SMITH, Harold Gilead

1880 - 1941

Harold Gilead Smith was born at Weybridge, Surrey on 21 October 1880, son of American born Gilead Abijah Smith (1821-1914), an iron merchant, and his second wife, Rachel Mary née Scott (1852-4 August 1938), second daughter of Benjamin Scott of Heath House, Weybridge, who married at St James's Church, Weybridge on 1 August 1872. Harold married at Chertsey Parish Church, Surrey on 26 December 1914, Madeline Zoe Scott-Moncrieff (31 August 1891-9 August 1980), only daughter of William Dundas Scott-Moncrieff. The London Gazette announced on 9 September 1914 his promotion to Captain; 'Harold Gilead Smith, late lieutenant The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)' but in 1921 was a retired army officer and, with his wife, living at 49 Sussex Square, Kemp Town, Brighton, the home of his wife's parents. Harold lived at Orford House, Hacheston, Suffolk and was a watercolour landscape painter and craftworker and a member of Ipswich Art Club 1932-1938 and exhibited from Orford House, Hacheston in 1933, three sculpture pieces and exhibited twelve works in all, including in 1936 'On the Medway' and 'Sunset, Wickham Market', he also exhibited some views in the Dordogne, France. By 1921 he had hyphenated his surname to Gilead-Smith and in 1939 was living at the Old Vicarage, Rendham, Suffolk with his wife Madeline, the home of Alice Leisenring. Harold Gilead Smith died at Orchard House, Hacheston on 2 July 1941 and buried in the local churchyard. His wife Madeline Zoe married again in 1953, William McCall and died at Raydon Nursing Home, near Ipswich in 1980.