Background
Campbell Smith was born at Wellfield, near Leuchars in Fife on 12 December 1828. His father, John Smith was a weaver and farmer, and his mother was Anne Campbell.
Campbell Smith was born at Wellfield, near Leuchars in Fife on 12 December 1828. His father, John Smith was a weaver and farmer, and his mother was Anne Campbell.
He was educated at the village subscription school till the age of twelve when he became an apprentice mason.
Foreign other people named John Smith, see the John Smith navigation page
He was a typical "lad o" pairts" – a talented Scots boy of the 19th century who raised himself from extremely humble beginnings. He worked at that trade until he earned what he thought was enough to obtain a university education. After saving about £25, he left his work on a Saturday afternoon in Saint Andrews where he was working.
On the Monday morning he went to Madras College in Saint Andrews and, after receiving ten-month"s teaching, he gained a bursary through public competition to enter Saint Andrews University.
The bursary enabled him to pay his fees and he supported himself by private teaching. Graduating Master of Arts in 1852, he was advised by Sir David Brewster and others to go on to Cambridge University but a teaching vacancy arose at Dundee Academy where he was appointed and held the post of second master for two years.
After studying for the Bar, he practised as a successful advocate in Edinburgh. Becoming the Sheriff-substitute at Dundee in 1885, he distinguished himself as judge and was publicly presented with his portrait.
His best known work is Writings by the Way (1885), which consists of sketches and biographies of famous Scotsmen previous published as articles in The Scotsman.
He died in Dundee on 3 September 1914. 1852 – School teacher at Dundee Academy
1856 – Called to the Bar as an advocate
1885 – Appointed Sheriff-substitute of Forfarshire at Dundee
1912 – Retired from the legal profession.