 He held a post as curate and chaplain in Northumberland before he arrived in New South Wales with his family in 1855.Smith moved to Canberra and lived at a cottage at Acton until 1873 when he and his family moved into the new Glebe House (which was demolished in the mid 20th century).Many of Canberra's trees were propagated from the trees that he planted around Glebe House.