Henry Smith has probably had a greater influence over the reading habits of people in Evesham than any other person.

Although he died 87 years ago his legacy can still be found in Evesham and in every town and city in the country.

Thanks to a great grand daughter in New Zealand, Henry now takes his rightful place in the catalogue of the town's civic leaders with a biography and photograph on the Mayor of Evesham's web site.

Andrew Dyke, the present Mayor of Evesham, said the job had changed hugely since the era of Henry Smith.

"The Mayor is much more accessible now. In those days he would have been a squire, an MP or landowner but now the Mayor is much more a man of the people with an ordinary job.

"In the time of Henry Smith, the Mayor had much more power whereas the position is largely ceremonial now but it still has a role to play and people appreciate having the Mayor opening events and being seen."

In 1859, along with his brother William, he founded a small local printers and stationers that has grown to become the nation's favourite newsagent - W.H. Smith.

A year later he founded the Evesham Journal that remains such an important part of the life of the town.

These two achievements alone would be enough for most people but Henry Smith was no ordinary man.

He served for 27 consecutive years as a member of the Town Council during which he had four terms as Mayor but in all this time Henry never declared political affiliations and never had to fight an election, always being returned unopposed. His periods as Mayor included a visit to the town by the Mayor of Portugal.

Henry Smith was a self-made man, very much in the tradition of civic leaders from the Victorian age. His formal education was minimal but this did not stop him making his way in life.

His future work in printing and newspapers was a consequence of being trained as a printer by a man called Richard Bult. During this time Henry would on occasions set type by hand. It was the mid-19th Century equivalent of Bill Gates putting plugs onto computers.

Henry Smith continued as chairman of the Company for the rest of his life.

Education had always interested Henry Smith and he was actively involved in the Evesham Mechanics Institute, which was involved in adult education at the time. For many years he was a Governor of Prince Henry's Grammar School.

Henry Smith was an athletic man who helped found the Evesham Rowing Club in 1860 and he served as Secretary of the Club for 30 years. Another attribute was an excellent singing voice and he was an active member of the Church of England, attending both All Saints and St Lawrence Churches.

Henry and his first wife Mary had two daughters but he was widowed in 1875 and went to live at The Parks, Aldington. It was at this time that he purchased land on the Lanesfield estate where he built an impressive home.

In 1883 he married again, this time to Clarissa Ann and they had a son and a daughter.

His son served in the First World War and this was a constant cause of worry for Henry who had a heart condition in later life. He died on June 25, 1917.

Visit Evesham cemetery and you will see on his gravestone the inscription "A race well run."