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The Story of Sydney Pearson Smith One of our members, Diana (Dana) Vale, produced this book as a tribute to her late father. Members of Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society will recall Syd as the quintessential well-spoken perfect English gentleman who was a delight to greet at our meetings when he accompanied Dana (in the 1980s).
This is an unusual book, as Dana has drawn on a large collection of documents to present Syd's life in great detail. Soon after he was born in 1909, Syd's parents moved to Bottesford. In Dana's words: "Bottesford. Halcyon days. Any mention of Bottesford to Sydney Pearson elicited a serene, peaceful, sometimes far-away look, and a chain of happy reminiscences."
Dana was born in 1944 and soon afterwards the Smith family moved to Coalville. Later they moved to Newtown Linford and it was here that in 1965 Dana married civil engineer David Vale and eventually made their way to Australia, staying at East Hills Migrant Hostel. It was at this time that Dana visited Liverpool Library.
"The saga of our attempts to join Liverpool Library amused my father, an avid reader. Though accepted as immigrants planning to live permanently in Australia, the library consigned migrant hostel dwellers into the 'having no fixed address' category, ergo, would not grant us membership."
Syd holidayed in Australia in 1975, noting in his diary a few impressions of life in Bradbury so that he could recount his trip when he returned home: "Campbelltown 19 Doctors…. All shops wide overhangs, wide pavements… classless… average winter like Durham summer… road sign "Stop, you are going the wrong way" (this greatly amused him)… no TV licence, armed police, cicadas heard at night…
Eventually, in 1980, Sydney Pearson Smith left England forever and settled in Bradbury with Dana and David.
This book was published in 2000, has 281 pages and includes black and white photographs. It is available from Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society.
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