Whakakiia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whānau a Smith ki Oldham, ā, i mahi ia i te rohe papanga Ingarihi o Lancashire. He kaimahi whakarewa mohio, he mema ia o te Shop Stewards Movement i whakahe ki te hanga patu mo te Pakanga Tuatahi o te Ao. I whakahe ia ki te pakanga, ka haere ia ki te whare herehere mo te whakahe i te kohinga ahakoa te kore o nga tangata me tana pukenga e whawhai ana. I muri i te whai wāhi ki te whakamātautau kāore i tutuki
I te tau kotahi rau e rua tekau mā ono, i te patu whānui, ka heke atu a Smith rāua ko tana wahine a Dora ki Kanata i taua tau anō. I te tau 1928, ka neke ano ratou ki te United States, ka noho ki Detroit.