Peter Smith 1940-2021

Peter Smith was born on the 22nd April 1940 in Glasgow. The third son of Joseph Smith (Juskavitch) and Adela Smith (Kurila), who were married on the 31st December 1924 in St. John’s Chapel, Portugal Street, Glasgow.

By all accounts, 8 year old ‘Little Peter’ did not really see the point of school, recounting being taken there on a morning by Auntie Mary, who was soon after welcomed by the same little Peter, as she arrived home. He had decided Auntie Mary’s soup was preferable to school, so immediately ran home (much quicker than Auntie Mary could manage) for some quality time with her. Happier playing football in the Gorbal’s streets and fields with his brothers, cousins and friends (who were pretty good by all accounts), many of them like Jonny Kurila, later making the grade and going pro.

School or not, a soup enhanced ‘Big Peter’ was 6’4″, ambitious and creative with a huge personality, who tried out many paths before settling on the one he loved. There are probably more jobs to add to this list, but from memory, they included; goalkeeper, trench digger for the gas board, scaffolder, barber, door to door vacuum sales, engineering sales, car part sales, shopping trolley sales, then successful entrepreneur, inventor and company owner. His final job was being the best Grandad ever, something all his grandkids would enthusiastically attest to. Never a remote Grandad, he was always there for them, making things, coming up with activities, training them in the art of football, drawing, building huge dioramas, singing, writing poems or just hugging them, he loved every second of it.

But how did he obtain these grandchildren? Staying with George, his big brother, in Leeds during 1970, and on his way to Australia for a new job and life (his brother Tony would eventually make New Zealand his home), Peter bumped into Lesley at a Leeds dancehall and the Australian plans were off. Love at first sight saw them married in 1971, and the next year his favourite son Andrew was born (guess the author), Vicky followed during 1974 and Antony completed the triumvirate in 1979. Yorkshire was to remain Peter’s home for the next 50 years.

Anyone who met Peter was quickly sucked into his infectious, enthusiastic and altruistic world, where anything was possible (We held the Ryder Cup, and saw thousands raised at a charity golf event because of his unassailable attitude). Whether you were a family member or new acquaintance, he would have time for you and offer any kind of help or support he could.

A great example of this was his involvement in our high school summer fair when we were teens. Previous years had seen a motley arrangement of trestle tables staffed by reluctant volunteers on the school field, which usually raised about £700. John Smeaton wasn’t the best school in the world, but its new Headmaster, Phil Willis (now Lord) had dreams and ambitions, and luckily for him, a couple of his pupils had Peter Smith as their Dad. Peter immediately liked the cut of Phil’s gib, and decided he would get involved in arranging next years Summer fair.

There was some consternation from the Governers as a bit of money needed investing in the project. However Peter and Phil must have talked them around, and the scope was much expanded on previous years. Whilst arranging the event, Peter spoke to Pele (yes THE Pele) who almost attended, but scheduling meant we only received a couple of signed Brazil shirts(!), NASA donated several prizes (yes he just called up Cape Canaveral), Red Arrows, Wing walkers, Stars from Emmerdale, TV Wrestlers, Army stunt motorbike team, hot air balloon rides, the list went on.

Peter’s Summer Fairs would eventually raise £50,000 for the school, as he went on the arrange several more before we left Smeaton.

Peter beat throat cancer in the early 2000’s however the treatment, compounded by damage to his lungs from asbestos, made his last couple of years less fun than he, or any of us, would have liked.

Most telling was his frustration at his illness, it wasn’t about its affect on his life, but that he couldn’t do things for Lesley, his wife of 50 years, his grandchildren or others.

I think all of us can remember having an amazing time at some kind of ‘Peter Smith’ party over the years, but when we think back about the themes, none of them were for him, every single amazing night we had because of Peter, was to raise money for a deserving cause or celebrate an event for someone else.

Due to the curse that is COVID, and all the restrictions it imposes, we had a small funeral for Peter in 2021.

And as his children, this will obviously not do!

So we have decided to have a party for him, sometime soon, we’re not sure exactly what this will involve or where it will be but this is our working list;