DEATH OF HIGH SHERIFF

PASSING OF MR. J. C. BICKFORD-
SMITH

Mr. John Clifford Bickford-Smith of Trevarno, Helston, High Sheriff of Corn-wall,   died at his residence on Friday after a very short illness.  Mr. Bickford-Smith, who was 59, had not enjoyed good health for some time. but until about a fortnight ago he was able to attend to his business. He was  one of the  twin sons  of the late Mr.  William  Bickford-Smith,    a   former M.P.   for the old  Truro-Helston Division, and the late Mrs. Bickford-Smith, of Tre-varno, and after completing his education at Cambridge. where he graduated B.A. in 1905. he joined the family firm of Bickford- Smith and Co.. Ltd., safety fuse manufac-turers. Tuckingmill, Camborne. 

Prior to the undertaking becoming a subsidiary company of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd.. Mr. Bickford-Smith was chairman of directors,    and he retained his association with the company as a local director up to the time of his death.

MANY INTERESTS.

Mr. Bickford-Smith took particular in-terest in the welfare of Cornish hospitals, and  for two years he served as president of  the   Royal Cornwall Infirmary.   Truro. He was also a trustee and a vice-president of Camborne-Redruth Miners' and General Hospital. and a vice-president of Helston and District Cottage Hospital,   and for many years he sat as a member of the Management Committee of Camborne- Redruth Hospital. 

A county magistrate of many years standing, he was the senior member of East Penwith Bench. Camborne, in length of service. Mr. Bickford-Smith had served as president of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, and this year he was appointed High Sheriff of the county. 

Among other things he was a governor of the School of Metalliferous Mining, Camborne, and of Truro School. 

Member of an old Cornish Methodist family. he had from childhood been associated with Chynhale Methodist Church. which was erected through the generosity of his late father. He was a member for many years of Cornwall Dis-trict Methodist Synod, and for some years past   he had been  Joint district treasurer of the General Assessment and district treasurer of the Ministerial Training Fund. 

In his young days  he was,   with  his twin brother      ( Mr.  W. N. Bickford-Smith, of Trevarno),   who died in March, 1939. one of Cornwall's leading cricketers. He played for Helston Club. and was also a conspicuous figure in the county side. In his younger days he was also an accom-plished lacrosse player. 

He leaves a widow and one son. Mr. Michael Bickford-Smith.     His elder son, Mr. J. Bickford-Smith, was killed in an accident in South Africa in May. 1936. 

The funeral took place on Monday.