Alfred Waldron Smithers
Encyclopedia
Sir Alfred Waldron Smithers (4 October 1850 – 22 August 1924) was a British financier
and parliamentarian
. Smithers father William Henry Smithers was a prominent employee of the Bank of England
. Alfred entered the world of finance early when he joined the London Stock Exchange
at the age of 23. He was deputy chairman of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
for some years, and head of the Grand Trunk Railway
in Canada until it was nationalised in 1921 in circumstances of some controversy. He was Coalition Unionist
member of parliament for Chislehurst
from 1918 to 1922. His son Waldron Smithers
was later elected to this constituency.
Smithers, British Columbia
is named in his honour.
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
and parliamentarian
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. Smithers father William Henry Smithers was a prominent employee of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
. Alfred entered the world of finance early when he joined the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
at the age of 23. He was deputy chairman of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway
South Eastern and Chatham Railway
The South Eastern and Chatham Railway Companies Joint Management Committee , known by its shorter name of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway was a working union of two neighbouring rival railways, the South Eastern Railway and London, Chatham and Dover Railway , that operated services between...
for some years, and head of the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
in Canada until it was nationalised in 1921 in circumstances of some controversy. He was Coalition Unionist
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
member of parliament for Chislehurst
Chislehurst (UK Parliament constituency)
Chislehurst was a parliamentary constituency in what is now the London Borough of Bromley. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
from 1918 to 1922. His son Waldron Smithers
Waldron Smithers
Sir Waldron Smithers was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.Smithers was educated at Charterhouse and in France and became a member of the London Stock Exchange...
was later elected to this constituency.
Smithers, British Columbia
Smithers, British Columbia
Smithers is a town located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, approximately halfway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Smithers is located in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako....
is named in his honour.