Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Harold Smith

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Harold Smith

    I am trying to find out more about my cousin, Harold Smith. I beleive he was born in 1906 and was a director of ICI. I know my father, uncle and another cousin new him as a cousin and visited him. However, I can't find eactly how he fits into our family tree.
    I believe his father was Arthur Smith (1871) and that Harold married "Nora" but that they had no children.
    Research suggests he was born and died in Kent although the family came from Middlesex and later Surrey.
    I can't find conclusive birth or census or other records to help.
    Any assistance would be very welcome
    Thank you,

  • #2
    Did Harold have a middle name? The only Director I can see is Harold Octavius Smith. Another Harold Grenville smith was born UK, worked for ICI then emigrated to Canada where he was director of CIL.

    OC

    Comment


    • #3
      A name like Smith is going to be difficult to find. What is your information about him being a cousin and a director of ICI?
      ~ with love from Little Nell~
      Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

      Comment


      • #4
        Re OC's post, Harold Greville Smith was born in Sheffield on 25 Jan 1902 and was a bachelor so he doesn't sound like your relative.
        ~ with love from Little Nell~
        Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

        Comment


        • #5
          1911 census search for a Harold Smith born Kent 1906 +/- a year with an Arthur Smith in the household produced one result:

          SMITHHAROLDM 1906 West AshfordKent

          but I don't have any credits to check it out. I did try to find an Arthur Smith born within 2 years of 1871 in Kent with a Harold in the household but I didn't find a match with West Ashford.

          SMITH ARTHUR 1871 Blean Kent

          So I did a search for Harold in Blean with Arthur and found one born 1901 in Faversham and a Harold A. born 1897 in Blean.
          ~ with love from Little Nell~
          Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

          Comment


          • #6
            More on Harold Smith

            Thank you for the responses thus far.
            I'm asked for more info and I have an obituary, here are relevant extracts: " former member of the board of ICI died on January 12 1986. He had served for over 38 years and was a former joint managing director of the Dye-stuffs Division"
            "...schooling at Westminster City School and at the Royal College of Science, London University"
            "He became a Director in 1961........developing trade with the USSR,.... including Outer Mongolia.."
            We also know that he later married Nora but don't have the maiden name.
            The connection with our family tree is verbal from other family members only one of whom is still living.
            Does this help at all?

            Comment


            • #7
              Robert

              This probably isn't going to help, but my late father worked for ICI all his adult life and I do remember that there was a company magazine. It probably won't have the biographical details in it that you require but I'm sure it would have something along the lines of "Congratulations on the marriage of Harold Smith to Norah Doings"

              ICI is defunct now but I am sure their archives still exist somewhere.

              Possibly Harold's death cert might have some useful information - the informant/his actual date of birth etc.

              OC

              Comment


              • #8
                If you can prove he's connected to you, there's an interesting account on Harold Smith's visit to Mongolia with his wife on Google Books. Unfortunately, they don't mention her christian name.
                http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=E...page&q&f=false

                There are several books mentioning a Harold Smith + ICI, but none seem to have anything useful and most only have small snippets to view.
                Jenny

                Comment


                • #9
                  Harold Smith getting close....

                  Thank you for all the help thus far. I can see the articles on my Harold Smith in Google books but it is frustrating to have so little on view. Anybody any idea how to get to the whole document(s).
                  Also, if anybody can see my relative on 1911 census I would be very garteful.
                  I feel so close yet so far in this search....

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Robert sent me a copy of his tree and the Arthur Smith b1871 had a son Harold A who was born 1897 both found together on 1911 census. So it doesn't look as though the Harold b1906 came from that line.
                    Margaret

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Here's a possible marriage of Harold Smith to Nora P Emptage
                      Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1926
                      Registration district: Woolwich Registration county (inferred): Kent
                      Volume Number: 1d Page Number: 2130

                      and this would likely be her birth

                      Nora Pemberton Emptage
                      Year of Registration: 1909 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
                      District: Woolwich County: Greater London, Kent, London Volume: 1d Page: 1234


                      All purely speculative based on the fact that there are only 2 Harold Smith deaths in 1986, one of which was in Kent and you seem to be focussing on that county.
                      Your best bet as suggested before is to get the death cert and go from there.
                      Margaret

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I have ordered the death certificate today. I'm tempted to order a marriage certifiacte too based on the info above about marriage to Nora P Emptage but will be aptient until the death cert arrives.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          There are a couple of possible births in Woolwich from that Emptage marriage, a male in Sept 1927 and a female in 1934. I think Robert said there were no children from the marriage.
                          Chrissie passed away in January 2020.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Chrissie Smiff View Post
                            There are a couple of possible births in Woolwich from that Emptage marriage, a male in Sept 1927 and a female in 1934. I think Robert said there were no children from the marriage.
                            Yes, I think you are right and it's not likely to be the right one - but very tempting!
                            Margaret

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I think the Canadian one is definitely a no-showhttp://alumni.balliol.ox.ac.uk/support/grevsmith.asp
                              Anne

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Yes, my one surviving cousin who met Harold confirms that he had no children. I have also picked up that there is a Harold Grenville Smith with ICI connections who moved to and died abroad and he is not the one. I am, however, interested in any other family connections as this branch of my tree is revealing relatives I was unaware of and there may be other living relatives from either his wife's line or his brothers or sisters who could shed light.
                                Thank you all for your input.
                                Robert

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  I have now confirmed that Harold's wife was called Nora May, so that may help with tracing a marriage certifiacte at some point. Stil unsure of her maiden name. I have also now received a copy of Harold's will so, with Margaret's help will try to contact those mentioned there.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    For anyone looking for a marriage - the Times death notice suggests his wifes name was Norah (i.e. spelt with an h on the end).
                                    Chrissie passed away in January 2020.

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Do you have his birth reference Robert? I ask because his death on 12th January 1986 aged 79 in Shepway Kent ref 16 1861 suggests that he was born on 28th October 1906. However, the three Harold Smith births in the Sept and Dec quarters of 1906 in Kent all have at least one second name. Do you think he was born somewhere other than Kent perhaps?
                                      Chrissie passed away in January 2020.

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        The only marriage I can find of a Norah M to a Harold Smith in anything like the right area/year is this one -

                                        April - June 1930 - Harold Smith to Norah M Leek - Holborn Ref 1b 1194

                                        A possible birth for Norah M Leek though would be March 1906 - Woodbridge (Suffolk) 4a 1116.
                                        Last edited by Chrissie Smiff; 13-11-10, 20:47.
                                        Chrissie passed away in January 2020.

                                        Comment

                                        Working...
                                        X