OBITUARY: Nailsea man Chris Smith

Relatives of Chris Smith are to scatter his ashes on a family grave at Old Church, Nailsea, later this month.

Chris died aged 74 in Chester on November 26 last year was born Christopher Leonard Smith.

He was one of five children, three boys and two girls, born in London to Beatrice and Lawrence Smith. 

Chris came to North Somerset aged two as an evacuee during the World War 2 along with his parents and two other siblings.

Initially they lived on a farm in Hewish but later moved to Moorfield House at Silver Street, Nailsea.

His niece Sue Evans, of Greenfield Crescent, Nailsea, said: "Life was good on the farm and his mum was lucky to have a job there. 

"Beatrice had her last child Jenny and in time Chris spent most of his years closest to her.

"During school holidays the children were packed off to their nan's home at Dawlish, where they spent most of their time swimming.

"They share their home at Moorfield House with another evacuee family called the Stamps and another, the Ports, lived down the road."

Chris rode around the village selling goats milk often with schoolfriend Geoff Stamp riding on the cross bar of his bike.

When the family eventually moved to the Tyntesfield estate with other evacuee families he became close friends with Kenny Whitham and Ron Port.

It was a tight knit community with its own club house and the boys spent fun times building go-carts from prams.

At aged 16 Chris and Ron had a job working in a garage in Congresbury, where they would cycle each day, sometimes getting a free tow from a passing lorry.

He used to tell amusing tales of his time working at Tyntesfield of his days in the army.

After leaving the services Chris has many different jobs working on farms and building.

He moved to Chester and when his married broke down he became a single parent to his sons Leon and Robbie and daughter Sharron. 

Here he worked at the local lead works before becoming a caretaker at a Barnardo's orphanage,

An avid Liverpool FC supporter his other hobbies included playing pool, darts, fishing, crosswords, cards and a flutter on the horses. 

He also enjoyed making wooden toys for the children and only recently made a highchair for his great niece.

Although he lived in Chester he still regarded Nailsea as a second home returning twice a year for holidays withhis sister Jenny and late brother-in-law Dave Turton, of Nailsea Park.

Sue added: "He was young at heart and a warm-heated man, who lived life to the full, even when he was ill.

"We are very proud of him – he was a great father, granddad, brother and uncle."