William Bickford-Smith

His grandfather William Bickford had developed a method of making mining fuses using rope which was safer than previous methods and with Smith's father had established a factory at Tuckingmill, Cornwall.

There was another factory at St. Helen's Junction, Lancashire, and Smith was also chairman of Helston Railway.

[2] Bickford-Smith purchased the Trevarno Estate, at Helston, Cornwall in 1874 and set about developing the gardens.

In 1886 he was re-elected as a Liberal Unionist and held the seat until he stood down at the 1892 general election.

His son was the barrister and antiquary Roandeau Albert Henry Bickford-Smith.

Porthleven; the Bickford-Smith Institute, with its imposing 70 ft clock tower, was built in 1883 as a literary institute by Bickford-Smith