Benjamin Smitham

Private Benjamin Smitham – Welsh Regiment

Early Life

Benjamin Smitham was born in 1884, the son of John Smitham and Kezia Hughes, who had married in 1869.

1891 Census

At the time of the 1891 Census, the Smitham family was living at 18 Bethesda Place, Swansea. John, aged 42, was employed as a barge man, while Kezia, aged 38, managed the household. Their children were Hannah, 17, working at the fuse works; Lily, 13; John, 11; Jenny, 9; Benjamin, 6; Florence, 3; and Nellie, just six months old.

1901 Census

The family remained at the same address for the 1901 Census. John, now 52, was working as a general labourer, while Kezia was 48. Their children still at home included William, 21, also a general labourer; Jenny, 18; Benjamin, 16; Florrie, 13; Nellie, 10; and Kattie, 8.

Marriage and Family

Benjamin Smitham and Elizabeth Ann Lodwig
marriage certificate
St. John-juxta Swansea

In 1902, Benjamin married Elizabeth Ann Lodwig at St. John-juxta-Swansea.

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, Benjamin and Elizabeth, both aged 27, were living at 25A Tontine Street, Swansea. Benjamin was employed as a fuel worker. Their children were Albert Edward, 6; Lilian, 4; and Mary Winifred, 1.

Military Service and Death

During the First World War, Benjamin enlisted and served with the Welsh Regiment. His service took him away from Swansea, but his life was cut short when he died on 25^th March 1916, at Bangor Military Hospital, aged 32.

Burial

Benjamin Smitham
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Following his death, the body of Private Benjamin Smitham was returned to Swansea for burial. On 29^th March 1916, he was laid to rest at Danygraig Cemetery.

Herald of Wales

His funeral, reported in the Herald of Wales, was conducted with full respect and dignity. Family, friends, and comrades gathered to honour him, while the presence of the local community reflected both personal grief and civic pride. The ceremony marked him as one of Swansea’s own, a husband and father whose life had been cut short in wartime service.

Benjamin’s grave at Danygraig, where he rests among many other servicemen of the Great War, remains a lasting memorial to his sacrifice and to the heavy cost borne by Swansea families during the conflict.

Legacy

Benjamin’s story reflects the experiences of many ordinary Swansea men who moved from industrial labour into wartime service. As a husband and father of three young children, his death left behind a widow and family whose lives were forever shaped by loss. His burial at Danygraig ensures that his name is preserved among Swansea’s roll of wartime dead, a reminder of the personal stories behind the wider history of the First World War.