William Henry Smith. Bookseller and politician. The son in "W. H. Smith and Son". He introduced the W. H. Smith stalls at railway stations and the business thrived. Entered politics in 1868. Appointed First Lord of the Admiralty when he had little naval experience and so thought to be the model for Sir Joseph (ruler-of-the-Queen's-Nav-ee) Porter in Gilbert & Sullivan's 'H.M.S. Pinafore'. Promoted the Baconian Theory, the idea that Francis Bacon wrote the plays commonly attributed to Shakespeare. Father of Lord Hambleden.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
W. H. Smith
Commemorated ati
W. H. Smith - W2
London County Council W. H. Smith, 1825 - 1891, bookseller and statesman, li...
Other Subjects
Rupert D‘Oyly Carte
Son of Helen and Richard D‘Oyly Carte. Chairman of the company 1901 - 1948 - through both World Wars. Father of Bridget. Wodehouse supposedly based Psmith, one of his characters, on Rupert, or p...
1 memorial
1 memorial
Bella Burge
Bella was married to boxer (and bank robber, see OldTimeMusicHall) Dick Burge. They took on the lease of the Surrey Chapel, an ex-chapel which had become a boxing ring in 1910. Renamed "The Ring"...
1 memorial
Jonathan’s Coffee House
Founded by Jonathan Miles in Exchange Alley around 1680. In 1698 John Castaing posted a list of prices for stocks and commodities. And so traders who were expelled from the Royal Exchange used Jona...
1 memorial
