THE man who started the Australian connection between Smith and Haigh families was Colin Smith, father of Colin Clive Smith, who now lives in Melbourne.
Colin asked us a few weeks ago to see if the picture tugged any memories.
Colin Snr is Andrew Haigh’s great-uncle, and it is Andrew who is now swapping photos and details of their respective families with Colin Jnr.
Here are the family details we already have:
1. Mary Emily Rusby (nee Smith, 1904-1980).
2. Clarice Haigh (nee Smith, 1901-1975) Andrew’s grandmother.
3. Margaret Haigh (1941-1985) Andrew’s aunt.
4. Jessie Smith (1914-1987)
5. Olive Smith (1900-1978)
6. Cyril Haigh (1925-1993), Andrew’s father.
7. John Edward Smith, Cyril Snr’s father, Cyril Jnr’s grandfather.
8. Jessie Haigh (nee Bower), Cyril’s wife, Andrew’s mother, who still lives in Holmfirth and is a founder member of Holmfirth Choral Society.
9. Ada Nutton, Edna Smith’s sister.
10. Edna Smith (nee Roebuck), John Edward’s wife, mother to Mary Emily, Clarice, Jessie and Olive.
11. Luther Haigh (1898-1970) Andrew Haigh’s grandfather.
12. Kathleen Haigh (1928-1990), Andrew’s aunt.
13. Brenda Hayworth (nee Hellawell).
14. Eric Rusby (1905 -1998), who married Mary Emily Smith.
15. Emily Roebuck, Edna’s sister.
16. Jean Woodhead (nee Kippax).
“Before coming to live at Outlane, Netherthong, where great-uncle Colin was born in 1918, the previous address I have for the Smiths in 1914 was at Thurnscoe, Rotherham,” said Andrew.
“Edna’s family were all miners from Worsborough, near Barnsley.
“Prior to moving to Netherthong, great grandad, John Edward Smith, was also a coal miner but by 1918 had started work at a woollen mill as a teaser and later as a woollen feeder.
“When he retired in 1936 he became caretaker of the chapel at Deanhouse. Both he and great-uncle Colin were members of Netherthong Male Voice Choir.”
Andrew is a retired school teacher, living with his wife and daughter in Abergavenny, South Wales. His elder sister, Elizabeth, lives in Nottingham with husband Alan, and his younger sister Catherine lives in Todmorden.
Elizabeth, Catherine and Alan were all pupils at Holme Valley Grammar School in the 1960s and 1970s.