Dr James Henry Smith - economics expert, noted astronomer, Justice of the Peace and Mayor of Dartmouth
Dartmouth is a town that attracts many great men and women – the annals of the town’s history are filled with them.
But few of these were as quietly successful, so unassuming in their achievements as the town’s mayor in 1932.
Most of us spend hours and days of our lives complaining about being bored or watching TV, or reading bad novels forever wondering why we have so little time in our lives.
But some are blessed (or cursed) to be fascinated by the world, to see its beauty and complexity and to be excited by the possibilities it presents. Such people spend their time discovering, writing, creating and making a difference.
Such a man was Dr James Henry Smith OBE: economics expert, noted astronomer, Justice of the Peace and, incidentally, Mayor of Dartmouth.
When he died at the age of 74 in early 1958, the town mourned not only a man of the town but also a man of great works.
Starting at a young age, Dr Smith was a fellow of the Royal Astrological Society, not for discovering stars or planets, but helping with research to create a tool called a Spectroscope. The Spectroscope provided information from the cosmos for spectral analysis, helping others discover the stars and planets. Dr Smith gave the gift of the perfect tool to his fellow astronomers. He was only 16.
That seems a good example of Smith’s character and manner of operation: he was clearly a quiet, humble man, who quietly achieved remarkable things whilst never looking for much thanks.
He was an optician by trade, but was also a Devon magistrate of many years standing, a Doctor of Philosophy, a man clearly incredibly intelligent, extraordinarily hard working and someone who loved a challenge.
At the time of his death, Dr Smith could have displayed the letters: MPS, BSc, FBOA (Hon) FS MC, FNAO, D.Opt, BSc(Econ), PhD, FRAS, FICA, FRSA, FR Econ S after his name.
Smith was a man who was readily handed roles of responsibility: he became Chairman of the Dartmouth Bench of magistrates, presiding over hundreds of cases over three decades. He served a total of 15 years on the council becoming Mayor in 1932.
He clearly didn’t shirk a fight either. In his one year as mayor he publicly supported a scheme to put a bridge across the Dart, one of the most controversial plans the town has known. He wanted the bridge to travel across the river behind the Britannia Royal Naval College as he felt it would create jobs and an economic boom for the town. It caused impassioned debate and must have caused him significant personal grief.
He must have been able to construct a compelling argument, despite the passion and the vitriol against it, he got the bridge scheme within one vote of being implemented.
When it was defeated the town decided instead to take the Coombe Mud and create a park for the town instead. Coronation Park was completed in 1935.
Dr Smith was also, in no particular order of importance, Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London, thanks to his important and well-respected writings on economics, a Chairman of the Dartmouth Commercial Association, Chairman of the Torbay pharmaceutical society and the Torbay branch of the Optical Practitioners Association. He was also, as previously mentioned, fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society for his research in the early development of the Spectroscope for spectral analysis.
So just to recap: he was an economist, a chemist, a Justice of the Peace, an optician and a Doctor of Philosophy who helped develop one of the main tools used by astronomers all over the world before he was out of his teens.
He retired at the age of 60 but this did not stop his lifelong love of study:
He achieved his final degree in economics at the age of 66.
