Anne Elizabeth Smith
Master 2022–2023

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Anne Elizabeth Smith was born and educated in York. She is the great granddaughter of William Wright, who founded the firm of pork butchers in York in 1882, expanding to 16 shops across York and Yorkshire. For a number of years the firm was based in Goodramgate and at what is now Bedern Hall. William was also Lord Mayor of York in 1925 and an Alderman of the City in 1927. William’s sons, grandsons and great grandsons all followed him into the trade and it was William and his son Fred who saved the Gild from extinction during world war 2 as they both said the Gild was not only important to them but for the everyone connected with the trade. There are currently 6 members of the Wright family in the Gild.

Although very much steeped in the trade, Anne followed the female line of the family in to nursing, commencing her career at Claypenny Hospital in Easingwold. During this time Anne was seconded to the Leonard Cheshire Foundation to work with teenagers with life limiting disabilities and after the closure of the hospital worked with Mencap, before returning to the NHS to work in challenging behavioural units until her retirement. Anne later gained a degree in Nutritional Sciences. She is a Trustee of the Cameron Walker Alms-house in York, member of the York Civic Trust, was for many years Vice chair of the Friends of St Monica’s Hospital, Easingwold and co-founder of the ‘Teens’ Drop in Centre in Easingwold which won an award from the Army in 1991.