Name

Frederic Smith

Designation
Architect
Born
1836
Place of Birth
Corby Lincs
Location
Manchester
Died
1904

  • Born      1836 Corby, Lincolnshire
  • Died       22 October 1904 “The Limes,” Brackley Road, Monton Eccles.
  • Buried   25 October 1904 Monton Unitarian Church. Frederic Smith is buried close to the west end of Monton Church, with his wife and daughter Elizabeth

A native of Corby in Lincolnshire, Frederic Smith obtained most of his education at a dame’s school and foundation school. Having reconsidered his plan to run away to sea he obtained employment in the construction work of the Great Northern Railway, on the line between Grantham and Stamford at the age of thirteen. Two years later he commenced his apprenticeship as a joiner at Thurlby. During the next seven years he learned much more than the use of joiner's tools which knowledge later enabled him to begin business as an architect and surveyor. He next worked in Nottingham and Boston before moving to Manchester at the age of twenty-three in 1859 where he found employment at Sharp, Stewart and Company's Atlas Works, and afterwards under the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company. By 1871 he was working as a manager to the Union Land & Building Society Limited

For many years he was an indefatigable worker in co-operative, temperance and educational movements. His interest in educational matters caused him to remain associated with the Mechanics Institution long after he had ceased to attend the classes. He was elected to a seat on the Council of the school when it became a Technical School and was a member of the Executive Committee until the institution was taken over by the City Council.

Frederic Smith commenced independent practice as an architect and surveyor about 1883 designing many buildings for the Eccles, Pendleton and other co-operative societies throughout the country. He was later in partnership with A R Walsingham

In 1889 Frederic Smith had moved to a substantial house in Monton, Eccles. On the formation of Eccles Town Council in 1892, he was elected councillor for Winton Ward and he continued to represent the ward until his appointment in 1902 as alderman for Irwell Ward. he was appointed in 1895 one of the first members of the Eccles Borough Bench. He twice sat as mayor of the borough, and as a strong temperance advocate, he was the first to break the customary rule of giving a mayoral banquet. He took great interest in the electricity, tramway and sewerage departments. He was one of the promoters of the Eccles Allotment Society and remained its president up to the time of his death. In politics he was a liberal.

Frederic Smith, died at his residence, The Limes, Monton, on Saturday 22 October 1904. Soon after the death of a daughter in 1901, he had suffered a paralytic stroke, from which he never fully recovered. He was buried in the churchyard of Monton Unitarian Church, close to the west door on 25 October 1904.

Address
1883-1893 : Frederic Smith, architect and surveyor.  Bridgewater Chambers, 6, Brown Street
1897-1899 : Frederic Smith, architect and surveyor.  29, Bridgewater Chambers, 62, Market Street
1901-1904 : Smith Walsingham & Smith, architects and surveyors. 62, Market Street

Residence
1873 : Frederic Smith joiner 1 Gainsborough Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock
1881 : Frederic Smith. Manager to the Union Land & Building Society Limited 1, Gainsborough Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock
1883-1889 : Frederic Smith, architect and surveyor.  1, Gainsborough Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock
1890-1901 : Frederic Smith, architect and surveyor.  "Fairholme" Brackley Road, Monton
1904 : Frederic Smith, architect and surveyor.  "The Limes" Brackley Road, Monton

Buildings and Designs

Building Name District Town/City County Country
Cottages & Shops Wellington Street Gorton Gorton  Manchester  GMCA  England
Bakery & Storeroom, Long Eaton   Long Eaton  Derbyshire  England
Baptist Schools, Birch Street, West Gorton Werst Gorton  Manchester  GMCA  England
Chemical Works for Thomas Hyland & Company Beswick  Manchester  GMCA  England
Pendleton Co-operative Society Offices 19-21 Broughton Road, Pendleton Pendleton  Salford  GMCA  England
Co-operative Central Stores Silver Street/Free School Lane Lincoln: Extensions   Lincoln  Lincolnshire  England
Gorton Branch Stores: Alterations Gorton  Manchester  GMCA  England
Clayton Branch Stores: Alterations Clayton  Manchester  GMCA  England
Branch Stores and Four Cottages Rainsough Brow Prestwich Rainsough  Prestwich  GMCA  England
Villa Residence Monton Green Eccles Monton  Eccles  GMCA  England
New Porch Vestry and Organ Loft Unitarian Free Church Jane Lane Swinton Swinton  Salford  GMCA  England
New Stabling Shed and additional Lairs. Abattoir, Cheltenham Street, Pendleton Pendleton  Salford  GMCA  England
Two Shops and Ware-rooms Edgod Street, Pendleton Pendleton  Salford  GMCA  England
New Engineering Workshop Green Lane, Old Garratt Chorlton-on-Medlock  Manchester  GMCA  England
New Creamery etc. Fallowfield Manchester Fallowfield  Manchester  GMCA  England
New Warehouse and Shed, Chemical Works, Park Road, Beswick, Manchester Beswick  Manchester  GMCA  England
Bakery and Warehouse Ilkeston for Co-operative Society   Ilkeston  Derbyshire  England
Pair of semi-detached villas. Manchester Road Bury   Bury  GMCA  England
Warehouse. Broughton Lane, Sheffield Carbrook  Sheffield  Yorkshire  England
Branch Stores, Ellor Street, Pendleton Pendleton  Salford  GMCA  England
Extensions and alterations of central premises; Little Hulton, (near Bolton). Little Hulton  Salford  GMCA  England
Abattoirs, Cheltenham Street, Pendleton Pendleton  Salford  GMCA  England

Partnerships

Name Designation Formed Dissolved Location
Smith Walsingham and Smith Architectural practice 1900 1904 Manchester