ABSTRACT
Mr. President, 40 years ago to the day on 17th February 1954, my late father Hugh Smith presided at the first meeting of the Crabtree Foundation. It gives me much pleasure and pride to follow my family heritage of Crabtree studies standing before you this evening. Some three years ago, James Sutherland wrote to me ‘Hugh and I never thought the little acorn we sowed all those years ago would grow to such a spreading oak tree’, and added with typical sublety, ‘or chestnut would be a better metaphor.’ The Foundation owes much to those two men, and to many others also, who will not be forgotten. In serving for five years as your Secretary, I thought I had done enough to avoid ever being called as Orator, but it was inevitable that sooner or later a virgin Secretary of the Foundation would be called. It happened to Arthur Tattersall who managed to hang on as Secretary for ten years.
