Francis William Ellis Smith – 5 Brazenose Cottage

(Not related to Alfred Leopold Smith at 3 Brazenose Cottage)

Francis’ father worked on the railway as a platelayer so the family moved around. Frederick born in 1898 and his older sister Rose born 1896 were born in Werrington, his sister Hilda May was born in Glinton in 1900, his sister Alice was born in Peterborough in 1903 and the youngest Robert Cecil was born in Walton Northants in 1907.

Sometime after 1907 they moved to Stamford and in 1911 they were living in Brazenose Cottages. By this time Francis’ father, William aged 41yrs was a Foreman Platelayer on the Midland Railway. 15yr old Rose was a live-in servant working for Henry Edwards, Secretary of the Railway Company, at 9 Rutland Terrace. No occupation was given for Francis so he may have still been at school.

In February 1915 he registered with the National Union of Railwaymen probably on his 18th birthday. He was a Porter at the Midland Railway Station in Stamford. In ‘Stamford in the Great War’ he is listed as a Gunner in the RFA but no other military records have been found.

In 1920 he married Elsie Hudson in the Uppingham area and transferred to Seaton Station.