James Smith (journalist)
Encyclopedia
James Smith was an English
-born Australia
n journalist and encyclopedist.
near Maidstone
, Kent
, England
, son of James Smith, supervisor of inland revenue, and his wife Mary. Smith junior was initially educated for the church, however, he took up journalism
and at the age of 20 was editing the Hertfordshire Mercury and County Press. In 1845 he published Rural Records or Glimpses of Village Life, which was followed by Oracles from the British Poets (London, 1849), Wilton and its Associations (Salisbury, 1851), and Lights and Shadows of Artist Life and Character (1853).
and became a leader-writer and drama critic on The Age
and first editor of the weekly Melbourne Leader. He joined the staff of The Argus
in 1856 and wrote leading articles, literary reviews, and dramatic criticism. He also wrote leading articles for country papers. Feeling the strain of overwork in 1863 he intended making a holiday visit to Europe
, but was offered and accepted the post of librarian to the Victorian parliament.
Smith was not content to merely carry out the routine duties of his position, he had always been a tireless worker, and during his five years librarianship he reclassified and catalogued about 30,000 volumes. The office was temporarily abolished in 1868, and Smith resumed his duties on The Argus, and continued to work for it until he retired in 1896 at the age of 76. He still, however, did much journalistic work, and even when approaching the age of 90 was contributing valued articles to The Age under the initials J. S.
Smith was the first to suggest the foundation of a National Gallery; his influence on Melbourne art was great as a critic and as trustee of the Public Library, Museums and National Gallery of Victoria (1880–1910) and treasurer of the trustees from 1888. Smith helped Louis Buvelot
to gain recognition as an artist, and his favourable review of the work of the then unknown Tom Roberts
in 1881 showed his ability to recognize potential talent.
Smith died of cystitis at Hawthorn
in Melbourne on 19 March 1910 and was buried in the Boroondara cemetery. He married twice and was survived by two sons and three daughters from his second marriage.
) and a trustee for many years of the public library, museums, and the National Gallery of Victoria
. A competent linguist, he was interested in the Alliance Française
and the Melbourne Dante Society, of which he became the president. These activities led to his being made an officer of the French Academy, and a knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
for his research into Italian literature.
Smith was a skilled journalist who with his good memory and fine library could produce an excellent article on almost any subject at the shortest notice. During his 56 years of residence at Melbourne he had significant influence on the cultural life of the city.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n journalist and encyclopedist.
Early life
Smith was born at LooseLoose, Kent
Loose is a village some south of Maidstone, Kent, situated at the head of the Loose Valley. The village and the Loose Valley form the Loose Valley Conservation Area. The fast flowing River Loose which rises near Langley runs through the centre of the village and once supported a paper making...
near Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, son of James Smith, supervisor of inland revenue, and his wife Mary. Smith junior was initially educated for the church, however, he took up journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and at the age of 20 was editing the Hertfordshire Mercury and County Press. In 1845 he published Rural Records or Glimpses of Village Life, which was followed by Oracles from the British Poets (London, 1849), Wilton and its Associations (Salisbury, 1851), and Lights and Shadows of Artist Life and Character (1853).
Career in Australia
In 1854 Smith emigrated to VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and became a leader-writer and drama critic on The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
and first editor of the weekly Melbourne Leader. He joined the staff of The Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
in 1856 and wrote leading articles, literary reviews, and dramatic criticism. He also wrote leading articles for country papers. Feeling the strain of overwork in 1863 he intended making a holiday visit to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, but was offered and accepted the post of librarian to the Victorian parliament.
Smith was not content to merely carry out the routine duties of his position, he had always been a tireless worker, and during his five years librarianship he reclassified and catalogued about 30,000 volumes. The office was temporarily abolished in 1868, and Smith resumed his duties on The Argus, and continued to work for it until he retired in 1896 at the age of 76. He still, however, did much journalistic work, and even when approaching the age of 90 was contributing valued articles to The Age under the initials J. S.
Smith was the first to suggest the foundation of a National Gallery; his influence on Melbourne art was great as a critic and as trustee of the Public Library, Museums and National Gallery of Victoria (1880–1910) and treasurer of the trustees from 1888. Smith helped Louis Buvelot
Louis Buvelot
Louis Buvelot , born Abram-Louis Buvelot, was a Swiss-born landscape painter who emigrated to Australia in 1865 and influenced the Heidelberg School of painters.-Early life:...
to gain recognition as an artist, and his favourable review of the work of the then unknown Tom Roberts
Tom Roberts
Thomas William Roberts , usually known simply as Tom, was a prominent Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School.-Life:...
in 1881 showed his ability to recognize potential talent.
Smith died of cystitis at Hawthorn
Hawthorn, Victoria
Hawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
in Melbourne on 19 March 1910 and was buried in the Boroondara cemetery. He married twice and was survived by two sons and three daughters from his second marriage.
Legacy
In addition to the works mentioned Smith was the author of From Melbourne to Melrose (1888), a collection of travel notes originally contributed to The Argus, and Junius Unveiled (London, 1909). Smith also published many pamphlets, some of which are concerned with spiritualism, in which he was very interested during the last 40 years of his life. He contributed a large amount of the letterpress to the Picturesque Atlas of Australasia, and edited The Cyclopedia of Victoria (1903), a piece of hack-work in which he could have taken little pleasure. He wrote a three-act drama, 'Garibaldi', successfully produced at Melbourne in 1860, and 'A Broil at the Café', also produced at Melbourne a few years later. He was a member of the council of the Working Men's College of Melbourne (now Royal Melbourne Institute of TechnologyRMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
) and a trustee for many years of the public library, museums, and the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
. A competent linguist, he was interested in the Alliance Française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
and the Melbourne Dante Society, of which he became the president. These activities led to his being made an officer of the French Academy, and a knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
for his research into Italian literature.
Smith was a skilled journalist who with his good memory and fine library could produce an excellent article on almost any subject at the shortest notice. During his 56 years of residence at Melbourne he had significant influence on the cultural life of the city.