Alexander Biggart Sayer SMITH abt. 1894 to 1896

Alexander Biggart Sayer SMITH
(a.k.a. Alexander SMITH, A. B. SAYER-SMITH, 1848 - 1935)

Alexander Biggart Sayer SMITH,
Vancouver, BC, Canada Abt. 1894 to 1896

Photo courtesy of C. McGEOCH

b: 04 Aug 1848 "SMITH, Alexander,
lawful son of William SMITH, & Margaret SAWYERS (sic)
was born August 6th & baptized September 4th, 1848"
(Kirk Session, Dumbarton, Scotland, Register of Births & Baptisms),
son of William SMITH, Curator, Preserver of Birds & Animals, Sculptor & Ornithologist
& Margaret SAYERS or SAWYERS,
To obituaries of William SMITH & Margaret SAYERS or SAWYERS >

Alexander Biggart Sayer SMITH married Annie Donaldson MITCHELL
Friday, 09 December 1881
at 15 West George Street in the District of Blythswood, Burgh of Glasgow (Map).
The Extract of Entry in Register of Marriage:
Alex B. SMITH, Bachelor, Shipbuilder's Manager, age 32,
usual residence Trevelyn Hotel, Barrow, England, (Map)
parents were both now deceased;
his father, William SMITH, previously listed as Mason, now listed as Ornithologist.
Annie MITCHELL, Spinster, age 22,
usual residence Ardardan House, Cardross, (Map)
parents, Robert (occupation Butler) and Rosina, still living in 1881.
Witnesses: B. R. MITCHELL & John DOUGLAS.
Alex & Annie were married after Banns,
according to the Forms of the Established Church of Scotland.

d: 26 Nov 1935 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Military:
Durham First Voluntary Engineers

Occupation:
1871 - Ship draughtsman;
1881 - Ship Builder's Manager;
1888 - 1891 - Cashier Hotel Vancouver;
1890 - "Draughtsman, Hornby at Nelson"
(p. 195, Henderson's city of Vancouver directory for 1890);
1894 - Accountant;
1896 - "acct, Hotel Vancouver, Beach ave"
(p. 179, The Vancouver city directory, March, 1896);
1899 - Accountant Hotel Vancouver;
1922 - Bookkeeper (or) Clerk for the City of Vancouver;
Abt. 1923 - Retired

Residence:
1848 - Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland (Map);
1871 - 49 Church Street, Dumbarton (Map);
1881 - 1883 - Trevelyn Hotel, Barrow (Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England),
(Trevelyn Hotel situated 1 - 3 Dalkeith St. on the corner of Abbey Rd.,
destroyed abt. 1941 - 1942 during World War Two - Map);
1882 - 1883 - 7 Windsor St., Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England (Map);
1884 - Hull, Yorkshire, England;
* 21 Jun 1887 - "Jubilee Year & Jubilee Day I sailed alone to Canada
leaving for the time wife & family at home - to find Canada";
1888 - 1891 - 922 Hornby St.,Vancouver, BC, Canada,
("what would now be the 800 block, nothing but woods then");
1894 - Beach Avenue, English Bay (Vancouver, BC),
("One of the first plastered houses at English Bay.
All the neighbours came in to see it - & were quite impressed.");
1896 - "Beach ave" (p. 179, The Vancouver city directory, March, 1896);
1898 - Beach Ave., English Bay ("SMITH, Alexander Biggart Sayer",
also Beach Ave, near Denman St. "SMITH, Alexander Bigger" - BC Voters List 1898);
1899 - Beach Avenue near Denman St.;
1912 - 2634 Tanner St., (Collingwood), Vancouver, BC, Canada;
1922 - 2330 Cornwall Ave., Vancouver, BC;
1926 - 4692 Dunbar St., Vancouver, BC.
"In Canada 48 yrs., in Vancouver, BC 47 yrs."

* William Sayer SMITH (a.k.a. William Sawyer SMITH, 1841 - 1919),
his wife, Georgina Swanson GOW,
her brother, James John GOW, &
their parents, John GOW & Ellen SWANSON or Helen SWANSON:
One of Alexander Biggart Sayer SMITH's older brothers also came to Canada, three years after Alexander & his family. In the 1911 Census of North Vancouver, BC, William Sayer SMITH (a.k.a. William Sawyer SMITH - born 24 Mar 1841 Liverpool, Lancashire, England & Baptised 4 Apr 1841 St. Andrew Presbyterian in Liverpool) was listed as: living on Capilano Rd., coming to Canada in 1890, a retired engineer, living with wife Georgina who came to Canada in 1880. It appears that William & Georgina met in Canada. They were married 26 Apr 1902 in Vancouver, BC. This was just two months after the wedding of Alexander's oldest daughter, Maud Donaldson SMITH to John Stewart Smith GALL. William Sayer SMITH died 11 May 1919 in North Vancouver, BC.

Georgina Swanson GOW was listed in the 1881 Census of Canada as a Servant, age 19, single, living in St. John's Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario with her younger brother, James John GOW, Druggist, age 17, single, in the household of John KAY, a Grocer, his wife Jane & the two young KAY children. In 1911 Census of North Vancouver, BC, Georgina was listed in the census as living with her husband, William Sayer SMITH. (No listing has yet been located for them in the 1901 census.) Georgina died 12 Jul 1946 in Lynn Valley (North Vancouver), BC.

The parents of Georgina Swanson & James John were John GOW, Tailor, born about 1833 in Scotland, & Ellen SWANSON GOW or Helen SWANSON GOW, also born about 1833 in Scotland. They were married 18 Nov 1855 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland; also recorded as 22 Nov 1855 Peebles, Peebles, Scotland. The family came to Canada in 1880. They lived in the previous household in St. John's Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario during the 1881 census. Ellen SWANSON GOW died in Vancouver, BC on 30 Nov 1903, age 66.

Georgina's brother, James John GOW was born 9 Feb 1864 in Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. In 1881, as mentioned above, he was a Druggist, age 17, single, living in St. John's Ward, Toronto, York, Ontario. In 1901, he was listed in the census for Rossland, BC, Canada as a Steam Fitter, age 37, single, living in a boarding house. Rossland was a mining boom town at that time - read about its history. (No listing has yet been located for him in the 1911 census.) James John GOW died 16 Jul 1935 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He is buried in Mountainview Cemetery, Vancouver, BC, Canada (HORNE2/*/12/013/0012) near his sister, Georgina SMITH (Georgina Swanson GOW; HORNE1/2/02/019/0009) & her husband, William Sayer SMITH (JONES/*/29/001/0010). The mother of Georgina & James John, Ellen SWANSON GOW, is also buried nearby (HORNE1/2/02/019/0009). Nothing more is yet known about John GOW, the father of Georgina & James John.
To photo of Annie Donaldson MITCHELL
& Alexander Biggart Sayer SMITH & family, 1894 - 1896 (a.k.a. SAYER-SMITH) >

Links to:
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (Lancashire), England (First website);
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (Lancashire), England (Second website);
BC Voters List 1898 (Sm to Ss)
from the Sessional Papers of the British Columbia Government, 1899;
Dist. of Blythswood, Burgh of Glasgow, Scotland;
City Hall (Old) (Downtown Eastside Revitalization);
City of Vancouver Archives (BC, Canada);
The Cutty Sark (Last of the Tea Clippers);
Dumbarton Parish, Dunbartonshire, Scotland (GENUKI);
Dumbarton Town, Dunbartonshire, Scotland (GENUKI);
Durham Royal Engineers Volunteer Corps;
English Bay Beach (History);
Hotel Vancouver (Old);
Rossland, BC, Canada History;
Rossland, B.C.: History (The Virtual Crowsnest Highway);
St. Andrew Presbyterian in Liverpool;
Vancouver, See Vancouver Heritage

Maps:
Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England (Map, Trevelyn Hotel);
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (Lancashire), England (Map of Windsor Street);
Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria (Lancashire), England,
Map showing Windsor Street at upper right;
Church Street, Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland (Map);
Dunbartonshire, Scotland Area Map;
Vancouver, BC, Canada (Map of Downtown & English Bay Area)