South Yorkshire Times, April 21st 1939.
There were three of us. Mr and Mrs A. J. Lineham Smith and I.
We went into the fascinating subject of Wath 70, 60, 50 years ago. Mr Lineham Smith did most of the talking, for he is the undoubted authority in the town’s history, its development, its lore, its great characters, it’s everything. For there are not many things he has not done during his 74 years in the town. Among other things, he had the good luck to marry Mrs. Lineham Smith. That was 50 years ago tomorrow (Saturday). That was why we were talking there in the charming sitting-room of “the cottage” Carr Road.
Easter wedding.
They were married at Wath Parish Church on Easter Monday, 1889, by the Rev. R. C. Atkinson, seniors curate under the Rev. Henry Partington, the vicar. The bridegroom, Alfred James Lineham Smith, was the eldest son of Mr Joseph Smith, manager of the Leicester dispensary, and grandson of Mr Elijah Lineham, estate agent, rent, rates, and income tax collector, and many other things- in short, one of the men who helped to make the Wath of our own time. The bride was Miss Edith Cusworth, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Charles Cusworth, who kept the corn Mill at West Melton. Both had musical interests. Mr Smith was a member of the parish church choir from boyhood, and when Mr J. M. Coates succeeded Mr Joseph Butcher as organist, the young choir is became deputy organist. Mr Lineham Smith has also composed and had published a good deal of religious music, and has composed music and lyrics of Waltzes and wartime songs. Mrs. Smith, who was in the teaching staff of the Brampton endowed School (now the Brampton Ellis School), was in the choir of the West Melton Congregational church.
At this time Wath was still a village. From the Hollies club to Manvers there were no houses except those in the neighbourhood of the “Cross Keys.” No buses. No cinemas. But still plenty of social life. He was not then a question of switching a knob and getting Luxembourg. It was a question of playing the piano, the Cornet, the trombone yourself or getting somebody to do it for you. And for those who did not play or those who preferred to hear a sound musician do it Mr Lineham Smith was the answer. The village had hundreds of little concerts in those Victorian days. Mr Lineham Smith had two male voice choirs, and orchestra, band concerts, accompanied at concerts, played the organ – was, In fact, the beginning and the end of the social round in the district.
Organist at St Joseph’s.
About 1885 he was made organist at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church which had recently been built. Schools had also just been completed. When he had to be raised. Mr Lineham Smith spent immense time and talent organising concerts, persuading famous artists to help, accompanying, thinking, selling tickets, rehearsing and conducting orchestras. In this way he raised at least £500 for the school.
The mechanics Institute was another of his interests. He ran a long series of concerts in its interests (he found time to be its librarian as well), and he also arranged many smoking concert for the unemployed and the injured. There was no unemployment pay of course. No national health insurance. Just club money. And the money raised at the smokers, conversaziones, soirees and whatnot went to the needy.
Know who brought the first cinema show to the town? Mr Lineham Smith. It was about 1900, and some of the old hands may remember seeing them in the pavilion about this time Mr Lineham Smith knew everyone in the place the population in 1872 was 2023; in 1881, 3500; in 1890, 7048; and at the present time it is estimated at nearly 16,000.
Many tributes.
Among the many tributes paid to him was the presentation of a gold watch in 1906 by Sir Alfred Denville on behalf of parishioners to markets completing 21 years as organist at St. Josephs, and when he retired after 38 years service he was given a canteen of cutlery. From his youth he has been associated with most of the town sporting organisations. Before the Wath athletic club existed he played for Wath at cricket and football in friendly matches, and he was present at the opening of Wath athletic club. In the first match Yorkshire played Wath and district, and Wilfred Rhodes made his first county appearance.
Wath cycling club was formed in 1877 (Penny five ins, of course), and Mr. Lineham Smith was the captain. He wrote long distances and on one trip reached Folkestone. From there he went to the continent and had the distinction of being fast in the Eiffel Tower lift, with a wonderful view of the city, for more than 2 1/2. Meanwhile Preece went through the last offices.
He was one of the leading members of the Wath belt club who had two crews – Oxford and Cambridge – and traces were conducted on the local reaches of the canal. Mr Lineham Smith was first cox and then stroke. The races were road for a supper of beasts heart and plum pudding at the “Saracen’s Head”
Rifle shooting club.
When the Wath miniature rifle club was formed he became one of the principal members and on one occasion when the “Donegal” badge for the best shot of the year the club was disbanded at the beginning of the war when the members joined Sir John Bingham’s home defence league and later joined the special constables. Mr Lynam Smith is now the special constable with the longest service and is a section leader.
The Wath athletic club was opened in April, 1899 and he became a member and now he is a patron and has sat for many years on the finance committee. When he reported the early cricket matches for newspapers he used to send his messages by carrier pigeon.
Another interest of Mr Smith has been cage birds and he is a great lover of budgerigars of which he has many good specimens. He is the president of the Wath and West Melton Cage Bird society.
By profession Mr Lineham Smith is a lawyer’s click and on April 5th he will complete 50 years in the service of the Wath firm of Nicholson and Co. when he joined the firm it was styled Nicholson, Saunders, Nicholson and reader, and he was worked under seven principles. He has taken part in every population census since 1881 and has been a presiding officer at every Urban county council, and parliamentary election during the same period.