These are notes I made for other purposes but may be of interest to you: Charles George Smith,a one-time auctioneer who had travelled widely and dealt in many commodities, including livestock and coal [was being considered as a possible Durban agent by the sugar-farming Crookes family]. Now – at age 50 – CG Smith was trying to corner the sugar market. Smith was already an ally of Reynolds Brothers having known Frank Reynolds since the 1870s. He was also close to William Pearce [founder] of Illovo.
Wm Pearce had started out as an apprentice wheelwright and later built wagons and gone transport riding. Born in 1855, he had originally taken up planting as a sideline – first with arrowroot in 1884, then with sugar from 1889. He had bought a small sugar mill and initially tried to do everything himself. Then by 1906 CG Smith was encouraging him to expand. To raise capital he had floated Illovo Sugar Estates, with Smith in the chair and himself as managing director. P104 ‘Renishaw: the story of the Crookes brothers’
When the Crookes family formed their own joint stock company, two outsiders were included on the board – CG Smith and Frank Reynolds. P107
The new company was registered as being based in Durban – at the offices of CG Smith in Smith Street (not named after the coming sugar magnate) and the inaugural meeting took place in the Smith offices July 8 1913.
[This close business relationship between the Crookes family and CG Smith continued; not all their ventures were successful; more information in the source mentioned above.]
CG Smith became one of Natal’s nominated representatives in Parliament i.e. a Senator.
CG Smith’s company evolved into a group which was one of the strongest forces in the sugar industry. Its only rival was Huletts. In 1919 Smith’s various concerns came together in a new organization: the South African Sugar Association.
There is more on C G Smith in R F Osborn's book 'Valiant Harvest'. Mostly about his career in the sugar industry not genealogical detail.
C G Smith died April 1941. Buried West St Cemetery, Durban. See MI details below.
SMITH, Charles George
Born: 27 Dec 1858
Died: 24 Apr 1941
Buried: West St Cemetery, Durban, District Durban,Kwazulu-Natal, RSA
Note: Charles George Smith
Husband & Wife = C G & F E Smith: His Mother = Emma Smith Son Of Above = R A Smith : Husband & Wife= H H & C E Smith : George Smith Here With His Beloved Mother Lie The Remains Of Charles George Smith,Kcm.G C K'T Of St John.B London Dec.27Th 1858,D April 24Th 1941,Husband Of Frances Elizabeth Smith: Emma Smith,D Oct. 9Th 1891,Age 61Yrs : George Smith,D Jul.3Rd 1891 At Grahamstown,Aged 56Yrs:Robert Arthur Smith,Youngest Son Of George & Emma Smith, D,27Th Jan. 1929,Aged 66Yrs.Interred At Highflats. Church of England section. Block 29. Grave no. 17
No mention of his first wife in sources I have at hand. Also I find no evidence that Mabel Reynolds related to sugar-farming Reynolds family. This doesn't mean she wasn't!
Mole
