James Templeton Smith

AN APPRECIATION

With the passing of respected Beith man Jim Smith, also known as Jimmy, Beith lost a respected local businessman, lifelong Boys’ Brigade supporter, church elder and caring family man.

Born in Beith, he left Spiers school in 1955 and joined the family business of Smith Brothers Builders where he served his apprenticeship as a bricklayer. He attended Stow College and Paisley Technical College, gaining a Higher National Qualification in construction. He became a journeyman, foreman and then partner with his father John Boyd Smith and uncle Robert Smith. When his father and uncle retired the partnership became Jim along with his younger brothers Matthew and Ewan.

Smith Brothers Builders was founded in 1923. It remains based in the heart of the town at the Strand and is for many folk synonymous with Beith. The business has a well-earned reputation based on honesty, reliability, quality and delivery. Smith Brothers is one of the few local businesses still working in the town today. Being a local firm they have been responsible for many local developments over the years such as works for British Steel at its Glengarnock Steelworks, Redpath Dorman Long at the Girder Shop and Roche Products (now DSM) in Dalry to name but a few as well as constructing much of the town’s local authority housing and the refurbishment of the former Beith Library in conjunction with Historic Scotland to form the company’s present offices.

The family business and quality workmanship was a great source of satisfaction to Jim and the business continues today in the capable hands of his two sons, John and Colin.

They take pride in the fact that the majority of their work remains local to Beith and the surrounding area. They have sponsored Beith Juniors Football Club for 15 years.

He was a great encourager of others and had a gift for discerning potential in young folk. Through the business, Boys’ Brigade and church he touched many young peoples’ lives. He enjoyed passing on his knowledge and skills to apprentices with a good number of them including his sons John and Colin receiving top awards over the years.

He was a lifelong member of 1st Beith Boys’ Brigade. His own father John Boyd Smith had been captain (1937-1977) and when Jim’s predecessor Wallace Donaldson left the area in 1982, he took the position of captain on a temporary basis. He remained captain for the next 16 years.

The church was an important part of his life. He was ordained as an elder at Beith High Church in 1970 and served on many committees. Invariably his thoughtful views usually held sway at meetings because he was regarded as a man of integrity and common sense with a reputation for sound judgment and fairness and he did much good work in quiet but effective ways.