Smith, Swire

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Smith, Swire

Watercolour portrait of Swire Smith, born Keighley, 1842, by John Sowden, July 1890.

From John Sowden's notebooks:

“Sir Swire is a worsted spinner.

All his life he has been an active promoter of Mechanics’ Institutions and particularly of technical education as applied to textile and other industries. He has grudged neither time, strength nor money in order to learn the secret of success of foreign competition against our own country.

Sir Swire’s public life began in 1867 with the secretaryship of the Keighley Mechanics Institute Drawing Class, from which he retired after nearly 40 years service, when the class was handed over to the municipality in 1904. Sir Swire was elected on the Royal Commission on Technical Instruction in 1881 to compare our own system with those of our continental competitors. He also visited America and Canada in pursuance of the same objects. Sir Swire rendered good service in the Council of the Bradford Technical College. His services in the course of Technical Education has been keenly appreciated throughout the country.

He has given lectures and read papers to almost every town of importance in the United Kingdom.

He was awarded a Bronze Medal and Diploma of Honour as Juror of Textile Fabrics and Machinery Exhibition.

He was presented with the Freedom and Livery of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers in London in 1886, being the youngest member of the guild in recognition of his essential(?) To the cars of technical education, and was elected a warden of the same company in 1914. Sir Swire was appointed in 1909 by the King on a Commission for dealing with British representation at the exhibitions in Brussels, Rome and Turin. In 1914 the Keighley Town Council conferred upon him the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Keighley in recognition of the essential(?) services rendered by him to his native town. In June 1915 Sir Swire was returned unopposed as member for the Keighley Division in succession to Lord Buckmaster. He was one of the founders of the Keighley Chamber of Commerce and also a member of the Bradford Chamber.”

Year

1890

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-71