A Victorian silver posy holder, Thomas Smily, London 1865

Thomas Smily (1827-1918) was a younger brother of William Robert Smily (1818-1858), sons of William Smily (1793-1865) who was sometime manager of A.B. Savory & Sons’ silver factory. W.R. Smily entered his first mark in 1842. Following his death, his business, styled W.R. Smily, successor to Charles Lias (Grimwade, p. 582), was continued by his brother, Thomas, who entered his first mark in 1858. An advertisement for Smily’s of 1869 detailed ‘A large Stock of Tea and Coffee Services, Salvers, Cups, Tankards, Claret Jugs, Epergnes and Candelabra, Cake Baskets, Inkstands, Cruet Frames, Toast Racks, Salt Cellars, Children’s Cans, Spoons, Forks, and all other articles of Plate always on hand.’ (The Goldsmith, London, Monday, 1 March 1869, p. ii) In 1883 Thomas Smily transferred the business to Edwin Charles Purdie (1841-1920) before emigrating to Ontario, Canada, where he established himself as an estate agent.