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Frank Smith was born 2nd February 1932. He lived with his father Jack and mother Alice in Preston Lancashire. As you all would expect, what ever hobby Frank undertook he gave it 110% of his attention.. These hobbies began with weightlifting and photography in the late 40s and early 50s. The front room of his parents terraced home was dedicated to an array of weights, which Frank and his friends accommodated every evening. It was during this time that Frank developed a keen interest in photography which developed into him taking photographs most weekends at weddings and Christenings.
Around 1952 Frank and a group of friends walked into a local ballroom to begin dance lessons and it was there that Frank first met his future wife Margaret. In 1957 they were married and began competing all over the UK in many modern ballroom competitions.
Another fascination for Frank was walking in the Lake District, and he managed all the peaks in the Lakes along with his cousin Harry and later with his wife Margaret.
On September 30th 1964 an additional member to the family was born....a daughter Gail.
During this time Frank had qualified as a builder and became Clerk of works in Leyland whilst also being a part time technician at Harris College. Frank altered his employment into time and motion work study in Leyland which lead to the family leaving Preston in 1967 to Kingston upon Thames where he worked for the local health authority this meant the family moved again from Sollihul Birmingham to Guildford in Surrey.
In 1973 promotion moved the Smith family back up the M6 to Levenshulme Manchester for 6 months and then onto Bamford Rochdale where Frank worked for the local authority in Manchester. It was around this time that a 20 yr love affair began with archery. Rochdale Company of archers was his base initially in Wardle and then Moorgate Ave Rochdale. Over the years Frank achieved many awards for his target archery. But it was during the 90s that Frank collected numerous British records for his field archery, many of which still stand to this day. He loved nothing better than carrying all his tackle up and down hill sides and through forests shooting at various hidden targets. He was also an accomplished coach, where his attention to detailed made those he instructed successful archers themselves.
It was in 1988 that Frank had the opportunity to take early retirement at 54 years of age, where he worked for Calderdale Local Authority in Halifax. After which he took up more professionally his love of photography when he began his business 'fotovid'.
In 1989 Frank and Margaret celebrated the marriage of their daughter Gail to Philip Slater, and the couple straight after emigrated to Australia. In 1991 Frank celebrated his 60th birthday by visiting his daughter Gail and Son in law Phil at their home in Adelaide South Australia for nine weeks. Nothing gave him more joy when the couple returned to live in Lancashire in 1994. Added to this Frank became a grandfather in December 1994 with his first grandaughter Amy, then again a second grandaughter Eleanor in February 1998.
Another great love of his life was Spain, and Frank became as you would of course expect no less, a scholar of the various dialects within the Spanish language. It was in the mid nineties that Frank began visiting Spain every year for prolonged holidays and it was on one of these holidays that Frank met his companion Monica. Whom he has continued to holiday with every year during the winter months.
In the 90s Frank returned to one of his founder loves.....Dancing.. although this time rather than modern ballroom... it was the Argentine Tango that caught his attention.
Through this love of dancing Frank was involved in bringing Tango up from London to the North, by being involved in many workshops and classes from Manchester and across the Pennines to Leeds. It is within Tango that Frank made many many friends who he talked about constantly as his love for tango developed. There will be too many couples and current teachers to personally mention who owe their love of Tango to Frank.
For those of you reading this there is no need to inform you of how successful Frank was at what ever he undertook. His natural ability to give of himself and his time for those who required it, and therefore it is quite difficult to encapsulate all he meant to all of us.
As I recall my fathers many accomplishments it is with tremendous pride I can call Frank Smith my father. I know how sad a time this is for all who loved Frank but we must collectively rejoice in that he passed away doing what he loved most, dancing and being in Spain. I know this is exactly the way he would want it to be and although personally and for his grandaughters no time would ever be right to lose him, I see it as an opportunity to rejoice and celebrate all of my father accomplishments and the many friendships he developed throughout his 77 years on this earth.
You are ALL in my prayers and I send you my love..
Gail Slater xx
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