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Yorkshire Chess History |
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Contents: |
Sydney Smith |
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Identification
Whilst “Sydney Smith” was not an uncommon name, most found in the records can be dismissed as candidates for identity with the member of Sheffield Athenaeum Chess Club as they were clearly not of a status appropriate for admission to Sheffield’s Athenaeum Club. After dismissing scissor-grinders, file-hardeners and the like, we are left with a sharebroker as the only possibility.
Non-Chess Life
Sydney Smith was born 1828/29 in Brampton, Derbyshire, which was then near Chesterfield and is now a part of Chesterfield.
His parents were Ebenezer Smith, born 1785/86 at Brampton, Derbyshire, and Lydia, born 1785/86 at Sheffield. The couple had at least the following six children:
The 1841 census found the parents, all seven children except daughter Lydia, and one servant, living at 103 Barker’s Pool, Sheffield. Father Ebenezer was a sharebroker, Arthur a merchant’s clerk, and Elizabeth a daily governess.
Brother Francis Ebenezer Smith (seemingly known as Francis) married in 1849, in Sheffield.
The 1851 census found the parents, Lydia junior, Lucy, Sydney, Charles, and one servant, living at 8 Broom Hall Place. Father Ebenezer was still a sharebroker. Sydney at this stage was a banker’s clerk. Charles was a merchant’s clerk.
The marriage of Sydney to Eliza Larom was registered in the third quarter of 1855. Sydney and Eliza appear to have had no children.
The 1861 census found Sydney and Eliza living at 6 Northumberland Street, Sheffield. Sydney had now followed his father into sharebrokering.
White’s 1879 Sheffield & District directory listed Francis Ebenezer Smith of Moor Dale, Fulwood Road, Sheffield, and Sydney Smith of Montgomery House, Machon Bank, Sheffield, as being in business together as F. E. & S. Smith, stock and share brokers, accountants, and agents for Scottish Union Fire and Life Insurance Co., with offices at 1 George Street, Sheffield.
Subsequent censuses reveal successive new addresses in Sheffield: in 1871 it was Ashdell Road; in 1881 it was 6 New Machon Bank Road (now simply Machon Bank Road); in 1891 Sydney is elusive; and in 1901 it was 420 Glossop Road. Throughout, Sydney remained a sharebroker, and retained two servants. In 1901, Eliza’s widowed sister, 59-year-old Emily Berry lived with them.
White’s 1901 Sheffield directory listed Francis Ebenezer Smith of Whirlow Grange, Sheffield, and Sydney Smith of Egerton House, 420 Glossop Road, Sheffield, as being in business together as F. E. & S. Smith, stock and share brokers, with offices at 1 George Street, Sheffield.
Death
The death of Sydney Smith, aged 80, occurred on 08/03/1909, in Sheffield. Brother Francis Ebenezer Smith had died in Sheffield in 1908, aged 83.
Chess
Sydney Smith was a member of Sheffield Athenaeum Chess Club (at least) in 1860, the period 1864 to 1874 and probably later.
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Created 21/04/2013 |
Copyright © 2013, 2020 Stephen John Mann Census information is copyright of The National Archive, see UK Census Information |
Last Updated 06/07/2020 |