Alfred Smith was born at Neston, Cheshire in 1894, the youngest of five children of John Smith and his wife Ada Virginia Bond who were married on 23 April 1883 at Christ Church, Thornton.
After their marriage, John and Ada moved to the Wirral where John was employed as a farm labourer. Their first two children were girls: Emmeline born on 20 April 1885 and Maggie Ethel born on 30 May 1887. Both daughters were baptised at All Saints, Thornton Hough. A third daughter, Ada Virginia, was born in Thornton on 5 October 1889 and baptised at Christ Church on 27 October, but the parish register records that family were still living in Neston.
The census which was taken on 5 April 1891 records the Smith family at Westwood, just outside Thornton Hough village. John was still a farm labourer. A son, John Edward, was born on the following 5 December and baptised at All Saints on 7 February 1892. We do not know the actual date of Alfred's birth but it was registered in the first quarter of 1894 and he was baptised at All Saints on 1 April. Sadly, Alfred's father died soon after at the age of 37. He was buried at Christ Church, Thornton on 13 February 1896.
By the time of the next census on 31 March 1901, Ada and her five children were living at 3 Heys Street, Thornton. Emmeline, aged 15, worked as a dressmaker and the other four children were of a school age. The family took in a boarder to make ends meet but times must have been hard.
Early the next year, Ada remarried to Matthew Dollman, a gardener who was nine years her junior. The couple had two daughters: Phyllis Naomi on 11 December 1902 and Irene on 15 April 1906 and by April 1911, the family had moved to Curzon House (now 82) Church Road, Thornton. The five older children were all in work: Emmeline a dressmaker, Maggie a milliner, Ada a cashier and Alfred a gardener. John Edward was not at home with them. He was working on the farm at Singleton Lodge as a waggoner. Subsequently Alfred, John Edward and Matthew all went to work at United Alkali.
Alfred's war record has not survived. We know that he joined the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and was sent to the Mediterranean, arriving on 13 June 1915. His war was cut short when he died from wounds less than two months later. News of his death was conveyed to the family in a letter written by his cousin, Pte. Arthur Huntingford, 11756, who was in the same regiment. Arthur wrote:
"I have just time to break the bad news about Alf, who fell in action on August 7th. He died doing his duty as a soldier. He has had a proper burial. An Australian parson read the service over him. He is buried beside three of his comrades. He died with a smile on his face, and he looked happy. He was a fine soldier, every inch of him. He was carrying ammunition for his comrades at the time. I will explain all to you when I come home again."
Alfred was aged 21 and unmarried. Pte. Alfred Smith, 13130, 6th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, is remembered the Helles Memorial Panel 32 and 33, near Sedd el Bahr, Gallipoli, Turkey and on the plaque at Church Road School.
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