thePeerage.com

[johnws]

I am doing some research into my family history and trying to get information predating of the hyphenated name "Woodyear-Smith".

The Smith name is the hardest so will leave that for another post.

According to the records I have managed to find, the name was formed when Sarah Woodyear b 4 Jan 1780 married Thomas Smith b 12 Jun 1768, married 17 Nov 1808.

Sarah was daughter of Mathias Woodyear b circa 1745, d 3 May 1817 and Mary Woodley b circa 1740, d 20 Jan 1803. They had 6 children Sarah, Mathias b 1771, Mary b 1773, William b 1776, Stephen b 1777 & Elizabeth b 1782.

Mathias's parents were Samuel Woodyear and Elizabeth Hubbard. Their other children (Mathias's siblings) were William, Mary, Penny, Martha and Tabitha (I have no dates for these).

The area of England that appears the most in the records is Kings Somborne and Hants/Wilts if that assists.

I would be much appreciated if anyone can help by confirming dates and/or people. There is a Mary Woodyear and William Woodyear that appears on previous posts (can be found in the search).

Regards
John Woodyear-Smith
New Zealand

[marksl]

Hi

I am related in an indirect way to the Woodyear family.

William Woodyear who arrived in Australia in the 1860s became a circus agent. After marrying Jennie Kendall ( a famous circus rider known professionally as Mdlle La Rosiere) in Brisbane in 1879, they bought out another circus, renamed it Woodyear's Circus and toured all around Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and the Far east, until William died of cholera in Calcutta in 1890.

One of Jenny's daughters by a previous marriage married my great-grandfather Alfred St Leon in Melbourne in 1881.

If you would like further information, probably best to contact me direct by email: markstleon@bigpond.com.

Regards

Mark St Leon
Sydney, Australia
_________________
Mark St Leon, PhD
Sydney NSW 2222
Australia