Biography of Harvey Thomas SMITH
[Ref. R.20]
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Dwellings | |
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Keepsakes | |
Index for SMITH |
Biography of Harvey Thomas SMITH
[Ref. R.20]
| Profile | |
Dwellings | |
Photos | |
Keepsakes | |
Index for SMITH |
Harvey Thomas Smith was born on 27 March 1906 at his parents home at 73 Radbourne Road, Clapham, the first of the three children of Thomas and Agnes Smith. By 1909 the family were living at 26 Eardley Road in Streatham, and by 1912 at 11 Corsehill Street in Streatham.
Round about 1914, the family moved to 189 Mitcham Lane in Streatham where they remained for over 20 years. Along with his brother Archie and sister Marie, Harvey attended school at St.Leonard's in Streatham where his father was a teacher. Both Harvey and Archie were in the choir at St.Alban's church in Streatham.
Harvey appears to have started work in July 1923 and was training as an Articled Clerk with a firm of solicitors in London. During the general strike in 1926, He served as one of the 6000 Special Constables in the City of London.
On 3 July 1929, Harvey married Dorothy Barbara Knight at Wandsworth Register Office. The couple used to go skating with Harvey's brother Archie and his 'wife to be' Doady Folker at Streatham. He had to give up employment with the solicitors when he suddenly started having epileptic fits. He continued to travel to London as did his sister Marie, and she would accompany him to and from home to keep an eye on him. Unfortunately, his marriage did not last, apparently as his wife could not tolerate his fits, and they later divorced. However, the epilepsy did stop again.
Harvey acquired The Lodge in Warwickshire which was a small hotel and cafe situated on the outskirts of the village on the A45 road. He had owned a dog called Clip but left it with his parents in Streatham when he left for Willoughby. It was at The Lodge that he met his future wife Lilian Brown, who came to work there as a chambermaid. Lilian fell pregnant and the couple moved to London and lived at 139 Alderney Street in Victora. Their child, John Derick Harvey, born on 23 January 1939 at 18a Cedars Road in Lambeth. In the early part of the war their house received a direct hit by a bomb and they lost everything, including a gramaphone given to them by Archie and Doady.
Harvey was working for the Ministry of Food and they evacuated him to North Wales. He married Kate Lilian Brown at Northampton Register Office on 6 December 1941 at which time his address was Bryn Cottage at 66 Rhos Road, Rhos-on-Sea. The family stayed initially at the Sherwood Hotel on the seafront at Llandudno. They next went to a house in Rhyd-y-Foel a short way inland and probably remained there until the end of the war. Harvey must have worked some distance from home as he stayed away during the week.
After the war, the family were moved by the Ministry to Guildford, where they were found a council house at 64 Park Barn Drive in Westborough. Harvey was very interested in gardening and specialised in growing Orchids. He enjoyed the challenge of growing the most difficuly varieties. Lil used to chide him because he would move plants and shrubs around in the garden, sometimes only a few inches.
Harvey passed away on 24 August 1971 and was cremated at St.John's in Knaphill near Woking, Surrey, and his ashes acattered with those of his mother. He left a Will.
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