| Admin History | Charles Smith was born in Reading c.1833, and his practice must date from about the time these records begin in 1857. He was to establish his firm, and his family home, at 164 Friar Street, and among notable clients soon to figure in his ledgers was the Duke of Wellington at Stratfield Saye. He undertook commissions for the trustees of Broad Street chapel, Reading, and Messrs Simonds, bankers of Reading; others relate to church schools in Reading and substantial houses in the vicinity, but also extended to clients in London and several neighbouring counties. Charles Smith, who by 1881 (census) was a Justice of the Peace and councillor for the borough, was joined in the firm by his son Charles Steward Smith (born c.1859). He became a deacon of Broad Street chapel, and is shown in photographs among the chapel records (D/N 11/10/3/4-5 and D/N 11/14/2/3), and also in a photograph among the records of Reading Literary and Scientific Society, of which he was President (D/EX 1432/5/1). He died on 6 February 1912, aged 79.
The firm continued at 164 Friar Street until the 1960s, when the site was redeveloped for Marks and Spencer Ltd, at which time the practice, under a successor, Eric Steward Smith FRIBA, moved to 63A Friar Street, continuing at least until the mid 1970s. |