George Reginald Barnett-Smith was the Founding principal Sojourner of the Chapter.
Born on 4 November 1871 to clergyman George Barneet Smith and his wife Hannah Sophia, he was married to Hilda Beatrice McBean.
He was in the wine trade, a partner in the firm of Barnett & Elichagaray, shippers and distillers of Cognac and wrote a number of industry monographs including “Cognac its Historic Value and Commercial Importance”. He was also called as an expert witness in his field and testified before the Royal commission on Whisky in 1909..
He was exalted into the Playgoers Chapter No 2705.
He was a volunteer member of the HAC, and served in the South African War with A Battery of the CI, rising to the rank of Pay Sergeant. He later served in the Great War, having been commissioned into the Army Service Corps in 1914. He was promoted Captain and gazetted to the Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters.
He was also a keen cricketer.