The Humphrey Smith Collection

Humphrey Smith formed and led the Canoeing and Mountaineering Sections of Llandudno Youth Club.

Humphrey Smith was born in Huddersfield in 1914 and moved to Llandudno in 1932. He ran Wyndcroft Poultry Farm for 39 years, first at Sychnant Pass Conwy and from 1941 at Llanrhos, Llandudno. On arrival in Llandudno he joined the Scouting Movement and during and after the Second World War was officer commanding the Headquarters Flight of 418 Squadron Air Training Corps. It was during this time that he began his association with amateur theatricals with a group of people mainly from the A.T.C. IN 1944 known as "Venture Adventure" which developed and in 1947 became "The Boomerangs". Humphrey was the producer of the shows which were very popular and continued into the 1950s. He also wrote lyrics of some of the songs featured in the shows collaborating with Vincent Wagstaff (of Wagstaff's Music Shop in Vaughan Street Llandudno).

Humphrey Smith was a man with a wide variety of interests - poultry farmer, theatrical producer, lyricist, Flying Officer with the A.T.C., he formed the Canoeing and Mountaineering sections of the Llandudno Youth Centre in Trinity Avenue Llandudno, started the Canoe Club of St. David's College, Llandudno, and built over 200 canoes. Camps were held every weekend with several trips taken to France and Switzerland. He was a founder member of the A.T.C. Gliding School at Tal-y-Cafn, and climbed the Matterhorn at the age of 56. After ceasing poultry farming in 1972 he founded Cymru Canoes and built a nation-wide group of customers; the business was forced to close due to the recession of 1982. He competed in two RAC Rallies and won a 12 hour sports car race at Donnington Park in 1937. He was a founder member of the North Wales Sporting Car Club, forerunner of the present North Wales Car Club. Humphrey died on 11 November 2002.

This collection is open for research. Access to some documents may be restricted due to Data Protection legislation, Conwy Archives will advise where this is the case. For details and opening hours see http://www.conwy.gov.uk/en/Resident/Libraries-Museums-and-Archives/Archives/Archives.aspx.