At the time of the 1911 England Census Gertrude Emily Dawson, age 19, born in Ramsgate, assisting in business, was with her parents at 33 Chatham Street, Ramsgate.
In the 1939 Register Gertrude E Smith (b. 8 Jul 1891), unpaid domestic duties, and husband Albert W Smith (b. 6 Aug 1890), builder, plumber & decorator, were living at 7 Winstanley Crescent, Ramsgate, Kent. At the same address were [children] Joan G Smith (b. 7 Mar 1918), single, typist - clerk, and Keith Smith (b. 15 Sep 1924), single, carpenter's apprentice.
In Oct 1954 Gertrude Emily Smith, widow, was granted Probate of her late husband's personal effects.
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THE 82-year-old woman director of a Ramsgate building firm was fined £80 in court on Thursday as a result of two employees being injured in a fall from scaffolding last October.
Mrs. Gertrude Emily Smith, sole director of W. A. Smith, Builders and Plumbers, of Winstanley Crescent, Ramsgate, admitted through her solicitor two charges involving a defective ladder.
She was fined £40 for allowing a ladder to be used which had been painted so that defects could not be seen, and £40 for allowing use of a ladder of inadequate strength.
Factory inspector Mr. Edward Pain, prosecuting, said the charges arose from an accident at Dane Park Road, Ramsgate, on 26 October last year when two men were pointing a chimney.
RUNG BROKE
Then men had erected two ladders and stretched a platform between them. But when they got to the top, said Mr. Pain, one of the rungs broke and the men fell 20ft to the ground.
When the broken ladder was inspected the damaged rung showed a split that had been there since it was last painted 1948, he said.
"This is contrary to safety regulations. Ladders must not be painted. Allowing a ladder to be used as an upright for a scaffold which was not of adequate strength is also an offence," he said.
Mr. Tony Davis, defending, said the firm had been in business as a family concern for 50 years and was managed by Mr. Keith Smith.
All the 14 men employed by him were highly skilled and experienced and in the past he had relied on them to tell him if they were not satisfied with their equipment.
"He very rarely goes out on site and has told the men if they are not happy with any ladders to scrap them," said Mr. Davis.
He said on the particular job where the two men were injured they had come to him and they had discussed the type of scaffolding needed.
Mr. Smith had advised them on one type of scaffolding but they had said they wanted to do it another way. He told them it was all right if they had tried it before, said Mr. Davis.
There had never been an accident involving ladders before at the firm and Mr. Smith would have to spend more time on site from now on to make sure everything was correct.
Thanet Times, 3 Apr 1973, p. 3
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Gertrude Emily Smith of 12 Hollicondane Rd Ramsgate died 3 February 1978. Probate Brighton 9 May. Effects £18295. 4
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