George son of Thomas Smith of Herstmonceux, basket maker, and Anne, aged 26 years (baptismal record)
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At the time of the 1891 England Census George Smith, age 55, born in Herstmonceux, widower, basket maker, was living in Agates House, Gardener Street, Herstmonceux. At home were daughters (born in Herstmonceux): Mabel (21), Gertrude (10), scholar, Gracie (7), scholar.
At the time of the 1901 England Census George Smith, age 64, born in Herstmonceux, trug basket manufacturer, and [2nd] wife Elizabeth P, age 42, born in Battle, were living in Agates House, Herstmonceux. With them were George's daughters (born in Herstmonceux): Mabel A (30), and Gertrude M A (20).
In Jun 1902 George Smith was present at the marriage of his daughter Gertrude Mary Avery Smith to Charles William Baker in Herstmonceux.
At the time of the 1911 England Census George Smith, age 74, born in Herstmonceux, trug basket maker, father of 5 children (3 deceased), and wife of 15 years Elizabeth P, age 57, born in Woodsdale near Battle, were living in "Agates", Hailsham Road.
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George Smith died aged 74 years. 4
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George Smith of Agates House Herstmonceux Sussex died 27 June 1911. Probate Lewes 9 October to Harold Montague Blaker, solicitor, and James Saunders, farmer. Effects £4278 2s. 7d. Resworn £4217 13s. 10d. 5
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[1749]-1856: Deeds of Agates, Gardner Street, Herstmonceux
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On 19 November 1816 Edward Daw sold the property to Thomas Noakes of Gardner Street, butcher, for £500, of which £300 was borrowed by a mortgage to the vendor. By his will of 14 October 1823, Noakes bequeathed the property to Thomas Arkcoll as trustee for sale. Arkcoll and his brother William Noakes proved the will at Lewes on 25 January 1825, an abstract was drawn by Baker of Hastings, examined by Samuel Sinnock and the property surrendered to James Daw of Herstmonceux, shoemaker, for £425 (of which £250 was borrowed from Ann Holland of Wartling, widow) on 20 April 1825.
Mrs Holland brought an action of ejectment to recover part of the property from James Daw's widow in 1833. On 25 March she appointed James Brett of Wartling, husbandman, her attorney to take possession of the property from the sheriff, acting under a writ of possession against Ann Daw, Edward Daw and Henry Hunnisett; the account of her attorney Samuel Sinnock of Hailsham, settled on 12 November 1833, survives, showing that the property was occupied by James Vine and R Isted.
Mrs Holland's nephew Samuel Avery was admitted on her death on 22 June 1835 and in 1860 accounted with the Dawes family for the income and expenditure on the property, including repairs, no doubt in preparation for a release of their equity of redemption; the receipts for interest endorsed on the mortgage bond of 1825 cease in the same year.
On 16 November 1864 Samuel Avery of Wartling, husbandman, sold the property for £350 to George Smith of Herstmonceux, trug-basket maker, who was admitted on 25 November 1865. On 15 January 1871 the widow of Charles Daw wrote to Samuel Avery from Fairfield North, Kingston-upon-Thames, hoping to redeem the mortgage; a reply from George Smith provoked a more formal request, with a threat of litigation, from John James of the Netherlands Consulate in Exeter, who described himself as `ship owner etc etc' and trustee of Mrs Daw.
Smith enfranchised the property for £84 3s 0d on 11 September 1876. In February 1886 Smith sold half an acre of land to Robert Wright. Smith died on 27 June 1911 and on 14 November 1911 his executors Harold Montague Blaker of Lewes, solicitor, and James Saunders of Buckle Farm, Herstmonceux, farmer (who had proved his will of 2 June 1909 on 9 October 1911), sold a building-plot east of Agates for £130 to Mabel Jane, wife of Charles Coleman of Chalvington House Cottages, Chalvington, gardener. Mrs Coleman purchased Agates on 30 March 1912 for £750, of which £500 was borrowed from the vendors; the conveyance incorporates a plan, showing the location of the two sales off. Mrs Coleman paid off the mortgage on 3 April 1917..... 6
Marriage Information:
George married Ann Elizabeth Brett Colbran, daughter of William Brett and Elizabeth Colbran, on 8 Aug 1864 in Herstmonceux, Sussex, England. (Ann Elizabeth Brett Colbran was born in 1846/7 in Herstmonceux, Sussex, England and died on 25 Mar 1889 in Agates House, Gardner St., Herstmonceux, Sussex, England.)
Marriage Notes:
George Smith, age 28, bachelor, basket maker, resident of Windmill Hill Herstmonceux, son of Thomas Smith, basket maker, and
Ann Elizabeth Brett Collbran, age 18, spinster, resident of Wartling, daughter of William Brett, miller
Married after Banns
Witnesses: Thomas Smith, Sarah Smith
Marriage Information:
George also married Elizabeth Parsons Mannington, daughter of Isaac Mannington, on 6 Jan 1897 in Herstmonceux, Sussex, England. (Elizabeth Parsons Mannington was born about 1859 in Battle, Sussex, England.)
Marriage Notes:
George Smith, of full age, widower, trug basket maker, resident of Agates House, son of Thomas Smith, deceased, and
Elizabeth Parsons Mannington, of full age, spinster, resident of Windmill Hill, daughter of Isaac Mannington, deceased
Married after Banns
Witnesses: Martha Mannington, William Mannington
