An industrial scientist, educated at Smethwick Central School and the Royal College of Science; first class honours in physics 1899; assistant to Glazebrook at the NPL, Kew Observatory in 1900; research on accurate electrical standards and methods of measurement; constructed first 'Lorenz' machine: established standard units; FRS in 1918; director, Scientific Research and Experimental Department, Admiralty 1920; supervised construction of Admiralty Research Laboratory, Teddington.

Smith was Acting Director of NPL from 1936-1937 and received an OBE 1918; CBE 1922; CB, 1926; KCB, 1931; GBE, 1939 and GCB, 1942.

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