Herbert Francis SMITH (1873-1930)

Herbert Francis Smith (1873-1930) was the husband of Evelyn Fanny Butler who was the niece of Eugénie Sladden.

Herbert was born in Surbiton, Surrey, in 1873, the eldest of three sons of Septimus F Smith, an underwriter/insurance broker, and his wife, Caroline.  He grew up firstly at 16 North Road and then at 6 Redcliffe Villas, Surbiton.

Herbert married Evelyn Fanny Butler, known as Evie, in 1899 in the Chertsey district and had two children:  Evelyn Audrey (1900-1959) and Charles Herbert Wynnington (1903-1964).  At the time of the 1901 and 1911 census they lived at Bramerton, West Byfleet, Surrey.  Herbert was a civil servant, I Class Clerk.

A letter of 22^nd March 1916 written by Fanny Butler reveals that Evie and Herbert were godparents for Evie’s sister Winnie’s new baby, Charles Kenneth Capon.  The letter also indicates that the couple did have two homes, but had given up their flat as they could not afford two homes in wartime.  They were currently at a cottage at Clandon and had taken a small house at East Horsley which they would be going to in July.  They had also acquired a car.

Evie died in 1925; Herbert died at his home, Bramerton, on 11^th February 1930, aged 57.