Before Joe's life was changed forever by the War to end Wars, he lived in Liverpool with his parents - Joseph McDougall Smith and Fanny (nee Vernon) and three brothers, Duncan, Haward and Dan. Joe, the eldest, was born in 1893. Joseph had a varnishmaking company in Pendleton but soon moved to Liverpool, a city of the sea and an ideal place for such a trade. Joe's parents and brothers have interesting stories, that I will explore in later blogs
Joe as a young boy
On the 1911 Census, the family were living in Worcester Road, Bootle, Liverpool and Joe is a "student varnish maker" in his father's business.
I think that this photo shows Joe's father (Centre) and Joe (right)
The other man is possibly one of Joe's brothers.This is before Joe joined the army in 1915.
It seems that in 1911, when Joe was an apprentice, he met Sarah Banks Rich - and so began what became an absolutely wonderful collection of postcards, sketches, letters and photographs. We are very fortunate because we have the autograph books of Joe and Sarah - and we therefore know that they probably met in 1911. The contents are a glimpse of their world before the War and full of poems, rhymes and sketches by their family and friends. This is the first entry of Sarah's in Joe's book...
The first of many, many poems, sketches and letters between Joe and Sarah.
Joe reciprocated in Sarah's book!
From now on, Sarah is to become the centre of Joe's life. He bought her a huge postcard album which is full of postcards from before the War, during and after. A priceless resource, which provides an illustrated timeline to their life together. So, who was Sarah...the girl on the swing....?
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