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Walter GOLDSMITH
1854 - 1877 (~ 23 years)
Has 2 ancestors and one descendant in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
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Name Walter GOLDSMITH Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Born Dec Q 1854 Benenden, Kent, England 
- GRO ref: Goldsmith, Walter q4 1854 Cranbrook RD 2a 400; GRO online index shows mother's maiden name as Mepham
Baptised 18 Mar 1855 St. George’s Church, Benenden, Kent, England - From PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 19 Dec 2019)
"Marth 18th. No. 350, Ellen, parents James & Hannah Goldsmith, abode Benenden, father a Labourer"
It looks like the curate rounded up all those babies not yet baptised - 9 were baptised on the same day.
Gender Male Residence 1861 Crithole, Benenden, Kent, England - With his parents and siblings Eleanor, William, Naomi and baby Alfred.
Residence 1871 The Cottage, Greenstreet, Teynham, Kent, England - It looks like a more-than-averagely attractive sounding address (a cottage in a green street) belies a family for whom life must have been more-than-averagely a struggle. Eight people were living in the cottage, of whom just two were children. (I am including 16 year old Walter, technically a minor, who I think may be regarded as an adult - the space and food he needed was probably comparable). The other five adults were his parents, his sister Ellen - noted as unfit for service in 1861, suggesting a health issue or disability, she had never-the-less married and was mother of the two young children. Despite being recorded as married rather than a widow her husband was not present. Sister Naomi was also now married; her husband was present, but as yet there were no children. Naomi had been married only a few months but was now pregnant and a son would be born, (in the same house or had she and her husband found their own place?) later in the year, though this baby did not survive long.
At census time not only were there Walter's parents, 3 of their grown-up children and a son-in-law and two young children, but only Walter's father was working. Both Walter and his brother-in-law Edward West were recorded as labourers 'out of Emply'. Maybe daughter Ellen's husband was providing some financial support but if so it is unlikey it would have gone far. His absence, though, does not mean he had desserted his family. In the US 1880 census he his with his wife and children, the 2 in Teynham in 1871 and several others. I think it likely he had gone ahead to the US, to seek for somewhere for his family to settle. The apparent dearth of work in the area in which his family were lving in England probably encouraged this.
Occupation 1871 Labourer (Unemployed) - At the time of the census
Occupation Bef 1875 Farm labourer - Recorded as such on his daughter Fanny's death registration. Clearly not at that time as he had pre-deceased her. The informant was his mother, so she should have known. Although a brickmaker when he married and when he died, it suggests most of his (short) working life may have been as an ag lab.
Occupation From 1875 to 1877 Brickmaker - At the time of his marriage and when he died.
Residence 1877 Hoo, Kent, England At the time of his death Died 26 Apr 1877 St. Werburgh’s Parish, Hoo, Kent, England Cause: Heart disease - GRO ref: GOLDSMITH, Walter q2 1877 aged 22 Hoo RD 2a 267
The age of 22 suggests a birth in 1854 or 5; the Walter born in Benenden was the only one born in Kent in either of those years. I think, therefore, that this was probably his death. In addition, his wife was a widow by the time of the 1881 census.
Coroner’s Inquest 28 Apr 1877 Kent, England - From death registration, his entry recording in the 'informant' column:
"Certificate Received from W. J. Harris, Coroner for Kent
Inquest held Twenty Eighth April 1877"
Buried 30 Apr 1877 St. Werburgh’s Church, Hoo, Kent, England - From PR entry (image on CityArk, register p. 198, viewed 1 Nov 2022)
"Walter Goldsmith, No. 1580., abode: Hoo, buried: April 30th, aged: years 22, cereomony performed by: WmBoys Johnston Vicar"
Date on FamilySearch; shown as death date but probably burial. From film containing BTs for Hoo St Mary, Hoo St Werburgh and Horsmonden - no indication of which parish.
Siblings3 brothers and 3 sisters Patriarch & Matriarch 
Thomas GOLDSMITH, b. Abt 1818, Benenden, Kent, England, d. Mar Q 1872, Faversham Reg Dist, Kent, England (Age ~ 54 years) (Father) 
Mary MEPHAM, b. Abt 1821, Cranbrook, Kent, England (Mother) Person ID I22598 All | England: Kent Group (in Go(a)tham One-Name Study), All in the Goatham / Gotham One-Name Study , The descendants (and other halves) of George Goatham and Ann née Winch, The descendants (and other halves) of John Prior and Amy née Reynolds Last Modified 13 Nov 2022
Father Thomas GOLDSMITH, b. Abt 1818, Benenden, Kent, England , d. Mar Q 1872, Faversham Reg Dist, Kent, England (Age ~ 54 years) Mother Mary MEPHAM, b. Abt 1821, Cranbrook, Kent, England Banns of marriage From 17 Mar 1844 to 31 Mar 1844 St. Dunstan’s Church, Cranbrook, Kent, England - From PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 1 Nov 2022)
Married 2 Apr 1844 St. Dunstan’s Church, Cranbrook, Kent, England - GRO ref: Goldsmith, Thomas to MEPHAM, Mary q2 1844 Cranbrook RD 5 115
Details from PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 1 Nov 2022)
Family ID F8904 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family Sarah (“Sally”) GOATHAM, b. Jun Q 1855, Bredgar, Kent, England , d. 11 Sep 1922, Gravel Pit House, Faversham, Kent, England (Age ~ 67 years)
Other Partners: Edward William PYSING m. 9 Oct 1881; James HARRIS m. Sep Q 1896Married 20 Jun 1875 Holy Trinity Church, Sittingbourne, Kent, England - GRO ref: GOATHAM, Sarah to GOLDSMITH, Walter q2 1875 Milton RD 2a 1176a
Details from PR entry (image on FMP, viewed 20 Jun 2019)
The Walter Goldsmith born in Benenden in 1854 was the only Walter living near Bredgar and born 1845 - 1860. I think it highly probable that this was the one Sarah married, although she appears in the 1881 census as aged 22 and born Sittingbourne.
Fanny was the only child with the surname Goldsmith, mother's maiden name Goatham, searching the GRO online index for 1873 - 1882. Sarah, though, would appear to have had a daughter before she married Walter.
Children 1. Fanny GOLDSMITH, b. Mar Q 1876, Milton Reg Dist, Kent, England , d. 10 Nov 1878, 20, Shakespeare Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, England (Age ~ 2 years)Last Modified 19 Dec 2019 Family ID F8903 Family Group Page | Family Chart
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Event Map Click to hide 
Born - Dec Q 1854 - Benenden, Kent, England 
Baptised - 18 Mar 1855 - St. George’s Church, Benenden, Kent, England 
Married - 20 Jun 1875 - Holy Trinity Church, Sittingbourne, Kent, England 
Child - Fanny GOLDSMITH - Mar Q 1876 - Milton Reg Dist, Kent, England 
Residence - At the time of his death - 1877 - Hoo, Kent, England 
Coroner’s Inquest - 28 Apr 1877 - Kent, England 
Buried - 30 Apr 1877 - St. Werburgh’s Church, Hoo, Kent, England = Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install) Pin Legend 
