Stephen Smart was born in Atworth, Wilts. in 1827 and baptised 14th December, son of Joseph Smart and Hester Webb and one of 7 brothers. He married Sarah Porter of Atworth on 23 Oct. 1851 in Atworth. At the time, Stephen was a butcher in Bradford-on Avon but by 1861 he was Innkeeper at the New Inn on the Corsham Road, Chippenham which had previously been in the Webb family. The New Inn suffered a severe fire in 1863 whilst in the occupation of the Smart family, and several out-buildings were destroyed, a man was charged with arson.
The license of the New Inn was transferred from Edwin Gale to William Smart at the Chippenham Petty Sessions at the beginning of August 1888. The pub had been in trouble during Gale's tenure for allowing Sunday drinking. The premises actually belonged to a Mr. Banks of Bromham.
The Smart's first son (registered as, in Bradford W.) Henry Thomas was born in 1852 very likely in Atworth, he was baptised Henry James in Atworth on 21st Nov. 1852 and their second son Frederick William was born in 1855 in Atworth but their first son Henry James' death was registered in Bradford W. (which included the village of Atworth) the following year in 1856. Their first daughter, Anne Rebecca, was born 1860 in Chippenham, probably at the New Inn. She was named after Stephen's sister who had died in Cardiff two years previously. Sadly Anne Rebecca died at age 8.
Stephen's father Joseph died in the Union Workhouse, St. John, Glamorgan on 9th Feb. 1878. In November 1871, Stephen and his brothers, John, Uriah, Joseph & William, had been summoned before a police court in Cardiff for not maintaining their father. They agreed to contribute 1s a week each and the case was dismissed.
Stephen's first wife Sarah died in 1881. He married again to Ann Tanner, daughter of the late John Tanner, yeoman (of Hulbert Farm, Box), at St. Thomas a Becket in Widcombe, Bath on 13th April 1882. Their abode is stated as the New Inn. Ann's sister-in-law, Deborah Jane Tanner née Goulstone, was a witness, she was wife of Ann's brother John, farmer and beer house keeper, who kept the George & Dragon in Batheaston. John and Deborah are buried in Box. Ann was born in Box in 1838, bapt. 21st Oct., eldest daughter of John Tanner and Anne Sweetland, who had married in Box on 30th Nov. 1837. In 1861 Ann was in service at the house of Major Mathew R. Onslow in Marlborough, Wilts. Ann died on 3rd July 1887 in Chippenham. Frederick James Tranter, a Chemist from Colerne who lived with his mother Ann, of Ditteridge, next to the Station Inn, Slough, was one of her executors, and after Ann's death undertook a legal battle with Stephen Smart to recover certain items of Ann's property. It appears that the Smarts were not happily married, the wife's money being the bone of contention. She left her money in trust in her will, with her executor, for the care of her mother, and to divide the same after her mother's death, between he brothers and sisters. Stephen, however, felt the money should be his, including items of Ann's property including clothing and a watch and chain. The case was quite personal and it was clear there was a lot of bad feeling. (Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette - Thursday 18 April 1889 p.8.) What it did show was that Ann was Stephen's housekeeper for two years before they married. The judgement was that the properties were divided under the various circumstances of acquisition and no costs were awarded. (Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette - Thursday 20 June 1889 p.8.)
Stephen died on the 7th October 1891 on Chippenham Railway Station. It had been raining heavily and the river Avon in Chippenham was in flood, covering the road at the town bridge. This was almost certainly to have affected Stephen's business premises in River Street. That day, Stephen set out to travel to Bristol by train, he bought his ticket and was walking down the platform when he was seen to stagger. He collapsed and was taken to the waiting room where he died almost immediately of heart failure. the inquest was held at the Swan Inn, River Street. His will mentions his son, Frederick William Smart, of 52 Bedford Street, Cardiff, who was also a manufacturer of Aerated Waters. Frederick had a manufactory in Devizes prior to relocating to Cardiff in the late 1880s.
William, one of Stephen's brothers, also lived and had a family in Lowden, Chippenham. He was landlord of the New Inn from 1888 and had a son called Stephen Uriah Smart.
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| 10oz Bullet Stopper |   |
| Embossed:
S. SMART / TRADE MARK / (Hamilton pic.) / SSC / CHIPPENHAM . 3 variations, glassmakers: Powell & Ricketts, Bristol.; John Kilner, Maker, Wakefield; Crindau Works, Newport Mon. Height 8.75-9". Image left is Crindau, next is Kilner, and the 2 examples in the right image are both Powell & Ricketts variations. |
| Barrett & Elers (stick stoppered) Patent |    |
| Embossed
vertically: S. SMARTS / AERATED WATERS / CHIPPENHAM . No Makers Mark. Height: 8.75". |
| 6oz Bullet Stopper |  |
| Embossed: S. SMART / TRADE
MARK / (Hamilton pic.) / SSC / CHIPPENHAM. Powell & Ricketts, Bristol. Height 7.25". |
| Flat Bottomed Hamilton/Gingerade bottle. |      |
| Embossed
Vertically: S. SMARTS / GINGERADE & C / BY STEAM POWER /
CHIPPENHAM . Both rather crusty examples sadly. No Glassmaker name. Height 8". |
| 10oz Hamilton |  |
| Embossed Vertically: S.
SMARTS / SODA WATER & LEMONADE / MANUFACTURER / BY STEAM POWER /
CHIPPENHAM . No Glassmaker name. Length 9". |
| 6oz Codd |   |
| Embossed:
S. SMART / TRADE MARK / (Hamilton pic.) / SSC / CHIPPENHAM . Dan Rylands 4 Maker Barnsley. Height 7.25". |
| 10oz Bullet Stopper |    |
| Embossed:
S. SMART`S / CHIPPENHAM / AERATED WATERS RIVER ST. (Vertical
hamilton pic. on rear.) John Kilner Maker Wakefield. Height 8.6". Image left courtesy Tony Hughes. Images centre and right courtesy Michael Squires. |
| 10oz Bullet Stopper |  |
| Embossed: F.W. SMART
& Co/ TRADE MARK / (& S Co)
/ DEVIZES. This bottle is from the company run by Stephen Smart's son Frederick William Smart in Devizes, before relocating to Cardiff. Powell & Ricketts, Bristol. Height 8.75". |