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Smith
Family name
A close-up of a blacksmith at work. Smith became a popular last name for those with this occupation.
Pronunciation	/ˈsmɪθ/
Meaning	derived from smitan meaning to smite or strike
Region of origin	England
Related names	numerous
Footnotes: [1][2]

Smith is an English family name (surname)^[3] originating in England. It is the most prevalent surname in the United Kingdom,^[1] Australia and the United States,^[4] the second most common surname in Canada, and the fifth most common surname in Ireland. The surname Smith is particularly prevalent among those of English and Irish descent,^[5] but is also a common surname among African Americans, which can be attributed to black slaves adopting the name during the era of slavery and after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation.^[6] 2,376,206 Americans shared the surname Smith during the 2000 census,^[7] and more than 500,000 people share it in the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]} At the turn of the 20th century, the surname was sufficiently prevalent in England to have prompted the statement: "Common to every village in England, north, south, east and west";^[8] and sufficiently common on the (European) continent (in various forms) to be "...common in most countries of Europe."^[9]

Etymology and history[link]

The name originally derives from smið or smiþ, the Old English term meaning one who works in metal related to the word smitan, the Old English form of smite, which also meant strike (as in early 17th century Biblical English: the verb "to smite" = to hit). The Old English word smiþ comes from the Proto-Germanic word smiþaz. Smithy comes from the Old English word smiððe from the Proto-Germanic smiðjon. The use of Smith as an occupational surname dates back to Anglo-Saxon times, when inherited surnames were still unknown: Ecceard Smith of County Durham, North East England, was recorded in 975.^[10] Another possible source is that "smite" referred to the occupation of being a warrior^{[citation needed]}.

Although the name is derived from a common occupation, many later Smiths had no connection to that occupation, but adopted or were given the surname precisely because of its commonness. For example:

• It is not uncommon for people in English-speaking countries to adopt the surname Smith in order to maintain a secret identity, when they wish to avoid being found. Smith is an extremely common name among English Gypsies; see also John Smith.^{[citation needed]}
• During the colonization of North America, some Native Americans took the name for use in dealing with colonists.^{[citation needed]}
• During the period of slavery in the United States, many other slaves were known by the surname of their masters, or adopted those surnames upon their emancipation.
• During the World Wars, many German Americans Anglicised the common and equivalent German surname Schmidt to Smith to avoid discrimination.^{[citation needed]}

Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island; some chose more "American" surnames, like "Smith", on arrival.

A popular misconception holds that at the beginning of the 20th century, when many new immigrants were entering the U.S., civil servants at Ellis Island responsible for cataloging the entry of such persons sometimes arbitrarily assigned new surnames if the immigrants' original surname was particularly lengthy, or difficult for the processor to spell or pronounce.^{[citation needed]} While such claims are likely vastly exaggerated,^[11] many immigrants did choose to begin their American lives with more "American" names, particularly with Anglicized versions of their birth names; the German Schmidt was often Anglicized to Smith not only during the World Wars, but also commonly in times of peace, and the equivalent Polish Kowalski was Anglicized to Smith as well.

Variations[link]

Variations of the surname Smith also remain very common. These include different spellings of the English term, and versions in other languages.

English variations[link]

There is some disagreement about the origins of the numerous variations of the name Smith. The addition of an "e" at the end of the name is sometimes considered an affectation, but may have arisen either as an attempt to spell "smithy" or as the Middle English adjectival form of "smith",^[12] which would have been used in surnames based on location rather than occupation (in other words, for someone living near or at the smithy).^[13] Likewise, the replacement of the "i" with a "y" in "Smyth" or "Smythe" is also often considered an affectation but may have originally occurred because of the difficulty of reading blackletter text, where "Smith" might look like "Snuth" or "Simth".^[12] Some variants (such as Smijth) were adopted by individuals for personal reasons, while others may have arisen independently or as offshoots from the 'Smith' root. Names such as Smither and Smithers may in some cases be variants of 'Smith' but in others independent surnames based on a meaning of 'light and active' attributed to smyther.^[13] Additional derivatives include Smithman, Smithson and Smithfield (see below).^[13] Athersmith may derive from 'at the Smith'^[14].

Other variations focus on specialisms within the profession; for example Blacksmith, from those who worked predominantly with iron, Whitesmith, from those who worked with tin (and the more obvious Tinsmith), Brownsmith and Redsmith, from those who worked with copper (Coppersmith and Greensmith (colour when oxidised)), Silversmith and Goldsmith – and those based on the goods produced, such as Hammersmith, Bladesmith, Naismith (nail-smith), Arrowsmith which in turn was shortened to Arsmith,^[15] or Shoesmith (referring to horseshoes).^[13] Sixsmith has nothing to do with six smiths but it is variant spelling of a sickle or scythe smith.^[16] Wildsmith in turn is a corruption of wheelsmith^[17]

The patronymic practice of attaching "son" to the end of a name to indicate that the bearer is the child of the original holder has also led to the surnames Smithson and Smisson.

Other languages[link]

Other languages with different words for the occupation of smith also produced surnames based on that derivation.

Germanic languages[link]

• Schmid, Schmidt, Schmitt, Schmitz, Schmied (German)^[9]
• Schmieder (Yiddish)
• De Smid, De Smedt, Desmedt, De Smet, Smeets, Smets (Southern Dutch)
• Smit, Smid, Smidt, Smed, De Smet (Northern Dutch)

Roman languages[link]

Words derived from the Latin term for smith (literally "one who works with iron"), such as the Italian words fabbro and ferraio, are the root of last names common in several parts of Europe.^{[citation needed]}

• Italian: Fabbri, Fabbro, Fabris, Ferraro, Ferrari
• French: Lefebvre Lefèvre, Lefeuvre, Lefébure, Favre, Faber, Faure, Favret, Favrette or Dufaure
• Spanish: Herrera, Herrero, Ferrero
• Romanian: Feraru, Fieraru
• Portuguese: Ferreiro, Ferreira
• Catalan: Ferrer, Ferré, Farré, Fabre, Fabra
• Latin: Faber

Celtic languages[link]

In Ireland and Scotland, the word for smith, gobha, is found in the surname MacGowan/McGowan. This surname is an Anglicised form of Mac Gobhann (Scottish Gaelic), Mac Gabhann (Irish), meaning "son of the smith".^[18] In England the surname Goff, which is common in East Anglia, is derived from the Breton and Cornish goff a cognate of the Gaelic gobha. This particular surname was brought to England by Bretons, following the Norman Conquest of England.^[19]

Slavic and nearby languages[link]

The Slavic, Romanian and Hungarian languages contain a family of surnames that similarly derive from a common root referring to the metalworking occupation.

• Serbian: Kovač, Kovačević, Kovačić, Kovačev
• Russian: Kovalёv (Ковалёв), Kuznetsov (Кузнецов)
• Bulgarian: Kovachev (Ковачев)
• Czech: Kovář
• Slovak: Kováč and derived Kováčik, Kovačovič
• Polish: Kowal and its place name derivative Kowalski, and patronymics Kowalik, Kowalczyk and Kowalewski
• Languages of the former Yugoslavia: Kovač and its patronymics Kovačić, Kovačič and Kovačević
• Hungarian: Kovacs or Kovács (a Hungarian spelling of Slovak Kováč).
• Ukrainian: Kovalenko (Коваленко), Kovalchuk (Ковальчук), Koval (Коваль)

Other[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

• Irish equivalent: Macgouran
• Arabic: Haddad
• Estonian: Sepp
• Finnish: Seppä, Seppälä
• Georgian: Mchedlidze, Mchedlishvili (მჭედლიძე, მჭედლიშვილი)
• Greek: Siderás (Σιδεράς), Sidéris (Σιδέρης)
• Latvian: Kalejs
• Lingala: Motuli
• Punjabi: Lohar
• Syriac: Hadodo, Hadad, Haddad^[9]
• Turkish: Demirci
• Balinese: Pande

Comparative note[link]

Although Smith is the most prevalent surname in the English-speaking world, it is held by fewer than five million people worldwide. Its popularity is dwarfed by the world's most common surname Li, which is held by over one hundred and eight million people. Indeed, each of the twenty most common last names in China represents more people than all of the world's Smiths.^{[citation needed]}

Smith was the most prevalent surname in Canada until 2006, when it was overtaken by Li.^[20]

Notable people sharing the surname "Smith"[link]

See also[link]

• Smith (taxonomic authority)
• Smith and Jones (disambiguation)
• Smithson (son of Smith)
• Mayor Smith (disambiguation)
• General Smith (disambiguation)
• Governor Smith (disambiguation)
• President Smith (disambiguation)
• Judge Smith (disambiguation)
• Psmith

Notes[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Smith (surname)

• Smith SurnameDNA Project
• Origin and history of the name of Smith, with biographies of all the most noted persons of that name, Chicago, Ill., American Publishers' Association, 1902. via Internet Archive
• Smith (surname) in the world
• Surname Database: Smith

This page or section lists people with the surname Smith. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Look up Smyth, smith, or Smith in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Smith may refer to:

Occupations[link]

• Blacksmith
• Goldsmith
• Metalsmith
• Silversmith
• Whitesmith

Persons[link]

• Smith (surname)
  • List of people with surname Smith
• Smiths (disambiguation)

Places[link]

• Smith, California, United States
• Smith, Indiana, United States
• Fort Smith (disambiguation)
• Mount Smith
• Smith Center (disambiguation)
• Smith County (disambiguation)
• Smith Island (disambiguation)
• Smith Mills, Massachusetts
• Smith River (disambiguation)
• Smith Tower
• Smith Township (disambiguation)
• Smith Valley
• Smith Village, Oklahoma
• Smith Volcano
• Smith, a settlement in Carlos Casares Partido, Argentina

Science and technology[link]

• Smith antigen
• Smith Chart, a diagram used in engineering

Astronomy

• Smith (lunar crater)
• Smith, a List of craters on Mars#SMartian crater

Organizations[link]

• Smith Automobile Company
• Smith College
• Smith Electric Vehicles
• Smith International, a gas and oil industry services company
• Smith's Food and Drug, an American grocery chain
• The Smith's Snackfood Company
• W H Smith, a British retailer
• The Smith Family (charity), an Australian charity for disadvantaged children

Media and entertainment[link]

• Smith (band)
• Smith (TV series)
• Agent Smith, the main antagonist of the Matrix series
• John "Hannibal" Smith, a character in the A-Team series
• Psmith, a P. G. Wodehouse character
• Smith, a 1932 novel by Warwick Deeping
• Smith, a 1967 novel by Leon Garfield

Other[link]

• Smith grind, a skateboarding trick
• Smith machine, a piece of weight training equipment
• Smith and Weller Building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Henry County, Iowa

See also[link]

• Smith Family (disambiguation)
• Smithfield (disambiguation)
• Smithland (disambiguation)
• Smithville (disambiguation)
• Smithers

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith
Kingsford Smith in his flying gear
Full name	Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith
Born	(1897-02-09)9 February 1897 Hamilton, Brisbane, Queensland
Died	8 November 1935(1935-11-08) (aged 38) Sea off Burma
Cause of death	Crashed in the sea off Burma
Nationality	British subject[1][2] Australian
Aviation career
Known for	First non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland Trans-Pacific flight England to Australia air race
Air force	Australian Flying Corps Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force
Battles	World War I Gallipoli Campaign Western Front
Rank	Captain (substantive) Air Commodore (honorary)
Awards	Knight Bachelor Military Cross Air Force Cross

Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC (9 February 1897 – 8 November 1935), often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia. He also made the first non-stop crossing of the Australian mainland, the first flights between Australia and New Zealand, and the first eastward Pacific crossing from Australia to the United States. He also made a flight from Australia to London, setting a new record of 10.5 days.

Early life[link]

Charles Edward Kingsford Smith was born on 9 February 1897 in Hamilton (a suburb of Brisbane), Queensland, Australia, and was the youngest of seven children of William Charles Smith (1852–1930), a bank manager, and Catherine Mary Kingsford (1857–1938),^[3] daughter of Richard Ash Kingsford, a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. Like his siblings, Charles's birth was registered with the surname Smith. However, his parents found having such a common name as Smith too confusing and so adopted the use of "Kingsford Smith" as the family surname.^[4]

From 1903 to 1907, he and his family lived in Vancouver, Canada.

Upon returning to Australia, he attended St Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney, where he was a treble chorister in the cathedral choir. He then studied electrical engineering at Sydney Technical College (now known as Sydney Technical High School).

On 2 January 1907 young Charles Kingsford Smith was rescued from certain drowning at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach by bathers who, just seven weeks later, were responsible for founding the world's first official surf life saving group at Bondi Beach on 21 February 1907, at a meeting held at the Royal Hotel Bondi Beach.^[5]

Kingsford Smith was twice married, first to Thelma Eileen Corboy (1901–1990) on 6 June 1923 at the Marble Bar Registrar's Office in Western Australia. They divorced in 1928. His second marriage was to Mary Powell (1910–1997) on 10 December 1930 at Scots' Church, Melbourne. They had one son, Charles Arthur Kingsford Smith, who was born on 22 December 1932. ^[6] The family resided at Darling Point in Sydney.

World War I and early flying experience[link]

At 16, Kingsford Smith became an engineering apprentice with the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. In 1915, he enlisted for duty in the 1st AIF (Australian Army) and served at Gallipoli. Initially, he performed duty as a motorcycle despatch rider, before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, earning his pilot's wings in 1917.

In August 1917, while serving with No. 23 Squadron,^[7] Kingsford Smith was shot down and received injuries which required amputation of a large part of his left foot. He was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry in battle. As his recovery was predicted to be lengthy, Kingsford Smith was permitted to take leave in Australia where he visited his parents. Returning to England, Kingsford Smith was assigned to instructor duties and promoted to Captain.

On 1 April 1918, along with other members of the Royal Flying Corps, Kingsford Smith was transferred to the newly established Royal Air Force. On being demobilised in England, in early 1919, he joined Tasmanian Cyril Maddocks, to form Kingsford Smith, Maddocks Aeros Ltd., flying a joy-riding service mainly in the North of England, during the summer of 1919, initially using surplus DH.6 trainers, then surplus B.E.2s.^[8] Later Kingsford Smith worked as a barnstormer in the United States before returning to Australia in 1921.^[9] He did the same in Australia and also flew airmail services, and began to plan his record-breaking flight across the Pacific.^[10] Applying for a commercial pilot's licence on 2 June 1921 (in which he gave his name as 'Charles Edward Kingsford-Smith'),^[11] he became one of Australia's first airline pilots when he was chosen by Norman Brearley to fly for the newly formed West Australian Airways.

During the First World War, Ken Richards had been the observer in Kingsford Smith's plane in France. Later Richards moved to Cowra, New South Wales. Kingsford Smith owned an old Avro plane and in 1922 flew to Cowra to see his old comrade. Kingsford Smith and Richards flew under the Cowra traffic bridge. They also attempted to fly under the nearby railway bridge, but Richards fortunately noticed the telephone lines and pulled the aircraft away only seconds from certain death.^[12]

1928 Trans-Pacific flight[link]

The Southern Cross at an RAAF base near Canberra in 1943.

A photograph commemorating the first trans-Pacific flight.

In 1928 Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm arrived in the United States and began to search for an aircraft. Famed Australian polar explorer Sir Hubert Wilkins sold them a Fokker F.VII/3m monoplane, which they named the Southern Cross.^[13]

At 8:54am on 31 May 1928,^[13] Kingsford Smith and his 3-man crew left Oakland, California, to attempt the first trans-Pacific flight to Australia. The flight was in three stages. The first, from Oakland to Wheeler Army Airfield,^[14] Hawaii was 3,870 kilometres (2,400 mi), taking an uneventful 27 hours 25 minutes. They took off from Barking Sands on Mana, Kauai, since the runway at Wheeler was not long enough. The headed for Suva, Fiji, 5,077 kilometres (3,155 mi) away, taking 34 hours 30 minutes. This was the most demanding portion of the journey, as they flew through a massive lightning storm near the equator. The third leg was the shortest, 2,709 kilometres (1,683 mi) in 20 hours, and crossed the Australian coastline near Ballina^[15][16][17] before turning north to fly 170 kilometres (110 mi) to Brisbane, where they landed at 10.50am on 9 June. The total flight distance was approximately 11,566 kilometres (7,187 mi). Kingsford Smith was met by a huge crowd of 26,000 at Eagle Farm Airport, and was welcomed as a hero.^[18][19][20] Australian aviator Charles Ulm was the relief pilot, and the other crewmen were Americans James Warner, the radio operator, and Captain Harry Lyon, the navigator and engineer).

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia has a film biography of Kingsford Smith, called An Airman Remembers,^[21] and recordings of Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm talking about the journey.^[22]

A young aspiring New Zealander named Jean Batten attended a dinner in Australia featuring Kingsford Smith after the trans-Pacific flight and told him "I'm going to learn to fly." She later convinced him to take her for a ride in the Southern Cross and went on to become a record-setting aviatrix, following his example instead of his advice ("Don't attempt to break men's records – and don't fly at night", he told her in 1928 and remembered wryly later).^[23]

1928 Trans-Tasman flight[link]

After making the first non-stop flight across Australia from Point Cook near Melbourne to Perth, in Western Australia in August 1928, Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm registered themselves as Australian National Airways (see below). They then decided to attempt the Tasman crossing to New Zealand not only because it had never yet been done, but also in the hope the Australian Government would grant Australian National Airways a subsidised contract to carry scheduled mail on a regular basis.^[24] The Tasman remained unflown after the failure of the first attempt in January 1928, when New Zealanders John Moncrieff and George Hood vanished without trace.

Kingsford Smith's flight was planned for takeoff from Richmond, near Sydney, on 2 September, with a landing around 9:00 a.m. on 3 September at Wigram Aerodrome, near Christchurch, the principal city in the South Island of New Zealand. This plan drew a storm of protest from New Zealand churchmen about ‘setting the sanctity of the Sabbath at nought’. The mayor of Christchurch supported the churchmen and cabled a protest to Kingsford Smith. As it happened, unfavourable weather developed over the Tasman and the flight was deferred, so it is not known if or how Kingsford Smith would have heeded the cable.^[24]

Accompanied by Charles Ulm, navigator Harold Arthur Litchfield, and radio operator Thomas H. McWilliams, a New Zealander made available by the New Zealand Government, Kingsford Smith left Richmond in the evening of 10 September, planning to fly overnight to a daylight landing after a flight of about 14 hours. The 1,600 mile / 2,600 km planned route was only just over half the distance between Hawaii and Fiji. After a stormy flight, at times through icing conditions, the Southern Cross made landfall in much improved weather near Cook Strait, the passage between New Zealand's two main islands. At an estimated 150 miles out from New Zealand the crew had dropped a wreath in memory of the two New Zealanders who had disappeared during their attempt to cross the Tasman earlier that year.^[25]

There was a tremendous welcome in Christchurch, where the Southern Cross landed at 0922 after a flight of 14 hours and 25 minutes. About 30,000 people made their way to Wigram, including many students from state schools, who were given the day off, and public servants, who were granted leave until 11 a.m.^[25] The event was also broadcast live on radio.^[26]

While the New Zealand Air Force overhauled the Southern Cross free of charge Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm were taken on a triumphant tour of New Zealand, flying in Bristol Fighters.^[24] The return to Sydney was made from Blenheim, a small city at the north of the South Island. Hampered by fog, severe weather and a minor navigational error, the flight to Richmond took over 23 hours; on touchdown the aircraft had only enough fuel for another 10 minutes flying.^[24]

Australian National Airways[link]

'Coffee Royal' incident[link]

On 31 March 1929, en route from Sydney to England, the Southern Cross with Kingsford Smith at the helm made an emergency landing on a mudflat near the mouth of the Glenelg River, in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia. The Southern Cross was found and rescued after a fortnight's searching, with George Innes Beard, Albert Barunga and Wally from Kunmunya Mission the first overland party to reach the downed aircraft.^[27]

Two men (both old friends of Kingsford Smith) — Keith Vincent Anderson and Henry Smith 'Bobby' Hitchcock, in their Westland Widgeon plane named Kookaburra — crash landed in the Tanami Desert in Central Australia and died of thirst and exposure on 12 April 1929 while on their way to help with the search. Despite Kingsford Smith being exonerated by an official enquiry, many sections of the media and public felt that the forced landing, dubbed the 'Coffee Royal' incident after the brew of coffee and brandy which the crew had drunk while awaiting rescue, had been a publicity stunt and that Kingsford Smith was responsible for the deaths. His reputation within Australia never fully recovered during his lifetime.^[28]

The bodies of Anderson and Hitchcock were later recovered from the Tanami Desert. Hitchcock's body was returned to Perth for burial at Karrakatta Cemetery, while Anderson's body was returned to Sydney. Over 6000 mourners attended Keith Anderson's funeral. It was an elaborate affair befitting a national hero. Anderson was buried at Rawson Park, Mosman on 6 July 1929. A grand memorial was later erected at the gravesite in his honour. ^[29]

Later flights[link]

Postage stamp, Australia, 1931.

Collecting his 'old bus', Southern Cross, from the Fokker Aircraft Company in Holland where it had been overhauled, in June 1930 he achieved an east-west crossing of the Atlantic from Ireland to Newfoundland in 31½ hours having taken off from Portmarnock Beach (The Velvet Strand), just north of Dublin. New York gave him a tumultuous welcome. In 1930 he competed in an England to Australia air race, and, flying solo, won the event taking 13 days. He arrived in Sydney on 22 October 1930. ^[30]

In 1931 he purchased an Avro Avian he named the Southern Cross Minor, to attempt an Australia to England flight. He later sold the aircraft to Captain W.N. "Bill" Lancaster who vanished on 11 April 1933 over the Sahara Desert; Lancaster's remains were not found until 1962. The wreck of the Southern Cross Minor is now in the Queensland Museum.^[31] Also in 1931, Smith began developing the Southern Cross automobile as a side project.

In 1933 Seven Mile Beach, New South Wales was used by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith as the runway for the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand.

In 1934, he purchased a Lockheed Altair, the Lady Southern Cross, with the intention of competing in the MacRobertson Air Race. He was unable to make it to England in time for the start of the race, and so flew the Lady Southern Cross from Australia to the United States instead; the first eastward crossing of the Pacific Ocean by aircraft.

Disappearance and death[link]

Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and co-pilot Tommy Pethybridge were flying the Lady Southern Cross overnight from Allahabad, India, to Singapore, as part of their attempt to break the England-Australia speed record held by C. W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black, when they disappeared over the Andaman Sea in the early hours of 8 November 1935. Their bodies were never recovered.

Eighteen months later, Burmese fishermen found an undercarriage leg and wheel (with its tyre still inflated) which had been washed ashore at Aye Island in the Gulf of Martaban, 3 km (2 mi) off the southeast coastline of Burma, some 137 km (85 mi) south of Mottama (formerly known as Martaban). Lockheed confirmed the undercarriage leg to be from the Lady Southern Cross.^[32] Botanists who examined the weeds clinging to the undercarriage leg estimated that the aircraft itself lies not far from the island at a depth of approximately 15 fathoms (90 ft; 27 m).^[33] The undercarriage leg is now on public display at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.^[34]

In 2009 a Sydney film crew claimed they were certain they had found the Lady Southern Cross.^[35] The location of the claimed find was widely mis-reported as "in the Bay of Bengal" – the 2009 search was at the same location where the landing gear had been found in 1937, at Aye Island, in the Andaman Sea.^[36]

Kingsford Smith was survived by his wife, Mary Kingsford Smith and their three year old son Charles Jnr. His autobiography, My Flying Life, was published posthumously in 1937 and became a best seller. ^[37]

Honours and Legacy[link]

Charles Kingsford Smith was honoured in the 1932 King's Birthday Honours List and was awarded the rank of Knight Bachelor. He was knighted on 3 June 1932 by the Australian Governor-General Sir Isaac Isaacs for services to aviation and later was appointed honorary Air Commodore of the Royal Australian Air Force. ^[38]

Kingsford Smith International Airport

The Kingsford Smith Memorial, Brisbane, housing the Southern Cross

The major airport of Sydney, located in the suburb of Mascot was named Kingsford Smith International Airport in his honour. The federal electorate surrounding the airport is named the Division of Kingsford Smith, and includes the suburb of Kingsford.

His most famous aircraft, the Southern Cross, is now preserved and displayed in a purpose-built memorial to Sir Charles Kingsford Smith near the International Terminal at Brisbane Airport. Kingsford Smith sold the plane to the Australian Government in 1935 for £3000 so it could be put on permanent display for the public. The plane was carefully stored for many years before the current memorial was built.

Kingsford Smith Drive in Brisbane passes through the suburb of his birth, Hamilton. Another Kingsford Smith Drive, which is located in the Canberra district of Belconnen, intersects with Southern Cross Drive.

Opened in 2009, Kingsford Smith School in the Canberra suburb of Holt was named after the famous aviator, as was Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith Elementary School in Vancouver, Canada.

He was pictured on the Australian $20 paper note (in circulation from 1966 until 1994, when the $20 polymer note was introduced to replace it) to honour his contribution to aviation and his accomplishments during his life. He was also depicted on the Australian one-dollar coin of 1997, the centenary of his birth.

Albert Park in Suva, where he landed on the trans-Pacific flight, now contains the Kingsford Smith Pavilion.

A memorial stands at Seven Mile Beach (New South Wales) commemorating the first commercial flight to New Zealand.

Qantas named its sixth Airbus A380 (VH-OQF) after Kingsford Smith.^[39]

KLM named one of its Boeing 747s (PH-BUM) after Kingsford Smith.

Popular culture[link]

• Kingsford Smith made a cameo as himself in the feature film Splendid Fellows (1934).

• A popular documentary was made about his life. The Old Bus (1944).

• The 1946 Australian film Smithy was based on his life, with Ron Randell as Charles Kingsford Smith and John Tate as Charles Ulm.^[40]

• The 1985 Australian television mini-series A Thousand Skies, with John Walton as Kingsford Smith and Andrew Clarke as Ulm.^[41]

• Bill Bryson details Kingsford Smith's life in his book "Down Under"^{[citation needed]}

• Australian author Peter FitzSimons's book, CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH and Those Magnificent Men, details an extensive exploration of Smithy's life and of aviation history – Published by Harper Collins, Australia. 2009. (ISBN 978 0 7322 8819 8).

• The songs "Kingsford Smith, Aussie is Proud of You" and "Smithy" by Len Maurice (1928).^[42]

• The songs "Smithy" and "Heroes of the Air" by Fred Moore (1928)^[43]

• The songs "Smithy The King of the Air" and "The Southern Cross Monologue" by Clement Williams.^[44]

See also[link]

• List of firsts in aviation

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Charles Kingsford Smith

• The Pioneers – Charles Kingsford Smith
• Charles Kingsford Smith biography Ace Pilots
• Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Australian Heroes
• Charles Kingsford Smith about the Tasman flight
• Charles Kingsford Smith (includes photos of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his aeroplane, the Southern Cross)
• Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Sound Recordings and Newsreels
• Austin Byrne and the Kingsford Smith Southern Cross Memorial
• Sir Charles Kingsford Smith at the National Film and Sound Archive
• Old Newspaper Articles – various Australian newspaper reports and photos about the Pacific Ocean crossing in 1928
• National Museum of Australia: Fragment of the Southern Cross propeller (slide 3)
• 'Our Heroes of the Air' - audio recordings of Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm on the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's website.

Johan Oscar Smith
Founder of Brunstad Christian Church
Born	(1871-10-11)October 11, 1871 Fredrikstad, Norway
Died	May 1, 1943(1943-05-01) (aged 71) Horten, Norway
Residence	Horten, Norway
Nationality	Norwegian
Occupation	Naval officer
Title	Leader of Brunstad Christian Church
Term	1905-1943
Successor	Elias Aslaksen
Religion	Christian
Spouse	Pauline Pedersen
Children	Kristian Smith Johanne Sandvik Lydia Smith Aksel Johan Smith Rakel Bratlie Helge Smith

Johan Oscar Smith (October 11, 1871 in Fredrikstad, Norway – May 1, 1943 in Horten) was a Norwegian Christian leader who founded the evangelical non-denominational fellowship now known as Brunstad Christian Church.

Early life and career[link]

Smith was born in Fredrikstad, Norway and grew up in a Christian family. In his early years he lived in three different towns: Sarpsborg, Kristiansand, and Oslo.

At the age of fifteen, after completing school and a watchmaker's apprenticeship, Smith went to sea. At seventeen, he joined the Norwegian Navy where he served for the next forty years.^[1] Smith completed six years military training, graduating at the top of his class and attaining the rank of Chief Gunnery Officer.

Smith married Pauline Pedersen in 1902. They had six children.

The surname "Smith" is not Norwegian. Smith's father, born Christian Johannessen, changed his name to Christian Johannessen Smith (before Johan Oscar was born) in preparation for emigration to Australia or New Zealand. As it turned out he did not emigrate, but the new name continued in the family.^[1]

Religious leadership[link]

After attending a Methodist church service, Smith experienced a conversion on May 17, 1898, while he was on watch duty on board the monitor Thor.^[2] Smith began attending Methodist services regularly, later holding his own meetings with small groups of young people.^[3] Smith soon left the Methodists, having decided that none of the believers he knew understood his seriousness in pursuing sanctification, as this was not generally the focus of mainstream Christian teaching. Over the next few years, he was joined by his younger brother, Aksel and in 1908 by Elias Aslaksen, then a naval cadet.

During World War I, Smith and Aslaksen were deployed to patrol Norway's west coast on HNoMS Sleipner. While on shore leave they held meetings wherever possible, thereby gathering a group of people who shared an interest in Smith's message. This group grew into what is now officially known as Brunstad Christian Church. Smith himself described the movement as "a free group of people without a name and without any human organization".^[3] Accordingly, Brunstad Christian Church has never maintained membership records. After Smith's death, Elias Aslaksen became a leading figure in the movement, taking overall responsibility for it until he died in 1976. Today Brunstad Christian Church has an estimated 40,000 adherents and churches in 65 countries around the world. It is the only significant international religious movement founded in Norway.

Smith worked to expose what he believed to be widespread superficiality and hypocrisy in mainstream denominations. Not educated in theology, he took a practical and literal view of Scripture, and preached about living in obedience to it and "walking in the light that God gives". His key themes were complete victory over sin, transformation through sanctification and the building up of "Christ's body" (The Church) on earth. Smith was uncompromising in his message and faith, despite standing largely alone in the early years of his work.

Opposition[link]

Smith encountered significant opposition from mainstream denominational churches in Norway.^[4] At the turn of the 20th century, Norway saw an increased interest in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Smith himself experienced such a baptism in 1900. Smith focused on the doctrine of obedience to the Spirit, believing that through such obedience it is possible to be cleansed from indwelling sin and partake of an ever increasing portion of Christian virtue. He felt that others placed emphasis on the experience of receiving the Spirit, but had less interest in a life of obedience. In the earlier years of his religious activity, he spoke and wrote about this regularly, which led to criticism of Smith himself and the new movement generally, not least from the then emerging Pentecostal movement, led by Thomas Ball Barratt.^{[citation needed]}

Death[link]

Smith died at his home in Horten of a heart attack in the early hours of May 1, 1943. His last words were, "Yes, thanks and praise" as he was retiring to bed earlier that night. Smith's funeral was by far the biggest seen in Horten, despite stringent travel restrictions that were in place due to the German occupation of Norway. In his eulogy, Smith's son, Aksel Johan Smith stated that he had never seen his father unrestful or impatient.

Published works[link]

Smith was a prolific writer. He wrote many poems and songs, a number of books, hundreds of articles and many, many letters to family and friends. Some 280 letters written between 1898 and 1943, mostly to his brother Aksel and Elias Aslaksen, are published by Skjulte Skatters Forlag in the book Letters of Johan O. Smith.^[5][6] The book has been translated into many languages. Smith also authored a short commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians.^[7]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website of Brunstad Christian Church
• Johan Oscar Smith - Interactive Documentary
• Biography of J. O. Smith by Kjell Arne Bratli
• Wreck of the monitor Thor

Oscar Frommel Smith High School was originally built in South Norfolk, Virginia, to replace the aging South Norfolk High School in 1954. In 1994, a new school was constructed in the Greenbrier/Great Bridge area of Chesapeake, Virginia, and has a current enrollment of over 2,100 students. OSHS was authorized to begin administering the IB Diploma Program by the International Baccalaureate Organization in 2002 and IB students from all six Chesapeake zones feed into it.

Facilities[link]

One of the newest schools in the Chesapeake City Public Schools, it houses some of the newest technology in the district, including numerous networked computer, business, and technology labs; a 1,000-seat auditorium; and the Linda P. Overton Theatre, which houses technology for student presentations. The 3,850-seat J. William Myers Gymnasium (also known as the "Dollar Dome" gym), is one of the largest gyms in the Hampton Roads area, housing three full basketball courts. The Beard-DeLong-Easley Field stadium, named in honor of three Oscar Smith alumni who went on to play in the NFL, seats 7,000 and is the current home of the Oscar Smith Tigers football team.

Athletics[link]

Oscar Smith football started excelling in 2004 and 2005, winning the Southeastern District both years. The Tiger's football program was led by quarterback Greg Boone, runningback Andre Cook, and Coach Morgan.

Oscar Smith High School has an excellent football program. Under the guidance of Coach Richard Morgan, the Tigers have been Southeastern District Champions for seven years in a row, and have lost only two regular season games in 7 years. In 2004, Oscar Smith High celebrated its 50th anniversary, and the Tigers provided the excitement by posting an undefeated season and winning the Southeastern District Championship. In 2005, the Tigers had a repeat performance, claiming back-to-back district championships. In 2007, the Tigers won the Eastern Region title for the first time, avenging their loss against Salem High School from 2006, and moving on to the State semi-finals. There, the team suffered a loss to Westfield High School, but would come back and get to the same spot during the 2008 season. This time, a hard-fought 10-7 victory over Oakton High School with kicker Ryan Trotman kicking a field goal in the closing minutes of the game to win the game. Oscar Smith advanced to the Division 6 state finals against Osbourne High School. This game, held at Virginia Tech, was one of the most memorable state final games ever. Oscar Smith posted 54 points, triumphing 54-24 in a game played in the cold and snow. Quarterback Phillip Sims set a state final record with 6 touchdown passes, as did wide receiver Tim Smith with 4 touchdown receptions. This team is still ranked in the top 10 in the nation on most, if not all, polls. On August 28, 2009, Oscar Smith was rewarded for their excellent performance with a primetime game at home against Venice High School of Florida on ESPNU in which Sims, an Alabama commit and one of the top recruited quarterbacks for 2010, faced off against Trey Burton, another excellent quarterback for 2010 who now plays for Florida. The Oscar Smith Tigers won this game, 27-13.

2008 Virginia State Football Champions[link]

Following another undefeated regular season and winning their fifth district title in as many years, the Tigers marched into the playoffs as a dominant force, consistently ranked No. 1 in the state and breaking into the Top 10 in national rankings. On November 29, 2008, the Tigers defeated Oakton to advance to the state championship game. The following Saturday, on a cold and snowy December afternoon in Blacksburg, Virginia, the Tigers exploded into Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium and continued their dominant ways, shutting out the Osbourn Eagles in the first half and emerging victorious with a final score of 54-24. The Tigers could be heard ringing their victory bell in the wee hours after their return home early Sunday morning, bringing with them the first team state championship for Oscar Smith High School in any sport since the school opened in 1954.

^[1]

2009 Virginia State Football Semifinals[link]

Oscar Smith lost 17-20 in overtime against the Thomas Dale High School Knights, ending their undefeated run.

2011 Virginia State Football Champions[link]

On December 10, the Tigers won their eight consecutive Southeastern District title, and brought home their second state championship in four years, defeating Centreville High School 47-21. They finished the 2011 season 14-1, and are the only Chesapeake school to win more than one football state title.

Orchestra[link]

Earning a reputation for excellence during the past eleven years, the Oscar Smith High School Orchestras have grown from forty eight members to over one hundred members. The orchestras have earned top awards at music festivals in Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, New York and Indiana and have consistently earned superior ratings at the VBODA/VMEA District IV Orchestra Festival.

The Oscar F. Smith High School Chamber Orchestra earned a standing ovation for its outstanding performance as the final orchestra performance of the 2005 Virginia Music Educators Association(VMEA) In-Service Conference. They have also performed by invitation at the 2007 National Band & Orchestra Festival in Carnegie Hall, the 2008 & 2011 Music for All National "Orchestra America" Festival in Indianapolis and the 2009 & 2012 ASTA National Orchestra Festival in Atlanta (as a part of the American String Teachers Association's National 'ASTA' Conference).

IB Program[link]

The International Baccalaureate, or IB program, offered at OSHS is a great opportunity for students who love to learn. It is an academically challenging and balanced program of education that mixes the learning of life skills with global awareness, with final examinations that prepare students for success at university and in life.

Politics[link]

On August 21, 2008, Barack Obama held a Town Hall Meeting in the J William Myers gymnasium as part of his 2008 Presidential Campaign. In 2004, John Kerry held a similar event in the gym as well.

Notable alumni[link]

• Ed Beard: San Francisco 49ers, player from 1965–1972
• Steve DeLong: San Diego Chargers, player from 1965–1972
• Kenny Easley: Seattle Seahawks, player from 1981–1987
• Richard Mott: Pittsburgh Pirates, player 1981 - 1985
• Greg Boone: Arena football player, 2011-present

References[link]

1. ^ http://hamptonroads.com/2008/12/football-oscar-smith-cruises-state-div-6-championship

External links[link]

• Oscar F. Smith High School website

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Coordinates: 36°44′25″N 76°15′22″W / 36.74035°N 76.25617°W / 36.74035; -76.25617