Reginald Smith (1855-1925)

Reginald Smith (1855-1925) was actually born Sydney Reginald Smith but after about the early 1880s he seemed to drop the Sydney in favour of Reginald. He was the son of a Minister and was born in the third quarter of 1854 in Batheaston, Somerset, a small village some 2 miles from Bath. He married a Florence Marianne Smith (1855-1931) in Bath in 1880 and they had two children Olive and Allan. In the Census of 1881 they were living at 3 Oakfield Villas, Clifton, Bristol. By 1891, their residence was 47 Oakfield Road, Clifton and in 1901, they moved to 54 Pembroke Road, Clifton where they were to remain for at least 20 years, if not until their deaths. He must have been making a reasonable living as they always had one or two servants from the time of their marriage. Reginald died in Bristol in 1925 and Florence in 1931. Reginald Smith exhibited 12 paintings at the Royal Academy, but mostly exhibited locally at The Royal Cambrian Academy and the Royal West of England Academy. Throughout the 1890s and possibly longer Frost and Reed had exhibitions of his paintings at their Galleries at 47 Queen's Road Bristol and, indeed, both of these paintings bear their label. He was created a Member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1895 and was also a Member of the Royal West of England Academy and an Associate Member of the Royal Cambrian Academy. He painted in both oils and watercolours and principally marine and coastal views.