Hettie Smith Explained

Hettie Smith
Birth Name:	Henrietta Grace Smith
Birth Date:	3 September 1916
Birth Place:	Kent, England
Death Place:	Bath, Somerset, England
Education:	Saffron Waldon College
Occupation:	Conductor, editor, music advisor to Girl Guides Association

Hettie Smith (b. Kent, 3 September 1917, d. Bath, 2 July 2010) was a choral director for the Girl Guides Association and compiler of several songbooks, including Canciones De Nuestra Cabaña (1980).^[1]

Personal life and education

Henrietta Grace Smith was born in Kent to Raymond Smith and Henrietta Langley. She was evacuated to Bath during WWI. After the war she grew up in Plumstead, London and attended the John Roan School. She trained as a teacher at the Saffron Waldon College. At the start of WWII she returned to Bath as a music teacher at Royal School, Lansdown.^[2] She lived in Bath until the 1980s^{[3] [4]} when she moved to North Wales.^{[5] [6]} In lieu of flowers at her funeral, donations were made to Girlguiding Somerset North and WaterAid.^[7]

Girl Guides

While in Bath, Smith was involved in “almost every aspect of Guiding”, including Brownies, Guides and secretarial work.^[8] Her roles included:

• 1960s: Somerset County music advisor - HQ singing instructor^{[9] [10]}
• 1961: Standing Camps of Canada (Ontario) - singing instructor^[11]
• 1967 - 1972: Headquarters training team - arts and music advisor for England^{[12] [13]}
• 1969: Commonwealth music advisor^[14]
• 1972: Training committee, chair,^[15] Girl Guide Association music consultant^[16]

She was also active in the music making at Foxlease Guide centre in Hampshire.

Recordings

Smith was involved in the following BBC albums:

• Sing Along with the Girl Guides (1971) - conductor^[17]
• National Guide Festival of Song (1972) - producer^{[18] [19]}
• Get Together: Children’s Songs with a Message (1973) – conductor (with Marion Prior)^[20]
• What Can I Do? (1975) - director^[21]
• Come On and Sing with the Girl Guides (1975) - sleeve notes^[22]

Publications

• Diamond Jubilee Songbook (1970) Pub. Girl Guides Association - compiler^[23]
• Girl Guide Song Book 1 & 2 (1974) Pub. Girl Guides Association - editor
• Musical Fun with the Brownie pack, illustrated by Jennetta Vise (1976) Pub. Girl Guides Association - author^[24]
• Canciones De Nuestra Cabaña (Songs from Our Cabaña) (1980) Pub. Girl Scouts of the USA – editor, compiler^[25]

Notes and References

1. Book: Smith, Hettie G . 1980 . Canciones de nuestra cabaña . Girl Scouts of the USA . New York, USA . 9780884413660.
2. News: 1967-04-21 . Somerset Standard . . Hettie Smith’s Great Gift . 4 . live . Frome, UK .
3. News: 1967-04-21 . Somerset Standard . . Hettie Smith’s Great Gift . 4 . live . Frome, UK .
4. News: 1972-05-31 . Bristol Evening Post . . Catherine paints a winner, just for the record . 4 . live . Bristol, UK .
5. News: 1985-12-19 . North Wales Weekly News . . Townswomen . 17 . live . Rhyl, UK .
6. News: 1984-12-28 . North Wales Weekly News . . Sunshine . 13 . live . Rhyl, UK .
7. Web site: The obituary notice of Henrietta Grace . . funeral-notices.co.uk . 15 July 2010 . 2024-05-05.
8. News: 1967-04-21 . Somerset Standard . . Hettie Smith’s Great Gift . 4 . live . Frome, UK .
9. News: 1961-05-12 . Cheddar Valley Gazette . . Burst of Song . 12 . live . Cheddar, UK .
10. News: 1960-06-24 . Central Somerset Gazette . . Beacon Fires . 10 . live . Somerset, UK .
11. News: 1961-05-13 . Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser . . World Chief Guide at Wells . 10 . live . Taunton, UK .
12. News: 1967-04-21 . Somerset Standard . . Hettie Smith’s Great Gift . 4 . live . Frome, UK .
13. News: 1972-11-17 . Shepton Mallet Journal . . Training for Guide leaders . 12 . live . Shepton Mallet, UK .
14. News: 1969-10-06 . Hull Daily Mail . . A musical day for Guiders . 5 . live . Hull, UK .
15. News: 1972-11-17 . Shepton Mallet Journal . . Training for Guide leaders . 12 . live . Shepton Mallet, UK .
16. News: 1972-05-31 . Bristol Evening Post . . Catherine paints a winner, just for the record . 4 . live . Bristol, UK .
17. News: 1971-03-08 . Belfast News-Letter . . World Guide to Music . 3 . live . Belfast, UK .
18. News: 1972-06-02 . Shepton Mallet Journal . . Somerset’s part in new record . 4 . live . Shepton Mallet, UK .
19. News: 1972-06-02 . Shepton Mallet Journal . . Somerset’s part in new record . 4 . live . Shepton Mallet, UK .
20. Get Together: Children's Songs with a Message . Girl Guides Association & St Paul's Girls' School . 1973 . BBC Records . London, UK . LP liner notes . RED 147 S .
21. What Can I Do? . Girl Guides Association . 1975 . BBC Records . London, UK . LP liner notes . MRMC 023 .
22. Come On and Sing with the Girl Guides . Girl Guides Association . 1975 . BBC Records . London, UK . LP liner notes . MRMC 024 .
23. Book: Smith, Hettie . 1970 . Diamond Jubilee Songbook . Girl Guides Association . London, UK .
24. Book: Smith, Hettie . 1976 . Musical fun with the Brownie Pack . Girl Guides Association . London, UK . 0852600739.
25. Book: Smith, Hettie G . 1980 . Canciones de nuestra cabaña . Girl Scouts of the USA . New York, USA . 9780884413660.