Sydney Wigham Smith

Sydney Wigham Smith (c. 1866 – 14 December 1933) was an architect who practiced mainly in Melbourne, Australia, from the 1880s to the 1930s. He practiced first under his own name, then as Sydney Smith & Ogg, and lastly as Sydney Smith, Ogg and Serpell.

History Smith was a son of Sarah Ann Smith, née Carter, and Sydney William Smith, also an architect, and engineer and surveyor, who set up practice in Melbourne when he immigrated in 1852. He designed the first St Kilda Town Hall (1859), and the corner Barkly and Grey Streets, St Kilda (demolished), and the adjacent houses at 71 Grey Street, and 73-73 Grey Street, St Kilda in the early 1870s.

Smith then took over his business, and was joined in partnership by Charles Alfred Ogg in 1891, and they are best known for a series of hotels built before and after WW1 designed in a free interpretation of Edwardian style. 1901 Milton House, Flinders Lane State Savings Bank branches including Moonee Ponds (1905), Elsternwick (1907), and Yarraville (1909). 1911 Bendigo Hotel, Johnston Street, Collingwood 1911 Perseverance Hotel, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy 1912 Union Steamship Co. William Street (demolished) 1912 additions to Oriental Hotel, Collins Street (demolished) 1913 Dan O'Connell Hotel, Princes Street, Carlton 1913 Kilkenny Inn, King Street, Melbourne 1915 C. M. Read Stores, Chapel Street Prahran 1918 John Danks & Son, Bourke Street (later McEwans) Sydney Smith, Ogg & Serpell 1922 Queens Walk arcade, within the 1880s Victoria Buildings, Collins and Swanston Street corner. (demolished) 1923 Harley House, Collins Street 1923 Mitcham Post Office, Mitcham, Victoria 1923 Citv Club Hotel, Collins Street (demolished) 1923 London Inn, Market Street (demolished) 1924 Colonial Mutual Insurance offices, Collins Street (now Aldersgate House) 1928 Richmond Club Hotel, Swan Street, Richmond 1931 Harbour Trust, Market Street

Other interests Smith was a member of the Australian and Yorick Clubs and of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club

Family Smith married Maude Eleanor Wood ( – 6 January 1931) on 22 May 1891, and had a home at 1 Erskine Street, Malvern, Victoria. Their only daughter Dorothy "Doff" Smith (died 12 January 1934) married Harold Bloom Cowles on 16 February 1921.

Smith was a brother of (Anglican) Rev. Godfrey Hull Smith (c. 1859 – 28 June 1938), curate of St Philip's Church, Sydney and vicar at Ivanhoe ; Herbert Henry Smith M.L.C. (died 1935), and Clifford J. Smith, of Armadale, Victoria. Sisters were Clare Elizabeth Smith, who married Charles Englebert Propsting in 1917; Sadie Smith, who married Charles Forbes in 1914; K. H. Smith and A. E. Smith.