William Harding Collingwood Smith was born in Camberwell, Surrey (Now part of London) on 15th August 1848, when his father William Collingwood Smith was 33 and his mother Louisa (Nee Triquet) was 23. He was baptised in the same parish of Camberwell on the 7th September 1848. One of his middle names “Harding” may have been given to him by his parents in honour of artist James Duffield Harding who was a mentor of William Collingwood Smith, but this is only a theory. He would often sign his works W.H.S., this helps to confirm that his and his fathers surname was in fact Smith and that Collingwood was a middle name that they shared. His Grandmother was a Collingwood and her name was Sophia Collingwood and his grandfather was William Smith, an amateur artist and musician who also worked for the admiralty. He was a painter of genre and historical subjects and son and pupil of William Collingwood Smith. He exhibited from 1870 at the Royal Academy . He inherited his father’s gift for watercolour and many of his drawings were executed in the neighbourhood of Chichester. He was also skilled in painting with oils and many pictures of his still life drawings can be found online and on this website. In his early days he executed some subject pictures. He was a discriminating collector of Japanese, Egyptian and Persian antiquities. Records indicate that William Harding Collingwood Smith did not marry and so did not have any children.
Timeline
1848, 15 August, Born in Surrey, Camberwell
1848, 7 September, Baptised, Family are living in 9 Brunswick Terrace Camberwell Road, District of Emmanuel, Parish of Camberwell, County of Surrey.
1851, Census, living in 15A Addington Place, Lambeth, Camberwell, aged 2 with his mother and father aged 35 & 26 respectively, and two servants.
1861, Census, living in 13 Brixton Rise, Lambeth, aged 12 and listed as a scholar. Living with his parents and two servants.
1871, Census, living in Wyndham Lodge, Lambeth, Brixton aged 22. Seemingly the same occupation as his father, Artist in Water Colour. Living with parents and two servants.
1881,Census, living in 13 Brixton Hill, Stockwell, Lambeth , Brixton, All Saints Parish, aged 32, Artist painter in Water Colour, living with parents and two servants.
1887, 15 March, Death of father William Collingwood Smith Esq, Brixton, Surrey
1891, 184 Brixton Hill, aged 42 living with Mother Louisa Smith and two servants. Occupation: Artist Sculp
1901, 184 Brixton Hill, age 52 living with mother Louisa Smith age 76 and two servants. Water Colour Painter / Sculp
1910, 19 August, Death of mother Louisa Smith ( Nee Triquet)
1911, William Harding Smith, age 63, single, Artist in Water Colour, states birth place as Newington London.
1912 – 1913, Electoral Register has him living in 184 Brixton Hill, S.W. in the Parish of Lambeth, portion of Tulse Hill. Freehold Houses 217 – 229 Lyham Road.
1919, January 9, National Probate Register, shows residence as 209 Brixton Hill, Surrey. Probate London 25th February to the Royal Exchange Assurance. Effects £12097 9S. In todays terms (2017) that would have equated to £500000.
1919, January 9, Died, age 74, buried in West Norwood Cemetery, with his father and mother, all three are buried in the same plot. (Plot 21-699 square 86).