Person    | Female  Born 1843  Died 21/5/1901

Jemina Durning Smith

Categories: Philanthropy, Tragedy

The following information primarily comes from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, also see the Durning Library:

Born the eldest daughter of John Benjamin Smith (merchant and politician) and Jemina Durning (from a wealthy Liverpool family).  Note the spelling of the mother and daughter's shared first name; it's not “Jemima”.  The family moved to London in 1848, spending the summers at their house in Ascot, King’s Ride.  Her sister Edith married Edwin Lawrence, brother of James.  Due to a childhood illness Jemina was never healthy and, after their parents’ deaths she stayed with Edith and Edwin, who kept King’s Ride using it for large social events, especially for the Unitarian community.

Jemina never married. In 1875 she gave money to the Great Ormond Street Homeopathic Hospital (later the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital) and other medical establishments.  Edwin Lawrence (who on becoming a baronet in 1898 changed his name to Durning-Lawrence) was appointed Library Commissioner for Lambeth which probably explains Jemina’s generosity to libraries.  She (co-)founded both the Lambeth Durning Library and the Ascot Durning Library.

The Windsor & Maidenhead site says "Jemina Durning Smith died suddenly in 1901 and is buried in the family vault at Kensal Green." However, looking for her precise dates, we found this at the Newspaper Archive, London Daily Mail, 24 May 1901: "General regret is felt in Ascot at the untimely death of Miss Jemina Durning Smith, at King's Ride, Ascot, which occurred on Tuesday morning through leaping from her window. Deceased had been in ill health for some time past, and suffered from a spinal complaint. She died two hours after she was picked up. An inquest was held, and a verdict of suicide during temporary insanity was returned. "

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Jemina Durning Smith

Commemorated ati

Jemina Durning Smith

Jemina Durning Smith 1888

Read More

Other Subjects

John Townsend

John Townsend

Nonconformist minister.  Born Whitechapel.   Minister at Kingston, Bermondsey and then the Orange Street Chapel.  1807 co-founder of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb in Old Kent Road, which he part...

Person, Philanthropy, Religion, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Metropolitan Public Gardens Association

Metropolitan Public Gardens Association

A charity for the preservation of public parks and gardens in London. It facilitated the creation of new public open spaces. First chairman was the Earl of Meath. In about 1890 the MPGA was based a...

Group, Community / Clubs, Gardens / Agriculture, Philanthropy

6 memorials
Clapham Sect

Clapham Sect

A group of evangelical Christians, who worshipped at Holy Trinity Church in Clapham and centred on William Wilberforce, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery and other religious, philanthropi...

Group, Philanthropy, Race Issues, Religion

4 memorials
Sir William Powell

Sir William Powell

Politician and philanthropist. Born as William Hinson circa 1624. His uncle, Sir Edward Powell, 1st Baronet of Pengethly, left him his estates on condition that he changed his name to Powell. In 16...

Person, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Queen Anne's Bounty

Queen Anne's Bounty

Following the Reformation the taxes on church livings, which used to be paid to the Pope, went to the Crown. In 1704, during Queen Anne's reign, a scheme was implemented that used some of these fun...

Concept, Philanthropy, Property, Religion

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Commonwealth Walkway

Commonwealth Walkway

WC2, Strand, Gibraltar House

Unveiled shortly before 5/8/19.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator