In 1936, he married Elsie Marion Steen, and they had two sons and two daughters.
He became a brewer at Messrs. Arthur Guinness in 1931; he was transferred to the company's new brewery at Park Royal four years later, before he was appointed a Director in 1942.
In 1956, he was promoted to Joint Managing Director of the Park Royal company which oversaw the brewery; ten years later he was appointed Deputy Managing Director of Arthur Guinness and the following year was promoted to full managing director.
[2] Smiley served on several committees of the Brewers' Society,[2] and was appointed to its Council in 1944.
[1][2][3] Other appointments included Membership of the Egg Marketing Board (from 1957) and Member of the Council of the Confederation of British Industry (from 1965).