Harry M Smith

Food for Thought Harry M Smith

Harry Milson Smith was born in a small coal mining village in Derbyshire, England in 1927. Having lost his father at age five, he was raised by his mother and step father, amongst siblings and step-siblings in humble, some might say impoverished, surroundings. With every penny in demand to keep the home functioning, very little priority was placed on education. Despite having a love for learning and a bright mind and the offer of a scholarship to the local central selective school, Harry was removed from school at age fourteen, and placed in a job delivering milk and subsequently was given a job in the local colliery. He met the love of his life at age nineteen, a sixteen year old local hair dresser named Marion Peach. They courted then wed four years later. Harry and Marion, along with their three daughters, became "ten pound Poms" in 1966 and boarded the Castel Felice bound for Sydney, Australia. Harry's first job after disembarking was delivering bread. He later began some contract cleaning work and so began Smith's Cleaning Service. Harry continued his cleaning business, domestic and commercial, windows and carpet shampooing until age 87. So far, one might think this a fairly unremarkable life. "One" would be wrong. The life Harry led with his family in Australia set him apart in the minds and hearts of his family as an exemplary man. An exemplary husband, father, and grandfather. Harry put pen to paper in 1991 to capture some rambling thoughts and perhaps format them into a book one day. On the eve of Harry's ninetieth birthday Food for Thought has been finally published.