of bridge.
I have Walter’s last diary. He recorded everything. (the weather, who visited him in the hospital, etc.) The diary ended in October, he died October 20, 1948. I was not quite 6 years old when he died, and I have very few memories of him.
An interesting co-incidence. When Doug and I married, Aunt Barbara invited people to her home to view the wedding gifts. Grandma Cambridge asked Aunt Barbara where she was born. Barbara said Barriere and did Grandma know the area. Not only did Grandma know the area but she knew people pictured in Granny Smith’s photo album.
DAVID JOHN STUBINGTON SMITH, was born November 4, 1917, in Barriere, BC to Walter and Margaret (Weeks) Smith. He was the second child of three.
Dad was living in North Vancouver when he started school. Barbara was 18 months older than Dad, and she was a very good teacher. She would come home from school and teach Dad everything she learned. Dad completed school at the age of 14. Times were tough and money scarce and Dad was too young to make a living. He went back to school and studied typing, shorthand, and later in life taught the commercial subjects.
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June 1965
Bessie Winnifred George (nee Smith) with her niece Barbara Smith (daughter of Walter and Margaret Smith) with Barbara's great niece Viki Cambridge, daughter of Doug and Irene Cambridge |
Dad then went to Normal School (teachers’ college) and in 1937 taught his first class in the rural Peace River Country. It was a one room school Grades 1 through 8. Thirty years later we spent a holiday in the Peace and saw the school where Dad started. The postmistress of the area remembered Dad as the teacher who played the accordion.
In 1938 Dad moved schools (still in the Peace) and met Mom, Clara Mabel Cuthbert. He taught her two youngest brothers. They were married December 27, 1939 in her family home near Dawson Creek, BC. June 1941 my folks moved to Abbotsford, BC. December 13, 1942 Irene Clara Margaret was born and two years later December 23, 1944 Barbara Louise was born. Dad taught in Hedley and Ladner before moving to Port Alberni. In 1968 Dad left teaching and began to work for the British Columbia Teachers Federation. He was the pension consultant. The job change meant a move to Vancouver.
Dad was extremely near sighted. To read, he held things as close to his eye as possible. He began wearing glasses at the age of 6. In 1951 he had a detached retina. Dad was taken to Portland, Oregon, where the retina was patched. He lay on his back for three weeks. His head was held in place with sandbags and could only swallow baby food. (Oh how times have changed) His room mate could play chess, a game Dad really enjoyed. Dad challenged the room mate and never saw the chess board. He played the whole game from memory. One Christmas a compass was on his “wish list” Why? When he went into a building and left the building through another door he would check his compass to get his bearings. Even with his poor eyesight he played cricket. Dad was declared legally blind by the age of 55.
Dad was a great “Dada” to the grandchildren. He would always find time for the children. They still remembering going on the buses with Dada. He would go all over the lower mainland. The girls saw all the schools he attended, the houses he lived in.
Dad was diagnosed with leukemia June 1, 1984 and he died on June 21.
| In meory of "Mr. BCTF Pensions" | |||
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John S Church D. J. S. Smith, who died on June 21, 1984, after a brief illness, was known to thousands of retired B.C. teachers as "Mr BCTF Pensions". As a BCTF staff member for a decade after 1968, Dave Smith counselled hundreds of teachers as they prepared to retire. Time and again one heard praise of his knowledge, understanding and patience. To other teachers caught in despair and personal tragedies he brought hope and support through his work with the BCTF Benevolent Society.Long before his appointment to staff, Dave Smith had been a tireless worker to have pensions improved. The first improvement came in 1961. As a volunteer worker on behalf of his colleagues, Dave Smith stands at the forefront of many developments. In 1945, for example, as Max Cameron was beginning his survey of education financing, he engaged Smith to type the report and to prepare the charts and graphs which accompanied this landmark report. The present pattern of school districts as recommended by Cameron with advice and assistance offered by Dave Smith has remained intact for almost 40 years. When in 1949 the BCTF established its furst Education Finance Committee, Smith was an |
obvious choice as a member. So too was John Sutherland, long-term
activist and former president 1939-40. Many stories
have been told of how Dave, John and Allan Spragge, then a BCTF staff member, were able to hold their own and
occassionally outfox that williest of financiers A. A. C. Bennett when he served as premier
of the province. Smith and colleagues never left any stone unturned when a submission to
government was prepared.
In the Fifties and early Sixties, Dave Smith was a long-serving member of the BCTF Executive Committee, including one year as second vice-president. At that time the 29 member executive represented various regions or district councils and Dave's area was Vancouver Island North and Powell River. In the early Sixties Dave was a leading activist in promoting political restructuring ot the BCTF, which culminated i the establlishment of an 11 member Executive Committee with members all elected by the Annual General Meeting and in the creation of the Representative Assembly. The specific functions assigned to each body were largely the creative work of Dave Smith, always an authority on the constitution. |
Dave's teaching career spanned 31 years from 1937 to 1968 - three years as sole teacher in isolated Pearce River region rural schools, five years in Abbotsford, two in both Hedley and Ladner and the final 19 in Port Alberni as commercial specialist at Alberni District High School. In addition, Dave found time to write a textbook, which became the prescribed text for Law 92. In retirement, he served as volunteer counsillor at 411 to the needy, the destitute, the helpless. He visited incapacitated former colleagues. He gave regularly to the food bank for the needy, the hungry. Always the christian and the |
humanist, always the
socialist and the activist, he laboured on behalf of his church and his political party.
His own personal affliction he never allowed to interfer with or to stop the pursuit of his
own "good works".
He was a devoted and loyal husband to Clara, father to daughters Irene and
Louise and grandfather to five grandchildren.
Dave Smith was a challenging and inspiring friend to many. The owner of a keen, quick mind, and a fantastic sense of humour, he was yet at time stubborn and at other times could be dogmatic. That was part of the Dave Smith his friends came to love, respect. The history of the BCTF that he and I had just started to write I now hope to complete as a partial memorial to his myriad labours. I shall always remember how consistently he maintained a unity between his faith and his actions, his belief and his occupations. I hope, I believe, that a small part of that history will help future teachers and volunteers to remember that David J. S. Smith was a true pioneer who laboured at the frontier of new developments in public education and teacher affairs for nearly 50 years. John Church, the recently-retired former BCTF professional development division acting director, is working on a history of the BCTF. |
Edmund Brangwin Dodwell
1830 - September 13, 1894
This month we revisit the Dodwells of Long Crendon, BKM. In the September, 2001 newsletter, we looked at Elizabeth Brangwin and Richard Dodwell and their offspring. Here is a recap.
Elizabeth Brangwin was born about 1809 in Long Crendon, the second daughter of Richard Brangwin and Elizabeth Winter.
Elizabeth married Richard Dodwell on September 30, 1829 at St Mary's, Long Crendon. Richard was the son of John Dodwell and Mary Fenemore. He was born in 1805 in Long Crendon.
At the time of the 1851 census, Richard and Elizabeth were living in Oddington, OXF where Richard was farming 603 acres.
Richard died on July 27, 1867 in Oddington, OXF, aged 62. When and where Elizabeth died is currently unknown.
Elizabeth and Richard had six children:
The next generation
Edmund Brangwin Dodwell was born in 1830 in Long Crendon, the son of Elizabeth Brangwin and Richard Dodwell. He married twice. Firstly, Emma White on May 8, 1856 in Ashendon, BKM and then Emily Caroline Osborne in 1884 at Thame, OXF.
In 1851 Edmund was living with his parents in Oddington. He was 21. In 1881, Edmund was living at Manor House, Brill, BKM and he was a farmer and it was at Manor House that he died on September 13, 1894.
Emma White was the daughter of Thomas White and Mary Spiers. She was born in 1833 at Pollecott, BKM, and died on May 10, 1882 at Brill Manor House, Brill, BKM.
Edmund and Emma had ten children:
Edmund and Emily had a child, John Percy Dodwell, born in April 1886.
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Brill Manor home of Edmund Brangwin Dodwell and then Richard Brangwin Dodwell
photo courtesy Joyce Reardon |
Before looking further at the first of the daughters of Edmund and Emma, here is his Will where he made provision for the future of his daughters (and his younger sons) regardless of what their various husbands were able to bring into the equation. Perhaps Edmund had assessed his various son in laws as inadquate. Time will tell.
Will 50 Oxford
DODWELL Edmund Brangwin
January 1895
17 fols
I Edmund Brangwin Dodwell of Brill in the County of Buckingham Farmer hereby revoke all testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me and declare this to be my last Will
I appoint my brother in law George Montague Osborne of 98 Westbourne Grove in the County of Middlesex Grocer and my Cousin Herbert Dodwell of Long Crendon in the County of Buckingham Gentleman the Executors and Trustees of my Will
I also appoint my Wife Emily Caroline she continuing my Widow an Executrix and Trustee hereof
I give to my said Wife a legacy of Fifty pounds for her immediate use
I make no provision by this my Will for my sons Richard Brangwin Dodwell and Edmund Brangwin Dodwell they being otherwise provided for
I declare that any article of plate china furniture and household effects which were brought into my possession by my said Wife on our marriage shall revert to her and I bequeath the same to her accordingly
And as to all my furniture and other household effects (except the before mentioned articles) I bequeath one fourth part thereof in money value to my said Wife (who shall be at liberty to make first choice of the articles to be taken by her as her share) and the residue I direct shall be disposed of as part of my residuary personal Estate with power to my Trustees to either sell and or allot and distribute the same at their direction
I bequeath to my said Wife (in addition to the previous Legacy to her) the legacy of Two hundred pounds
I bequeath to my Trustees the sum of One thousand pounds Upon Trust to invest the same and to pay the income thereof to my said Wife until my son John Percy Dodwell shall attain the age of twenty one years she maintaining and educating him and in case my said Wife shall die before my said son shall attain that age then my Trustees shall apply such income for the maintenance and education of my said son the unapplied income (if any) to be accumulated and added to the Capital and follow the distribution thereof with power to my Trustees to apply any part not exceeding Two hundred pounds of the said sum of One thousand pounds for the advancement in life or otherwise for the benefit of my said son And on his attaining the age of twenty one years Then as to the said sun of One thousand pounds or so much of thereof as shall not have been applied as aforesaid and the securities representing the same In trust for him my said son John Percy Dodwell but in case he shall die under the age of twenty one years Upon trust to pay the income thereof to my said Wife during her life if she shall so long continue to be my Widow and subject thereto the said sum of One thousand pounds or so much thereof as shall not have been applied as aforesaid and the securities representing the same and all accumulations (if any) of income shall sink into and form part of my residuary personal estate
I bequeath the following pecuniary Legacies (namely)
To my daughter Julia Mary Marlin Three hundred and fifty pounds
To my daughter Patty Elizabeth Haines Three hundred and fifty pounds
To my daughter Mary White Pargeter Three hundred and fifty pounds
To my daughter Emma Stallworthy Three hundred and fifty pounds
To my son Joseph Dodwell One hundred pounds
To my son Frederick White Dodwell Three hundred and fifty pounds
To my son William White Dodwell One thousand pounds
And in case any or either of them my said Children shall be under the age of twenty one
years my Trustees shall invest the legacy of such child and pay the income thereof to my said
Wife she continuing my Widow and taking upon herself the care maintenance and education of
such child but otherwise or on her death or marriage my Trustees shall apply such income for
such child’s maintenance and education the unapplied income (if any) to be accumulated and
added to the capital and follow the destination thereof with power to my Trustees when during
the Widowhood of my said Wife or after her death or marriage to apply any part not exceeding
in the whole Two hundred pounds of the Capital of such child’s legacy for his or her
advancement in life or benefit And in case any or either of my said children should die under
the age of twenty one years the legacy of him her or them so dying (or so much thereof as
shall remain unapplied as aforesaid) shall sink into and form part of my residuary personal
estate
I devise and bequeath all my real and personal estate whatsoever (except what I otherwise dispose of by this my Will and any Codicil hereto) To my Trustees herein before named Upon trust to sell call in collect or otherwise convert into money such parts of the said trust promises that shall not consist of ready money and out of the monies to arise therefrom and my ready money to pay my funeral and testamentary expenses and debts and the legacies bequeathed by this my Will or any Codicil hereto And to stand possessed of the residue of the said monies In trust to pay the income thereof to my said Wife during her life if she shall so long continue my Widow And on her death or marriage In trust as to the capital with the future income thereof for my children Julia Mary Malin Patty Elizabeth Haines Mary White Pargeter Emma Stallworthy William White Dodwell and John Percy Dodwell in equal shares And in case any or either of them shall die under the age of twenty one years then as to the share or shares as well original as accruing of him her or them so dying In trust for the others of them my said children the objects of this trust in equal shares and as to the share as well original as accruing of any child who shall be under the age of twenty one years my Trustees shall apply the income for such child’s maintenance and education during minority the unapplied income (if any) to be accumulated and added to the capital of such share and follow the destination thereof
I declare that my Trustees can postpone the sale and conversion of my real and personal property or any part thereof and may continue any investments whether the same are of a nature authorized by this my Will or not as long as they shall think fit without being answerable for any loss arising thereby and the rents profits and income to accrue from such part of my property as shall for the time being remain unsold and outstanding shall after payments thereout of all expenses and outgoings be applied in the same manner as the income of the proceeds of such sale and conversion would for the time being be applicable) under this my Will if such sale and conversion had been actually made
And I declare that (in addition to all powers conferred on Trustees by Law) my Trustees shall have full power to let or demise any real or leasehold property for the time being remaining unsold for any term or terms of years at such rent and upon such conditions as they shall think fit to accept surrender of Leases and tenancies to expend money in repairs and improvements to fell timber and generally to manage the property as they shall think fit
I direct that all monies liable to be invested under this my Will may be invested on Government securities or any other Stocks funds or securities authorized by law for trust funds or upon real securities in England and I empower my trustees from time to time to vary such investments at their discretion for any other or others of the kind prescribed
I declare that the expression “my Trustees” used by me in this my Will shall be construed as comprising and referring to the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of my Will and that the power of appointing new Trustees or a new Trustee of my Will shall be exercisable by my said Wife during her Widowhood and after her deceased or marriage by the persons and in manner by law prescribed
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twenty seventh day of April One thousand eight hundred and ninety two
| Signed by the said Edmund Brangwin Dodwell the Testator as his last Will in the presence of us present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses |
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) ) Edmund B Brangwin ) ) |
On the eleventh day of January 1895 Probate of this Will was granted at Oxford to George Montague Osborne, Herbert Dodwell and Emily Caroline Dodwell Widow the Relict, the Executors, but as to the said Emily Caroline Dodwell during widowhood only
Not all Wills were as complex as that of Edmund as the Will of Philip George Dodwell illustrates:
This is the last Will and Testament of me Philip George Dodwell of High Street Waddesdon in the County of Buckingham Baker and Grocer. I gave devise and bequeath all my property whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal unto my dear Wife Betsy Osborne Dodwell absolutely subject to the payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and I appoint my said Wife and my Son William Joseph Dodwell to be the Executors of this my Will. I revoke all former Wills. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of July One thousand nine hundred and eighteen.
Julia Mary Dodwell
Julia Mary Dodwell was born in 1858 at Boarstall, BKM. She married Reuben William Malin on August 23, 1883 at All Saints, Brill, BKM. Witnesses were Edmund Brangwin Dodwell and John Aubry Mumford.
All events took place in England. The births, marriages and deaths occurred in Oxfordshire or Buckinghamshire. While the family moved around, as can be seen from the birth places of children and the census records, they did not appear to wander very far from their home base.
Reuben William Malin was born in late 1855 or early 1856 in Boarstall, BKM. His father was a farmer and the 1881 census records Reuben living with his parents, Edwin and Mary Ann Malin, at Waterperry Town End Farm in Waterperry, OXF. He was 26 and his occupation was given as farmer's son.
In 1881 Julia was living with her parents and other family members at Manor House in Brill. BKM. She was listed as a farmer's daughter.
By 1891 Julia and Reuben were living at Gardeners Barn Farm in Studly, OXF. Reuben's occupation was given as farmer. In 1901 the family was at Manor Farm, Warpsgrove, OXF. Reuben was a stockman on farm.
Reuben died in 1903, aged 47.
What happened to Julia after the death of Reuben is unknown. She did not remarry and died in 1933, aged 75.
There are no entries in the probate index for either Reuben or Julia.
It appears that Julia and Reuben had 9 children:
Generation 2
Florence Emma Malin was the second child and first daughter born to Julia Mary Dodwell and Reuben Malin. She was born in 1885 at Waterperry, OXF. In 1891 she was living at Gardeners Barn Farm, Studly with her parents and was aged 5. At the time of the 1901 census she was 15 and was visiting her aunt Emma and her husband, Hutton Stallworthy, at Wanstead Farm, Southwick, Southampton.
Emma married James Soden in 1917. They had at least two children: James R, born about 1920, and Barbara M, born in 1922.
Richard Malin was born about 1887 in Waterperry, OXF. He was the second son and third child of Julia Mary Dodwell and Reuben Malin. He is recorded in the 1891 census with his parents, aged 4. In 1901 he was still living with his parents and his occupation was given as plough boy on farm.
Richard married Mary Haynes in 1901. It is possible that Mary and Richard were first cousins as his aunt Elizabeth Patty's eldest daughter was a Mary Haynes born in 1884. Once again, more research is required to confirm Mary's parentage.
Richard and Mary appear to have had at least 13 children:
Did Richard go off to war? This would explain a gap in the cildren between 1916 and 1919.
Reginald Rupert Malin was the fifth child and fourth son of Julia Mary Dodwell and Reuben Malin. He was born around September 1890 in Horton cum Studly, OXF, as he is listed on the 1891 ceneus as a 7 month old. In 1921 he married Loris Goodchild and they had at least one child: Reginald J who was born in 1923 and married Annie D Wilkins in 1948.
Thomas White Malin was the seventh child and fifth son of Julia Mary Dodwell and Reuben Malin. He was born in 1894 in Oxford. He married Martha R Wells in 1921.
Thomas and Martha had at least 4 children:
As can be seen, more research is required to fill in all the gaps in Julia's family. Watch out for updates in coming newsletters as well as details of Julia's sisters.
I hope you have found this edition of the Brangwin Family Newsletter of interest.
I would like to thank Irene for her contribution to this newsletter. Perhaps her example will encourage others to write about their parents and grandparents. I look forward to receiving more contributions along this line.
That's it for this month.
If you have anything you would like to contribute to the newsletter it would be most welcome.
Until then next time
Lorraine
