"Alison" (r_a @t winshop.com.au) of Queensland, Australia, asked the ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE-L rootsweb list: "I am hoping someone will be able to assist me with information on my g-g-grandparents William Smith & Mary Ann Thompson. Their son William was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, around 1834, and he married Sarah Launders on 15-6-1857. They were married in the Church of England in Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia. Sarah Launder was born in Seven Oaks, Kent, and her parents were George Launder & Sarah Roberts. Their children were William Herbert b1858, Lucy Clara b1860, Emma Victoria b1862, Harold Albans Victor b 1864, (my g-grandfather) & Annie Mary Lucia b 1867. Both William Jnr and his father were butchers. I am trying to find the shipping records I have an idea I have seen them on the net but have forgotten where."

I am researching the Bernards Heath area of St Albans, which means I am interested in brickmaking (and hence have information on builders, etc.) and also the Smith families in so far as I am trying to track down the parents of Robert Smith of Heath Farm, Bernards Heath. This means I have ready access to a number of relevant sources to answer your question.

While William Smith is a confusingly common name I have found a family which almost certainly contains your great-great-grandparents and their son William. At the time of the 1851 census the following family was living in St Peters Street, St Peters, St Albans:

Clearly the names of the parents fit - as does the name, age and occupation of the eldest son. Only William Smith senior's occupation is wrong. A check of the baptisms at St Peters Church (picture St Peters) as indexed on familysearch up to 1846 gives the following children born to William and Mary Smith:

 If we compare them with the names of William Smith junior's children we find the common elements William (not surprising), Lucy, Emma, Annie/Anna & Mary Lucia - the latter combination being very unusual - and surely is much more than a coincidence.

It would seem that William Smith senior stayed in St Albans when his son went to Australia as there is a continuous record of him in various trade directories.

1834 Pigot's Directory; [nothing obvious]
1839 Pigot's Directory: SMITH, William, carpenter, St Peters Street
1847 & 1850: William SMITH, carpenter, St Peters Street, was one of a very large number of people who accepted bribes for voting in parliamentary elections. He also gave evidence in the official inquiry. [Parliamentary Report]
1850 Post Office Directory: SMITH, William, carpenter, St Peters Street
1855 Post Office Directory: SMITH, William, builder, St Peters Street
1862 Post Office Directory: SMITH, William, builder & undertaker, St Peters Street
1866 Post Office Directory: SMITH, William, builder & undertaker, St Peters Street
1870 Post Office Directory: SMITH, William, builder, St Peters Street
1874 Post Office Directory: [not checked]
1878 Post Office Directory: SMITH, James Tiggle, carpenter, London Road [No relevant William Smith]
1882 Kelly's Directory: SMITH, James Tiggle, carpenter, London Road
1886 Kelly's Directory: [no obviously relevant entry]

As James Tiggle/Tiggell Smith was clearly alive in 1881 a quick look at the 1881 census CD revealed the following family in Alexandra Road, St Peters:

I found one probably relevant reference to James Tiggle Smith on my file of St Albans Press extracts. On 8 September 1866 the Herts Advertiser reported a cricket match on Bernards Heath between two teams of carpenters, led by Mr C. Paul and Mr J. Smith - but I didn't copy down full details.

I am not sure how many churches dedicated to St Andrew there are in Middlesex, but William Smith senior may well be the William SMITH who was baptised 29 Jan 1806 at Saint Andrew, Holborn, London, the son of James & Ann Smith. [familysearch]