Education
Born in Keighley, Yorkshire, he attended Wesley Place Primary School in the town. He started as a pupil teacher and attended Leeds University before entering business.
Born in Keighley, Yorkshire, he attended Wesley Place Primary School in the town. He started as a pupil teacher and attended Leeds University before entering business.
Business
Smith made his fortune in property. In particular he was a major hotel investor/owner and who built the Park Lane Hotel in 1920. The Bracewell Smith family also owned the Ritz Hotel which Sir Bracewell Smith"s son George (but known as Guy) sold to Trafalgar House for £2.75m in 1976.
They at various times had stakes in the Carlton Hotel and Hôtel Ritz Paris.
Smith was also chairman of Arsenal Football Club from 1949 until 1962, and his descendants still held a significant shareholding in the club until 2011. Politics
In 1958 he was made an Honorary Vice President of the Sports Turf Institute.
He was also chairman of Wembley Stadium Limited.
A freeman of Keighley (1957) he donated Cliff Castle to the town for a museum. The Sir Bracewell Smith Cup and rosette is awarded annually for best exhibit in the Keighley Show.
36th United Kingdom Parliament. 37th United Kingdom Parliament]
He turned to politics and was a member of Holborn Borough Council from 1922, serving as Mayor 1931-1932, and served on the London County Council 1925-1928.
He was Conservative Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Dulwich between 1932 and 1945, Sheriff of the City of London in 1943 and Lord Mayor of London in 1946.