Charles Roach Smith

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Charles Roach Smith (1806–1890) notable amateur archaeologist and was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London(1836), and the London Numismatic Society (1837). Smith was a founding member of the British Archaeological Association(1843).^[1]

Smith was born at Shanklin, Isle of Wight, the youngest of ten children. In 1826 he moved to London, and established his own business as a chemist in 1834. In 1876, he and his sister bought Temple Place in Strood, and some adjoining horticultural land. He died in Strood, Kent.

In London Smith made the first collection of Roman coins from London excavations, which was later purchased by the British Museum. He subsequently pioneered 'urban site observation' and his 'Illustrations of Roman London '(1859) remained the principal work on the subject until 1909. He pioneered the statistical study of Roman coin hoards.

[edit] References

1. ^ Michael Rhodes, ‘Smith, Charles Roach (1806–1890)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 12 May 2007