Dear Mr. Smout

My son stumbled upon your webpage concerning the surname Smout.  I too, am a Smout, Michael
Smout to be precise.  I live in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.  My grandfather came over to Canada
from Plymouth England around 1899 at the age of fourteen.  My uncle, Marvin Smout, who
resides in London, Ontario, Canada, had the family name traced out some years ago and we
were told that we originally left Holland for England in the year 1512. We were also told
that we were apparently "pirates'...or something along that line.  My father says that we
have relations living in England.  While father was in the Royal Canadian Navy during world
war two, he was in England on numerous occaisions.  He tried to visit my grandfathers
sister, but she was not home at that time.  He also visited the home that Grandfather was
living in prior to his arrival in Canada. I should say that the home was levelled after the
damned Nazis bombed the area. Hope this helps.....we might even be related, who knows!!!

best regards,
Michael Anthony Smout

From:             "Mike Smout" <Mick1@csource.net>
To:               <gpsmout@nildram.co.uk>
Subject:          Re: From one Smout to another.
Date sent:        Wed, 12 Jan 2000 15:52:25 -0800

Dear Graham

 I received an email last year from a gentleman in
Australia asking if we were possibly related.  If it helps....my grandfather
Harry Charles Smout had four children  Alice Smout 1918(?)-1994, Harry
William Curtis Smout 1920-(my father), Dr.Marvin
Stanley Smout 1931(?) and Isabelle Smout (Clare) 1922(?) Grandfather brought
his little sister over to
Canada in 1899 and she later went on to live in Washington State (Seattle ).

best regards always,
Michael Smout
 

----- Original Message -----
From: Graham Smout <gpsmout@pop3.nildram.co.uk>
To: Mike Smout <Mick1@csource.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2000 11:39 AM
Subject: Re: From one Smout to another.
 

> Dear Mike;
>
> I now have your first e-mail; and very interesting reading
> it makes too!
>
> I am sure that all the Smout's in the UK, and others having emigrated
> to the new world,  are probably related, most lines of enquiry seem
> to lead back to the small Shropshire villages of Worthen & Westbury,
> where the first Smout's are recorded as living in the 16th century.
> Thereafter the family spreads out at the start of the Industrial
> revolution to places like Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
>
> You can follow up the family tree for my branch of the family back
> there quite easily, though many details are yet to be confirmed. Look
> up the family tree file, smout.ged on our website.
>
> I have also been contacted by Smouts still living in Holland and
> Belgium, where it is quite a common name. An Uncle of mine once told
> me we were of Dutch origin, having been given sanctuary in England
> during the reign of Henry V111 as they were being persecuted by
> catholics there. this certainly happened to many non-conformists at
> the time. he also thought they had something to do with sword making,
> perhaps this is where the pirates connection comes in!
>
> Do you mind if I publish your letter on the website? there will be an
> index and links but no e-mail addresses if the author does not wish it
>
> Thanks for getting in touch
>
>
> Yours graham Smout

From:             "Mike Smout" <Mick1@csource.net>
To:               <gpsmout@nildram.co.uk>
Subject:          Addenda to the previous letter regarding the Smout name.
Date sent:        Tue, 11 Jan 2000 19:03:34 -0800

Dear friend

I forgot to mention this in my previous letter.  My grandfather was Harry Charles Smout born
in 1885 and died December 25, 1962. His father was William Smout who was in the *navy at
that time.  William Smout died sometime in the 1890's as did his wife.  I have a copy of his
birth certificate that was issued in Plymouth Devon....it contains names of Grandfathers
parents etc. I have it hidden somewhere and you're more than welcome to have any info that
it may contain.

best regards,
Michael Smout

*not sure if this was the Royal Navy or the Merchant Navy...probably the Royal Navy.