Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 13 November 1931

Wombwell Teacher’s Promotion.

Headship for Mr. Sydney Smith.

An Admirable Crichton

Mr. Sydney Smith, a member of the staff of the John Street Council School, Wombwell, been appointed headmaster at the Heptonstall Council School in succession to Mr. J. H. Frankland.

Mr. Smith has had life-long associations with Wombwell, and his departure will be a great loss to the Congregational Church. He is the choirmaster at that church and a leading member church of the Wombwell Congregational Church Dramatic Society. He will take up his new Mr. Sydney Smith appointment in the new year.

Born in Wombwell, Mr. Smith is a son of the late Mr. Frederick Smith, and his mother still lives in the town. As a boy he attended the Barnsley Road School, and passed from there into the Barnsley Central School. He studied for the teaching profession at the Sheffield Training College, and while there was captain of the college football team and vice-captain of the cricket team.

He secured his first teaching poet at John Street at the age of twenty, and has remained there nineteen years. Mr. Smith will be remembered in Wombwell chiefly for his great interest in music and for the work he has done in the cultivation of musical appreciation among young people.

A memorial to his enthusiasm is the John Street School Boys Choir, which he founded in 1921. This choir has been in great demand all over South and West Yorkshire, and has competed in fifteen festivals and gained fourteen awards. Many members of the choir have through Mr. Smith been stimulated to an advanced study of music. Two years ago Mr. Smith founded the Barnsley Co-operative Junior Choir, and has since acted as tutor and conductor. The class has been extremely successful, consisting of between fifty and sixty boys under the age of sixteen. This choir has competed at only one festival, gaining this year the first prize in the mixed choirs at Elsecar.

For six years Mr. Smith has been choirmaster at the Wombwell Congregational Church, where he has been most successful in raising the standard of instrumental and vocal music. The choir have performed very creditably Mendelssohn’s “Hymn of Praise,” Mozart’s “Twelfth Mass,’ and Handel’s “Messiah.” This choir under Mr. Smith’s direction, competed at the Mexboro’ Musical Festival, and gained first place in the church choirs class.

Mr. Smith is a pupil of Dr. Staton. of Chesterfield, and is taking the L.R.A.M. course for voice culture and class singing.  Mr. Smith has been a prominent and valuable member of the Wombwell Congregational Church Dramatic Society, for whom he produced “You Never Can Tell” and “The Dover Road.” He was one of the founders of this society and has taken a leading part in all their productions but one. He has been secretary of the Wombwell Congregational Church for four years, and five years ago was placed on the roll of deacons.

District sport has always found in Mr. Smith a keen supporter. For five Years he was secretary and captain of the Wombwell Main Cricket Club, and also played football for Wombwell Main in the days of the old Barnsley League, but prior to that be had played hockey for the old Netherwood Club. Four years ago he took a leading part in the formation of the Wombwell Evening Cricket League. The competition has been in abeyance for a couple of seasons, but steps have been taken to revive it next season.

He was secretary of the Wombwell Main Welfare Scheme during the development of the new sports centre in that district, and when the work was completed the Welfare Trustees showed appreciation of him by making him a presentation of a timepiece.

For a considerable time he was secretary of the “Woodside” Tennis Club, and also played for Wombwell Main Tennis Club.

During the war Mr. Smith served in the York and Lancaster Regiment, and after three years in the ranks was given a commission. Since his college days he has taken courses in science, art, nature study, physical training and music.

Mrs. Smith will leave many friends in Wombwell. She has taken a leading part in the work of the Wombwell Congregational Church and was a member of the choir that gained honours at the Mexborough Festival.