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Biography of Malcolm Archbald SMITH
[Ref. S.1]
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Section I : Walking
Malcolm was always interested in walking and, as a boy and young man, it was a means of getting about. As a schoolboy he travelled by bus and train and there were substantial walks in between. He did not have a car when he started work so used public transport, but often had to walk when his journey did not fit with the bus timetable.
His interest in walking for pleasure really developed in adult life. Summer holidays were usually taken in seaside locations in the West Country, giving the opportunity to walk the coast paths. Each holiday was taken in a different place so that a new part of the path could be walked whilst his wife Brenda enjoyed to sunshine on the beach. These walks were linked to Malcolm's project of photographing the British coastline. The children were taken on family walks from the outset and both became able to complete long walks themselves. When older they would explore the Dorset countryside with Malcolm by following the footpaths.
After his retirement, Malcolm undertook some street mapping which entailed plenty of walking. His son James worked for a mapping company who subcontracted some of their work and Malcolm was able to undertake some of this as a freelance surveyor. He had also walked extensively on the Isle of Wight which has a superb network of footpaths. Many of these together with other walks have been detailed on Malcolm's website. Latterly, Malcolm had been accompanied on his walks by his brother-in-law.
The general idea was to plan different routes so as to explore as much new territory as possible. Malcolm was always observant whilst out walking and he started to notice the vast diversity of the gates and stiles through which he passed. He did start another photographic project to record the many different types but that was never formalised.
When his wife Brenda became disabled, Malcolm had an arrangement whereby a carer would sit with Brenda for a three-hour period each week so that Malcolm could take a substantial walk. There was a huge range of choice around Fordingbridge so he devised to walk somewhere different each time, also in places that her had not been before. He would document these walks on his family Facebook page.