Introducing James Smart

A volunteer has been working on listing hundreds of documents from the late 19th century, relating to the business of James Smart. In this blog, they will keep us updated on what they’ve discovered. 

Introduction

Early in 2022 a quantity of documents relating to Chalford business man, James Smart came in to the Museum collection. There were all sorts of things from all sorts of people. There were letters, memos, postcards, bills and statements from Smart’s captains, customers, authorities and others. It was truly a cornucopia of ephemera.

So, who was James Smart?

James Smart was a business man based in Chalford. Initially it seems he set up as a coal merchant bringing coal from the Forest of Dean by way of barges, along the Chalford valley. He owned several barges himself and as his business grew he acquired trows and trucks and land.

He shipped goods from Cardiff to London, Bristol to the Midlands and all points in between. There were a wide range of cargoes too. Coal seems to have remained a mainstay but he also shipped stone, sawdust, timber and anything else that needed transportation.

Over the course of these posts I’m going to try and give you an idea of the life of James Smart and the people who worked with him and for him.

I hope you will find it as interesting as I have.

BARGE ON THE THAMES AND SEVERN CANAL (CM.2315/5)