Unitarians pay tribute to Sir Cyril Smith

Sir Cyril Smith (second from the right) at the Opening of the New Rochdale Unitarian Church in August 1974.

British Unitarians pay tribute to the immense contribution of Sir Cyril Smith to national public life and to the Unitarian movement.

Sir Cyril Smith was a lifelong member of Rochdale Unitarian Church. He always supported the church and was extremely proud of his Unitarian roots. In his autobiography, "Big Cyril", he revealed the importance of his Unitarian upbringing to his approach to life; "I was taught to question established thinking" - and question he did.

He was active in the Unitarian Young People's League (UYPL) and he went on to become a Sunday School Superintendent, a role he only relinquished when he became an MP in 1972.  He was the Chair of the Trustees of Rochdale Unitarian Church until ill health forced him to resign, although he remained a member of the trustee body. Nationally he played a part in the Unitarian denomination, being a co-opted member of the General Assembly Council for three years from 1964 and he remained a Governor of Unitarian College Manchester.

Neville Kenyon, General Assembly President pays his own personal tribute to Sir Cyril Smith

Click to see coverage in The Inquirer (an independent Unitarian publication) of Cyril Smith's election to Parliament in 1972.

I recall as a teenager and member of Bank Street Unitarian Church in Bury, visiting our Rochdale church on a fairly regular basis. One of the members at Rochdale was a big young man who was always present and certainly larger than life. My friend and contemporary the late Derek Jackson once said to me "The more I see and hear that big fellow the more impressed I am."

That 'Big Fellow' was, of course, Cyril Smith. In those days it wasn't his political affiliations that were important to me, but the fact that here was such a committed Unitarian with a great personality.

As a member of the Liberal Party I worked to get Ludovic Kennedy elected for Rochdale in the General Election of 1958. We failed and had to wait for a By-election in 1972 when Cyril Smith was swept to victory with a 5,000 majority over his Labour opponent. At the October 1974 General Election he spent a great deal of time with me in Bury speaking on behalf of our local candidate.

He was MP for Rochdale for 20 years, retiring in 1992. During his time in Parliament he became a national figure and being a Unitarian he was not afraid of rocking the boat. He was an accomplished public speaker and several times I was privileged to hear him speak at Rotary Dinners. He often teamed up with the Rector of Bury, the Rev Reg Smith with whom he would exchange friendly banter between the Anglicans and the Unitarians.

At the Ribble Valley By-election in 1991 I was assigned to do a walk about in Clitheroe town centre with Sir Cyril. I remember taking him into Boots on the High Street and all the shoppers flocked around him shaking hands and patting him on the back. That was when I really understood the incredible impact that Cyril made wherever he went.

Others will pay their own personal tributes to this fine man. I can recall only my personal experiences of Sir Cyril. The abiding memory, however, is that he was loyal to his Unitarianism to the end.

I spoke with him a few months ago at one of Rochdale Unitarians' famous lunches. He had lost a lot of weight but still had that mischievous twinkle in his eye.

His memory will remain vividly with those of us whose lives he touched.

On behalf of all Unitarians, we express our deepest sympathy with Cyril's brother, Norman and his wife Shirley.

For further information contact Derek McAuley, Chief Officer on 020 7240 2384