Charles William SMITH
Born 1879 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England [30]
In 1904 he was working as a Hotel Porter and living at 25 Bayswater Road in Leeds, Yorkshire, England [360]
He and his wife departed London, England on the steamship Otway on 14 October 1910 bound for Fremantle, Western Australia [203]
Licensee of the Mingenew Hotel on Railway Road in Mingenew, Western Australia in 1915 and 1916 [9: 17-Dec-1915] [50] [86: 11-Mar-1916]
Later in 1916 he was working as a Hotel Manager and living at 75 Stirling Street in Perth, Western Australia [30]
Enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 29 May 1916 in Perth, Western Australia [30: item 1767316]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 137 pounds, and had grey eyes, dark brown hair and a fresh complexion [30]
His next of kin was his wife Mrs Annie Mary SMITH of 75 Stirling Street and then 32 Aberdeen Street in Perth [30]
Embarked Fremantle, Western Australia for active service abroad on the H.M.A.T. A16 Port Melbourne on 30 October 1916 [30]
Disembarked in Devonport, England on 28 December 1916 and after further training proceeded to France on 13 March 1917 [30]
Private 2750 in the Australian Imperial Force's 48th Battalion in France during the First World War [30]
Wounded in Action in France on 11 April 1917 and was evacuated to England for treatment for a gunshot wound to his arm [30]
After recovering left England for France on 15 June 1917 and rejoined the 48th Battalion in France on 31 July 1917 [30]
Detached to the 24th Machine Gun Company from 21 September 1917 until returning to 48th Battalion on 29 October 1917 [30]
Wounded in Action in France for the second time on 15 April 1918, resulting in severe gunshot wound to his chest and arm [30]
Evacuated to England for treatment before leaving on his return to Western Australia on the Sardinia on 19 October 1918 [30]
Discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 9 February 1919; received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
Barman in Mingenew, Western Australia 1919-1921 [50]
Manager and later Storekeeper of the Cheap Cash Stores in Yandanooka, Western Australia 1921-1936 [9] [19] [61] [86: 12-Jul-1921]
Pearse & Herbert opened the store in mid 1921 and he was its first manager [86: 12-Jul-1921]
Settlers on the Yandanooka Estate previously had their supplies sent up by train, left at the railway siding and often stolen [86]
His store was the polling place for Yandanooka voters for the Legislative Council elections in 1922 [9: 5-May-1922]
In 1927 he was the Yandanooka agent for Westralian Farmers Ltd and Chapman's Remedies [9: 18-Jun-1927]
Held the contract with the Postal Department to deliver mail to outlying parts of Yandanooka in 1930 [4: 22-Nov-1930]
He considerably reduced his price for carrying and delivering mails in 1930, which ensured the service continued [86: 22-Nov-1930]
His daughter Nora left England on the steamship Bendigo and arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia on 4 January 1925 [338]
Nora resided with him in Yandanooka where she was Postmistress of the local Post Office [19] [81: 15-Nov-1916]
Pallbearer at the funeral of John Hudson DAVIES of Carnamah at the Three Springs Cemetery on 20 February 1925 [9: 20-Feb-1925]
Won 1st prizes for Vegetables and Cauliflowers exhibited at the Gala Day in Yandanooka on 9 September 1926 [9: 17-Sep-1926]
in 1927-28 owned a Ford truck and Dodge car registered with the Mingenew Road Board with license plates MI-83 and MI-128 [325]
Donated the Smith Cup to the North Midlands Cricket Association in 1928 for the team with the best batting average [5: 25-Mar-1937]
The trophy went to the team with the best average each year until one team won it three times or twice in succession [5]
Eight years later the trophy was still doing the rounds, being one by Mingenew in 1935-36 and Carnamah in 1936-37 [5]
Member of the Mingenew Football Club - was Vice President in 1930 [39: 3-Apr-1930]
Attended the funeral of "Father of Carnamah" Donald MACPHERSON at the Winchester Cemetery on 14 August 1931 [4: 22-Aug-1931]
In 1932 owned a Chevrolet wagon, which was registered with the Mingenew Road Board with license plate MI-169 [4: 12-Nov-1932]
He was one of 77 ex-servicemen who attended the Sailors & Soldiers Reunion Dinner in Carnamah on 22 October 1932 [86: 29-Oct-1932]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Christina B. D. FORRESTER of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on 31 August 1934 [4: 8-Sep-1934]
Attended the Fourth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner held in Three Springs on Saturday 19 October 1935 [5: 25-Oct-1935]
Attended the Fifth Annual North Midlands R.S.L. Reunion Dinner in Dongara on Saturday evening 24 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
After several years in Yandanooka, he and his daughter left the district in November 1936 [81: 15-Nov-1916]
Prior to leaving they were given a send-off, at which he was given a set of brushes and his daughter a set of cutlery [81]
"The popularity of these residents... and the esteem in which they are held was shown by the gathering of over 300 people" [81]
By November 1936 he and his daughter had moved into a flat on Regent Street in the Perth suburb of Mount Lawley [81: 22-Nov-1936]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'Charles William Smith' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 26 December 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/charles-william-smith [reference list] |
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