Mexborough & Swinton Times, December 30, 1927

Major Stephen Smith.

A Noted Sportsman 

A notable figure in the field sports of the district is lost to us by the death, which occurred last. Friday, from Pneumonia, after a brief illness, of Major Stephen Alexander Smith, of Racecourse Farm, Swinton. Major Smith, who was 55 years of age, was the third of the nine sons of the late Mr. Francis Patrick Smith, of Barnes Hall Grenoside, and the first of the brothers to pass away.

He was a member of a family distinguished in many ways, and particularly for its interest activity in sport and of all the fine sportsmen associated with Barnes Hall, Major Stephen Smith was perhaps the most accomplished and versatile.

From early youth (he was educated at Uppingham) he was prominent in every kind of game and throughout his life love of horses and horsemanship was one of his distinguishing traits. He served with a cavalry regiment the Yorkshire Dragoons, In the South African War, and again, though the regiment was dismounted, in the European War until 1916, when he was transferred to the Territorial Force Reserve.

As a young man he played cricket for Barnes Green, one of the best village teams in Yorkshire, and later for the Yorkshire Gentlemen. He was also a good footballer, an excellent shot, and an enthusiastic rider to hounds. He hunted regularly with the Wentworth, and helped to form the Ecclesfield Beagles Hunt, of which he was at one time master. He continued his interest in these beagles, the only pack in the district, long after he left Ecclesfield, and he was at death a vice-president and an honorary huntsman of the pack. He was also president of the Ecclesfield and District Trainers’ Association.

He came to Swinton two years ago to train the race horses of his old school friend, Earl Fitzwilliam, and some steeplechasers of his own. In his time he  has owned many first-class animals He had previously lived at Bramworth Hall, Barnby Dun, and Edenthorpe Hall, near Doncaster. He married Miss Evelyn McElvoy, of Coolatten, County Down, Lord Fitzwilliams Irish estate.

During his short residence at Swinton he has made a host of friends, and the staff at Racecourse Farm are deeply attached to him.

Major Smith was in business as a maltster, and owned kilns at Pontefract and elsewhere. He was a director of Messrs Carter’s Knottingley brewery.

He was a Freemason and a member of the St John’s Wood Lodge Pontefract