Humphry Smith (1914-2005) was Head of the Time Department at the Royal Greenwich Observatory from 1936 until his retirement in 1976. In his 40 years in service, Smith oversaw many important developments at the RGO including the establishment of the chronometer workshop at Greenwich, which was in charge of chronometer testing and watch repairing, the move to Coordinated Universal Time, and the physical relocation of Time Department from Greenwich, first to Abinger during the Second World War and in 1957, to Herstmonceux, Sussex.

During his time as Head of the Time Department, Smith introduced Provisional Uniform Time (the forerunner of Universal Time) and played a huge part in the establishment of the systems of Coordinated Universal Time and International Atomic Time, which are still in use today. He was involved in the coordination of the Time Service between the UK and USA and was an active member of numerous international committees, including the IAU Commissions on time and on the rotation of the earth. He was also responsible for the reorganisation of the records of the Chronometer Department.

During his lifetime, he received several awards including the 1967 award of the American Watchmakers’ Institute for outstanding contributions to the science of horology and an O.B.E. in 1973.