23/1/1901 Worthing Gazette
He came to Worthing in 1868 on business for Messrs Longhurst, builders of Hastings. Took charge of the building of a terrace of houses just west of West buildings. He decided to stay and started a business in Station Road. Besides building operations, he laid out Selden Road, Farncombe Road, Lennox Road ad several others in West Worthing. Also established an ironmongery in Chapel Road He was joint proprietor of the Royal Hotel and the Albion Hotel and managing director of the Durrington Brick Co. He was also an important Freemason. On the day before he died, he was at Southwater where he had started a brick making enterprise. He suffered a fit and was taken by train to Shoreham and then Mr Town provided transport to his home at East Mansions. He died the following morning. There is a wonderful description of the funeral at Heene. The Freemasons dropped sprigs of acacia into his grave on top of the coffin.
23/1/1903 Worthing Gazette, page 3
The Funeral Ceremony, Interment at Heene Cemetery. Large Assembly of Mourners at the Graveside.
The funeral took place at Heene Cemetery on Monday afternoon, the body being the first conveyed on a funeral car from East Mansion, the residence of the deceased, to St. Botolph's Church. Therte were four mourning coaches. Members of the Lodge of Freemasons formed up two ranks outside the building, and the body was conveyed inside the church, preceded by the Rector (the Rev. J.P. Fallowes), and with the immediate mourners following, the members of the Masonic Order, each wearing a sprig of acacia, filing in afterwards and occupying the seats reserved for them in the back pews to the west of the centre aisle. The front seats were occupied by the relatives and employees of the firm of which the deceased was head. The remaining part of the building was filled with the general public.
After the short service the body was taken to the Cemetery near by, and at the graveside a further service took place. At the close the whole body of Freemasons filed past the grave, dropping on to the coffin the sprigs of acacia from their buttonholes.
The coffin was of polished oak with brass furniture, and the breast-plate bore the following inscription:
William Wenban Smith, Died 17th Jan., 1901. Aged 62 years.
The Mourners who occupied the carriages were Messrs. W.E. Smith and F. Smith (sons), Mr P.A. Cragg, of Heston (son-in-law), Councillor E. Lephard (brother-in-law), Mr P.E. Lephard, Mr Streater, Alderman R Piper, and Messrs. E. Roffey, H.B. Piper, R Grevett, G.A. Hunt, J. E. Saunders, Rolls, J Town, and W.G. Patching.
The Freemasons who attended were the Rev. P. Crick, Dr. F. Hinds, Alderman E.T. Cooksey and R Piper, Councillor G. Baker, and Messrs. J.L. Carpenter, F. Carter, R.W. Charles, C.C. Cook, D. Cotton, T.H. Crouch, F.L. Davies, J. Farncombe, F.C. Gates, C.F Haines, H.W. Hollis, C. Jemmett, W.H. Jordan, T.J. Lyne, C.A. Masters, J.H. Mitchell, W. Nockels, R. Nelson, Walter Paine, E.G. Painter, C.R. Ramsay, J. Roy, W.H. Sawle G.B. Simpson, G. Smith (Canton House), H.E. Snewin, G.H. Warne, And J.B. Whitington, of the Worthing Lodge of Friendship; together with Messrs. V.P. Freeman, T. Bushby, T. Gardiner, B.D. Marner, and W. Skindle, members of other Lodges.
Others present included alderman Captain A. Cortis, and E.C. Patching, Councillors D Brazier, G. Gravett, T. Gray, G. Hewer, and J. White, Messrs. F.H. Aldridge, G. Apted, G. Brazier, O. Biggs, H.G. Box, HJ. Blaker, J. Churcher, C.C. Cook, F.O. Coombes, T. Cracknell, A.T. Chapman, R.T. Bragg, S. Clark, R. Dale, T. Davis, E. Duffield, J. East, S. Field, C. Fibbens, Melvill Green, G. Goodall, G.W. Goodall (representing the Institute of Clayworkers, of the Committee of which deceased was a member), Gardener, J.M. Head, J.W. Hacker, J. Heron, J. Haywood, J. Hill, E.H. Isted, J.C.S. Kirshaw, H. Kent, Kilgour, J.G. Mills, J. McKerns, E. Meager, C. Moor, F. Martin, G. Norris, F.W. Patching, W.C. Patching, William Paine, C. Paine, W. Reynolds, G. Russell, F. Roberts, F. Sandall, G.E. Steere, E.J. Saunders, J. Stapleton, S. Smith (Horsham), W. Sams, and J. Webster.
The Floral Tributes were very numerous and beautiful, and the inscriptions borne by them were as under: In loving memory of dear father, Emmie and Percy; In loving memory of our dear father, from Will and Fred; In loving memory of our dear father, from Katie and Edie; In loving memory of my dear father, Lizzie; In loving memory of our dear grandpapa, from Kathleen, Hilda and Jack; In affectionate remembrance, from his brother and sister, J. and F. Hoadley; In loving memory, from John, Sarah Ann, and family; In affectionate remembrance, Mr and Mrs Edwin Lephard and family; From the employees, with deep respect and sympathy, Newland Road department; With deepest regret from the employees at Southwater Brick Works; With deep regret, from the employees of Grigg's Farm, Horsham; A small token of respect from the Gardener; With sincere regret, from one who has worked under him for twenty years; With deepest regret and sympathy from the Manager, staff, and works of the Ironmongery Establishment; From his old friends, members of the Union Club; With deepest sympathy, from the staff of the Royal Hotel; With sympathy, from old friends of the Albion; From the Worshipful Master of the Worthing Lodge of Freemasons. "As a Freemason he rose to eminence, by merit lived respected, and died regretted."; From the Companions of the Royal Sussex Chapter, with deep sympathy; To the memory of a worthy brother, with deepest sympathy, from the Worthing Lodge of Freemasons, No. 851; With sincerest sympathy, from Mr and Mrs Mills and family; With much sympathy, from Miss A.M. Dent; With Mrs Isted and family's sincere sympathy; With deep sympathy, from Mr and Mrs Piper and family; With sincere sympathy, from B.D. Marner; With remembrance and sincere sympathy, from Mr and Mrs T. Bushby; With sincerest sympathy, H. Greville Montgomery; From Mr and Mrs George Patching, with deep sympathy; From Mr and Mrs Edward Roffey, deepest sympathy; With affectionate regard and deepest sympathy, from W.A. Walker; Arthur F. Rolls, Stamford Hill, N.; With sincerest sympathy, from Mr and Mrs Farncombe and family; From William and E.R. Streater, with love and deepest sympathy; From J.E. Saunders, with sincere sympathy; With deepest sympathy, from Mr and Mrs Reinhard Datz; With Mr and Mrs Clifford Russell's heartfelt sympathy and in memory of a dear friend; With deepest sympathy, from Mr and Mrs R. Grevett; With deepest regret, form Mr and Mrs M.S. Fuller, Lancing;
The wreath from the Southwater employees was a permanent one. Those from the Freemasons were especially beautiful, one consisting entirely of violets attracting great attention. Messrs. Patching and Co. were the undertakers.
We learn that in consequence of the death of Mr Smith the Management Committee of the Union Club, of which he was one of the first members, has decided to postpone the Club's annual dinner, which was fixed for February 7th.