George Wishart Smith
George Wishart Smith (1868 – before 1960), sometimes written Wishart-Smith, was a railway executive in Western Australia and Railway Commissioner in Tasmania, from which service he was suspended after mounting costs and deteriorating patronage.
History[edit]
Smith was born in Scotland, a son of David Smith and Catherine Wishart.
He emigrated to New South Wales, and was living at South Clifton, New South Wales when he married a daughter of A. Broadhead in 1894; they then left for Western Australia. He was accountant for the Midland Railway Company when he was appointed Assistant General Manager in 1898.[1] He was living at Midland Junction when he was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1909.[2]
He had been General Manager of the Midland Railway Company for 12 years when he was selected from 38 applicants to head the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) in 1911.[3]
He was awarded the OBE in 1921[4] but was unable to attend the ceremony.
He was suspended by the Premier (Sir Walter Lee) in September 1923 following a Royal Commission into operation of the railways and recommendations by the Executive Council, meeting in Launceston, which found that Smith was guilty of "negligence, incompetence and misbehavior"[5]
In suing the Tasmanian Government for wrongful dismissal he demanded specific details on each of these allegations,[6] but was met with a series of postponements and delays,[7] during which, of course, Smith received no salary.
Family[edit]
Smith was living at South Clifton, New South Wales when he married Elizabeth Jane Lindsay, (adopted?) daughter of Alfred Broadhead, licensee of the Scarborough Hotel, Clifton, on 4 Jun 1894.[8] Their children included:
- George Clifton Smith (1894–1983) made headlines when his wife of four days deserted him. They divorced in 1923.[9] He married Yvonne Wedlock in Sydney in 1930.[10]
- David Douglas Wishart-Smith (19 Nov 1897 – 1984) married Margaret Grace Murray on 16 April 1925[11]
- Alexander Baillie Smith (1900 – July 1906)[12]
- Hector Archibald Wishart-Smith (1902–1966) married Edna Clarice Day on 10 February 1931.[13]
- Madeline Jean Smith (9 December 1904[14] – 1987)
- Ian Wishart Smith (2 March 1913 – 1997) was a prominent golfer. He married Patricia Wilson on 29 December 1937.
References[edit]
- ^ "Classified Advertising". The West Australian. Vol. 14, no. 3, 935. Western Australia. 8 October 1898. p. 1. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Day's Gossip". The Evening Mail. No. 1802. Western Australia. 4 December 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Commissioner of Railways". Tasmanian News. No. 9321. Tasmania, Australia. 2 June 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Distinguished Service Decorations". The Mercury (Hobart). Vol. CXV, no. 16, 899. Tasmania, Australia. 30 November 1921. p. 4. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Suspension". The World. Vol. VII, no. 385. Tasmania, Australia. 8 September 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Ex-Commissioner of Railways Pending Suit Against Crown". The Mercury. Vol. CXX, no. 14, 605. Tasmania, Australia. 18 March 1924. p. 7. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Action Against Crown". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. LXXXII, no. 70. Tasmania, Australia. 21 March 1924. p. 6. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Scrap Album". Illawarra Mercury. Vol. XXXIX, no. 107. New South Wales, Australia. 14 June 1894. p. 2. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Four Days' Husband". The News (Hobart). Vol. II, no. 291. Tasmania, Australia. 7 May 1925. p. 4. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Saturday Night's Petersham Wedding". Evening News. No. 19594. New South Wales, Australia. 14 April 1930. p. 10. Retrieved 26 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Advocate (Australia). Tasmania, Australia. 2 May 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Family Notices". The West Australian. Vol. XXII, no. 6, 349. Western Australia. 25 July 1906. p. 1. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Woman's World". The Examiner (Tasmania). Vol. LXXXIX, no. 36. Tasmania, Australia. 11 February 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Family Notices". Western Mail. Vol. XX, no. 990. Western Australia. 17 December 1904. p. 31. Retrieved 25 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.