Family background
George Henry Smith was born on 27 March 1889, possibly the son of Peter and Margaret Smith of Newtown. In 1915 at Annandale he married Ada Florence (born 1888 at Redfern), the daughter of Edward and Ada Lord. She had previously married Peter Smith, presumably George’s relative, at Newtown in 1905. George Henry Smith lived at 109 Denison Street, Newtown. He died on 12 May 1961.
Occupation & interests
George Henry Smith was elected a member of the Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board from 1955 to his death in 1961 during which time he was involved in the construction of Warragamba Dam.
Local government service
In December 1941 George Smith stood for Kingston Ward in the Newtown elections and missed being elected by three votes. He was more successful in a poll on 2 December 1944, when he was elected as an alderman for Kingston Ward. Smith was elected as the mayor of Newtown on 4 December 1945 when his name was drawn from a hat after tying with Alderman Bugler; he served as mayor in 1946. As the mayor during the investigation into the murder of Joan Ginn in the St Stephens Cemetery, Smith lobbied strongly to have the cemetery to be converted into a park. He served on the council until 1948.
Smith was elected Alderman for Camperdown on Sydney City Council from 1 May 1953 to 4 December 1953. He was a member of the Works Committee and the Health and Recreations Committee in 1953.
References
City of Sydney Archives: Aldermen’s Files including family history
‘Draw from hat elects mayor’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 December 1945, p. 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17961736
‘Labor of love: or pay?’, The Sun, 20 October 1953, p. 11, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230747397