James Hamilton Smith's Obituary.
James Hamilton Smith, who died on 26 October following a brief illness, was a example of loyalty, commitment, and graciousness that touched many who had the privilege of knowing him. There can have been very few people in Glasgow who have been more popular, more respected, and indeed more revered. Jimmy was such a modest and self effacing man, that he would have brushed aside such compliments. He was a do-er, an action man, and got things done. Many people, clubs, organisations and institutions have had cause to be grateful for the continual support and service of Jimmy Smith.
He will best be known throughout the Scottish rugby community as Secretary of the Rugby Section of the Glasgow Academical Club for 34 years, a record which is unlikely to be broken. His enthusiasm for the game he loved was undiminished throughout his life, and visiting teams to the rugby fields of New Anniesland were greeted with warmth and courteousness that was his trademark. His post match hospitality of ensuring that all the players received the staple fare of a pie earned him the nickname of Jimmy the Pie, a title of affection that remained with him for the rest of his days. In addition to his work as Rugby Secretary, he was President of the Glasgow Academical Club, Chairman of Cricket, Captain of Cricket, and in that year they won the Rowan Charity cup, and a Governor of The Glasgow Academy. He hardly missed a post war match of the national team at Murrayfield. Win or lose, he loved meeting up with his old borders rugby friends and the whole atmosphere of the occasion.
He was ‘Pollokshields born and bred’ as was his proud boast, and lived there most of his days, apart from the first ten years of married life which were spent in Kilmacolm. He married a Dunblane lass, Hazel Young in 1950 and shortly after started a family. They had three sons.
Although his early schooling was at Glasgow Academy, at 13 he attended Strathallan School in Perthshire. He became an extremely good swimmer, a very good ball player and was Captain of Rugby and Captain of Cricket. Immediately on leaving school, he enrolled into the Fleet Air Arm as an observer, quickly developing a talent for navigating. A war posting to Trinidad as a navigating trainer using old Swordfish biplanes or ‘Stringbags’ as they were affectionately called, gave him a fairly easy life in the sun! Later, well before the days of satnav, he was an invaluable navigator on yacht races round the Isle of Man, the Mull of Kintyre, or over to Norway.
After being demobbed, he started his career as a stockbroker. Initially with the firm of Kidston Goff, a few years with Alexander Sloan, and for most part, with Stirling Hendry. There was a Scottish Stock Exchange at that time, and he loved the routine of the trading floor. He knew all the clients, and most importantly they all knew, and respected him. He was of much assistance to those beginning a career in the profession and many were grateful for his guidance and wise council. He was one of the last in Glasgow still to wear a bowler hat into the office, and on leaving the subway going into the office, he would always doff his hat to the driver in gratitude. At 75, Jimmy was still routinely opening the office, when a call was received from the London Stock Exchange asking if he could be encouraged to retire, as there were several brokers of his age in London refusing to retire because Jimmy Smith was still working!
The family house in Pollokshields was an open house to dinner guests from business, social, club or association involvement. This epitomised his open heart to everyone he met. The friends of his three boys were also made welcome and the kitchen was a constant hub of visitors, with a spare place at the table, a bottomless coffee pot on the Raeburn, and a tin of Hazel’s famous flapjacks on the table. A spare room in the house was always available to family and friends visiting or studying in Glasgow. A recent testimony from a Kintyre friend, who stayed with the family whilst studying in Glasgow, said that James’ kindness to him was without compare and that that his generosity remained with him and with his family to this day.
Jimmy gave unstinting service to Sherbrooke-St Gilbert’s Church where he was a much respected elder, and carried out many acts of private kindness which he was able to accomplish “behind the scenes”. These are matters which properly do not come into the open, but Jimmy was indeed a tower of strength, support and advice for those who needed it. He was the church ground convenor for many years, and his constant pride in tending to the neat gravel and lawns made him a local landmark.
He was an enthusiastic freemason for most of his adult life and was Master of his own lodge, the Lodge of Glasgow St John in 1961. In addition, he regularly attended and assisted five other lodges in the Glasgow area, and if any were in doubt as to the correct protocol, Jimmy was the man to ask. Co-existing with his masonic career was his love of the Incorporation of Masons of Glasgow, which he supported unstintingly. For more years than anyone could remember, he closed every meeting and function of the Incorporation with ‘Rapping the Shed’ in his own inimitable style. Jimmy spoke annually at the Incorporation’s ‘Pear Eating’ about the history of the evening, captivating his audience without a note. There too, Jimmy was the fountain of knowledge of their traditions and history. Recently they celebrated at lunch 50 years since he was their Deacon, at which, even in failing health, he responded immaculately with warmth and humility to a toast in his honour.
He developed quite a skill in informal public speaking, mainly through his Trades House and masonic career. At any gathering of family friends, colleagues or societies, you could always rely on him to produce a well crafted toast or a reply, always brief, never pompous, with humour and panache, even at a moment’s notice.
Jimmy and Hazel were very keen Scottish country dancers in the sixties, having joined a Saturday evening class at Glasgow Academy run by teachers and friends. In the eighties, and for the following twenty years, they joined family and friends at New Kilpatrick Church Scottish Country Dance Club in Bearsden hardly missing one weekly class.
His Strathallian days held fond memories for him, and he attended all their dinners, ultimately becoming President of the Strathallian Club. Many of his longstanding friends were of his vintage at Strathallan.
He loved the easy highland laconic style, frequently travelling to Skye or the Western Isles with his masonic friends. He never missed a dinner, an away weekend or a highland ball with The Glasgow Highland Club, enjoying dancing and listening to piping and all the tales of life’s experiences that go with it. He loved meeting former and serving military officers, especially naval, and was devoted to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Club Scotland who met on the SS Carrick for so many years, and latterly in the Western Club and at HMS Dalriada. He was one of their longest serving members and committee man, and attended all their Trafalgar Dinners and reunions. Latterly he was a keen member of the Rotary Club of Govan and his contributions were always well received.
He was rarely a foreign traveller, with family holidays at Easter spent with farmer friends at Portmahomack and in the summer at Tangy Farm in Kintyre. He loved the outdoors, and became a very capable trout fisherman at Tangy Loch. He was also a keen supporter of the Pollokshields Angling Club.
Supporting and ensuring the continued traditions and practices of all the many clubs, societies, incorporations, associations and masonic lodges of which he was an active member meant everything to him.
Jimmy’s presence lit up any gathering. He laughed readily and others laughed with him. He had a vast multitude of friends from many wholly different walks of life, in whose company he was at ease. He was a true gentleman, and we are privileged and honoured to have known him.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel, three sons, Graham, Iain and Gavin, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
He will best be known throughout the Scottish rugby community as Secretary of the Rugby Section of the Glasgow Academical Club for 34 years, a record which is unlikely to be broken. His enthusiasm for the game he loved was undiminished throughout his life, and visiting teams to the rugby fields of New Anniesland were greeted with warmth and courteousness that was his trademark. His post match hospitality of ensuring that all the players received the staple fare of a pie earned him the nickname of Jimmy the Pie, a title of affection that remained with him for the rest of his days. In addition to his work as Rugby Secretary, he was President of the Glasgow Academical Club, Chairman of Cricket, Captain of Cricket, and in that year they won the Rowan Charity cup, and a Governor of The Glasgow Academy. He hardly missed a post war match of the national team at Murrayfield. Win or lose, he loved meeting up with his old borders rugby friends and the whole atmosphere of the occasion.
He was ‘Pollokshields born and bred’ as was his proud boast, and lived there most of his days, apart from the first ten years of married life which were spent in Kilmacolm. He married a Dunblane lass, Hazel Young in 1950 and shortly after started a family. They had three sons.
Although his early schooling was at Glasgow Academy, at 13 he attended Strathallan School in Perthshire. He became an extremely good swimmer, a very good ball player and was Captain of Rugby and Captain of Cricket. Immediately on leaving school, he enrolled into the Fleet Air Arm as an observer, quickly developing a talent for navigating. A war posting to Trinidad as a navigating trainer using old Swordfish biplanes or ‘Stringbags’ as they were affectionately called, gave him a fairly easy life in the sun! Later, well before the days of satnav, he was an invaluable navigator on yacht races round the Isle of Man, the Mull of Kintyre, or over to Norway.
After being demobbed, he started his career as a stockbroker. Initially with the firm of Kidston Goff, a few years with Alexander Sloan, and for most part, with Stirling Hendry. There was a Scottish Stock Exchange at that time, and he loved the routine of the trading floor. He knew all the clients, and most importantly they all knew, and respected him. He was of much assistance to those beginning a career in the profession and many were grateful for his guidance and wise council. He was one of the last in Glasgow still to wear a bowler hat into the office, and on leaving the subway going into the office, he would always doff his hat to the driver in gratitude. At 75, Jimmy was still routinely opening the office, when a call was received from the London Stock Exchange asking if he could be encouraged to retire, as there were several brokers of his age in London refusing to retire because Jimmy Smith was still working!
The family house in Pollokshields was an open house to dinner guests from business, social, club or association involvement. This epitomised his open heart to everyone he met. The friends of his three boys were also made welcome and the kitchen was a constant hub of visitors, with a spare place at the table, a bottomless coffee pot on the Raeburn, and a tin of Hazel’s famous flapjacks on the table. A spare room in the house was always available to family and friends visiting or studying in Glasgow. A recent testimony from a Kintyre friend, who stayed with the family whilst studying in Glasgow, said that James’ kindness to him was without compare and that that his generosity remained with him and with his family to this day.
Jimmy gave unstinting service to Sherbrooke-St Gilbert’s Church where he was a much respected elder, and carried out many acts of private kindness which he was able to accomplish “behind the scenes”. These are matters which properly do not come into the open, but Jimmy was indeed a tower of strength, support and advice for those who needed it. He was the church ground convenor for many years, and his constant pride in tending to the neat gravel and lawns made him a local landmark.
He was an enthusiastic freemason for most of his adult life and was Master of his own lodge, the Lodge of Glasgow St John in 1961. In addition, he regularly attended and assisted five other lodges in the Glasgow area, and if any were in doubt as to the correct protocol, Jimmy was the man to ask. Co-existing with his masonic career was his love of the Incorporation of Masons of Glasgow, which he supported unstintingly. For more years than anyone could remember, he closed every meeting and function of the Incorporation with ‘Rapping the Shed’ in his own inimitable style. Jimmy spoke annually at the Incorporation’s ‘Pear Eating’ about the history of the evening, captivating his audience without a note. There too, Jimmy was the fountain of knowledge of their traditions and history. Recently they celebrated at lunch 50 years since he was their Deacon, at which, even in failing health, he responded immaculately with warmth and humility to a toast in his honour.
He developed quite a skill in informal public speaking, mainly through his Trades House and masonic career. At any gathering of family friends, colleagues or societies, you could always rely on him to produce a well crafted toast or a reply, always brief, never pompous, with humour and panache, even at a moment’s notice.
Jimmy and Hazel were very keen Scottish country dancers in the sixties, having joined a Saturday evening class at Glasgow Academy run by teachers and friends. In the eighties, and for the following twenty years, they joined family and friends at New Kilpatrick Church Scottish Country Dance Club in Bearsden hardly missing one weekly class.
His Strathallian days held fond memories for him, and he attended all their dinners, ultimately becoming President of the Strathallian Club. Many of his longstanding friends were of his vintage at Strathallan.
He loved the easy highland laconic style, frequently travelling to Skye or the Western Isles with his masonic friends. He never missed a dinner, an away weekend or a highland ball with The Glasgow Highland Club, enjoying dancing and listening to piping and all the tales of life’s experiences that go with it. He loved meeting former and serving military officers, especially naval, and was devoted to the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Club Scotland who met on the SS Carrick for so many years, and latterly in the Western Club and at HMS Dalriada. He was one of their longest serving members and committee man, and attended all their Trafalgar Dinners and reunions. Latterly he was a keen member of the Rotary Club of Govan and his contributions were always well received.
He was rarely a foreign traveller, with family holidays at Easter spent with farmer friends at Portmahomack and in the summer at Tangy Farm in Kintyre. He loved the outdoors, and became a very capable trout fisherman at Tangy Loch. He was also a keen supporter of the Pollokshields Angling Club.
Supporting and ensuring the continued traditions and practices of all the many clubs, societies, incorporations, associations and masonic lodges of which he was an active member meant everything to him.
Jimmy’s presence lit up any gathering. He laughed readily and others laughed with him. He had a vast multitude of friends from many wholly different walks of life, in whose company he was at ease. He was a true gentleman, and we are privileged and honoured to have known him.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel, three sons, Graham, Iain and Gavin, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.