GEOFFREY SMITH RIP
26th February 2026
GEOFFREY SMITH RIP
It will come as a sadness to Geoffrey Smith’s many friends that he has passed away, at the age of 90. Members of the Group from two decades ago and more will recall Geoffrey’s invariably cheerful presence but may not be conversant with the way that he doughtily and supportively fought the good fight in financial terms for the European-Atlantic Group when various threats, happily soon vanquished, appeared on the horizon. Diligence admixed with conviviality was his trade mark. An accountant by profession, his expertise was tempered with high regard for movers and shakers in the political firmament. He was always available with an answer for any question and his voluntary dedication to the cause was a by-word, and his acumen never in question. His reliability was almost a counterpoint to his sense of humour. No conversation held with the Director of the day (Justin Glass) would end without his jocose reference to ‘…As my Old Headmaster would say…!’, a fictional persona whose platitudinous but chimerical authority was invoked to justify whatever decision had been taken. As Julia Couchman writes: ‘He liked playing the invaluable part of being a stalwart EAG supporter giving effective advice quietly in the background.‘
He is survived by his younger sister, the warmth of whose regard for Geoffrey is but one testimony of the regard in which he was held. Rest in Peace, Geoffrey.