Monument to Donovan Foster Smart 'Shorty' and Mary Ann Foster, All Saints Churchyard, Bisham, Berkshire.
"Donovan
Foster Smart
Foster Smart
'Shorty'
December 1 1934
Aged 28 years
Mary
Mary
Ann Foster
September 11 1936
Aged 81 years."
Donovan Foster Smart was born in Chingford, Essex in 1906, eldest child of Harry Casimir Smart, an Australian working in the publicity branch of the Australian Government Office in the UK, and Daisy Hope Foster.
Donovan can first be found on the 1911 Census, aged 4, living with his parents, siblings, maternal grandmother Mary Ann Foster, and maternal aunt Grace Foster, at Claremont Villas, Snakes Lane, Woodford, Essex. Donovan worked in the film industry during his short life. He was to pass away after an extended illness on 1st December 1934. The Maidenhead Advertiser reported on 12th December 1934:
"Pinkney's Green.
Death and Funeral of Mr. D. F. Smart.
Death and Funeral of Mr. D. F. Smart.
The funeral took place on Tuesday last week in Bisham Churchyard, following a service in the historic parish church at which the organist was Mr. J. A. Mason (organist at Sydney Town Hall and formerly accompanist to Madame Melba), of Mr. Donovan Foster Smart, Elder son of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Smart, Hyde Farm, who after an illness extending over six months, passed away on 1st inst. at the age of 28 years. Mr. Donovan Smart, whose death has ended so prematurely, has brought to a close a promising career in the film industry, had been associated with Paramount Films and Publicity Films."
Mary Ann Foster was born Mary Ann Scudamore in Bishopsgate, Middlesex 1856 to Robert Scudamore, a Lithographic Printer, and his wife Elizabeth Bryne. Mary first appears on the 1861 Census, aged 5, living with her parents and siblings at 24 Wellington Street North, Bethnal Green, Middlesex. In 1871 Mary Ann is a domestic service in the house of William Holmes, a Nurseryman, at 2 Frampton Park Road, Hackney, London. On 21st November 1880 Mary Ann married Henry William Foster at St John's Church in Hackney, London. Along with Henry's five children from his previous marriage, Helen, Symons, Mary Ann, Ethel, Gertrude and Harold, Henry and Mary Ann had four children of their own, Henry Thomas, Sidney Kirkman, Daisy Hope, and Grace.
The newlywed couple can be found on the 1881 Census living at 5 Union Square, London. By 1891 the family had moved to 75 Ridley Road, West Hackney, London. Sadly, Mary Ann's husband Henry was to pass away in 1898. In 1901 the widowed Mary Ann can be found living with her stepson Harold, and her children, Sidney, Daisy, and Grace. Visiting the family at the time of the census is Harry Casimir Smart, Daisy's future husband, and father of Donovan Foster Smart. Mary was to pass away on 11th September 1936.
Shorty was quite young when he died - I wonder what happened to him.
ReplyDeleteDon died of venereal disease after hanging out with a well bred aristocratic lady! No effective treatment back then. There were 6 sisters and 2 brothers, my dad Ralph was Don's brother. I never met my uncle Don as he died before I was born. Ralph Foster Smart was in films and TV. Youngest sister Patsy was an actress. Oldest Peggy ran tea rooms in the Isle of Wight, Dunnose Cottage, The Old Thatch Shanklin, and one above a store in Ryde and one in Newport. Daisy Hope Foster was an amazing person who grew all the veggies & fruit for Dunnose cottage, planted and managed the beautiful flower garden, cooked all the cakes until Peggy took over after she had learnt how to with a special hi tech cake oven she bought. Granny Smart also made all the chair covers, lamp shades lamp bases she was a human dynamo of energy. Harry Casimir Smart was the guy who persuaded the Australian photographer Frank Hurley to make composite pictures of his war photos for an Australian stand at a big exhibition in London to show people what it really felt like to be on a battle field, because it was not possible to capture the atmosphere with the bulky slow cameras of the time. They both got into trouble with the Australian Government but the collages were wildly popular with visitors to the exhibition until they were removed because they were too much "out there". I have 4 kids, Patrick, Annick, Ralph & Neil from my wife Marie Therese LeGuen, we are now seperated. Thanks for the photo of the stone & info, shalom, Robert.
ReplyDeleteHello Robert. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and your comment.
DeleteAlso thank you for the wonderful information you have given. It is always nice to hear about the people I have 'visited' and researched as there is only so much I can find out through the internet.
The churchyard that Donovan and Mary Ann are buried in is very peaceful and beautiful place backing onto the River Thames. Well wirth a visit is you are ever able to make it.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful 2013!