Full name of worker at H.M. Factory Gretna (and any other names they are known by): William James Patterson Smith

Gender: Male

Date and Place of Birth: 1893 Yarraville, Victoria, Australia

Date and Place of Death: 1961 Footscray, Victoria

Nationality: Australian

Biography

Childhood:

Parents: William and Christine (nee Paterson) Smith

Parent’s occupations: N/K

Schools / universities attended and years of attendance: N/K

Occupation: Chemist

Place of residence at Gretna: N/K

Job title at Gretna: Chemist at Contact Sulphuric Acid Plant, Dornock

 

Marital status: F Smith

Children: N/K

Travels: UK

Awards/recognitions: 

Trivia / any other information: 

 

Bibliography

• Books published (Title, year of publication, publisher): N/K
• Books written about the individual or mentioning the individual (Title, year of publication, publisher): N/K

References

• Blogs about the individual: N/K

Websites about the individual: 

Encyclopaedia of Australian Science  http://www.eoas.info

Further links, notes, and comments:

Forwarding address on Dornock Souvenir, c/o Agent General for Victoria, 

Melbourne Place, The Strand, London WC2

 

Sailed on the “Devanha” 09/05/1919 from Devonport to Melbourne

 

Encyclopaedia of Australian Science

“William Smith was Raw Materials Superintendent at Commonwealth Fertilisers & Chemicals Limited during the mid-1900s. He was a foundation member of Royal Australian Chemical Institute and was made a life member of the Society of Chemical Industry of Victoria in 1957.

At the age of 14, William J. P. Smith began work as a laboratory assistant with the chemical company Cuming, Smith & Company (Port Melbourne). He then went on to study chemistry at the Royal Melbourne Technical College where he excelled and became the youngest person to receive the Victorian Public Analyst’s Certificate.

In 1914 after the war broke out, Smith joined the 1st Australian Imperial Force as a member of the 7th Battalion. He served in Gallipoli and France and was later transferred out of the forces into munitions production. During this time Smith was appointed to the Contact Sulphuric Acid Plant at His Majesty’s factory at Gretna in the United Kingdom.

William J. P. Smith returned to Australia after the war, and became Production Supervisor with Cuming, Smith & Company. There he oversaw production at the Contact and Chamber Sulphuric Acid Plants. After some years the combined fertilizer company, Commonwealth Fertilisers & Chemicals Limited was formed, and Smith was appointed their Raw Materials Superintendent. He held this position until his death in 1961.”