John Smith (ii)

John came to Lerwick as a boy and was educated there. He described his early years as a period of hardship: "Ours way a large family, nine to be precise, and there was poverty. All hands had to be earning to achieve any semblance of respectability in the community". He served in the army during the war. He wound up in Canada after the war, explaining "I was deported from Toronto in the terrible thirties when I was on the loose. I took a deputation to the Mayor of Toronto in an attempt to get young fellows from England and Scotland warmer clothing to face the Canadian winter. We were kindly received and the Mayor promised to issue warmer clothing to the young lads. Two later later, I had along train journey with two large detectives to St John's, and was put on a liner for London".

Before the outbreak of WWII, John lived in London and was a councillor in Hammersmith. During the war, he joined the Air Force, and one of his first postings coincidentally took him back home for the first time in 20 years, as he was stationed at Sullom Voe. He was subsequently posted East, at one point addressing a left wing conference in Ceylon.

He returned to Shetland at the conclusion of the war, and was for some years the manager of the Shetland Hand Knitting Industry. He spent the last years of his retirement living in Aberdeen.

John was a committed socialist all his life.

His brother Willie also became a councillor.