1819 born Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland
1860 married Catherine Kirby (b 1834 in Limerick, Ireland), older sister of Philip Kirby (b 1844 in Ireland) in Victoria, Australia
1864 February – son John Washington born in Calcutta, India
1866 May – enters into partnership with Thomas Lenton, English gymnast for Lenton’s troupe to perform in South East Asia and China, with Smith accompanying them as Manager. Had taken shows from Australia to Far East on at least two previous occasions.
1866 October – November – Lenton Gymnastic troupe in Shanghai
1866 Smith’s brother in law Phil Kirby and Lenton recruit performers including Isokichi and eleven members of his troupe in Japan for Lenton & Smith’s Great Dragon Troupe. Passports are for 1 year, but only 1 month for Isokichi and Mitaro
1867 January – daughter Katherine Mary born in Manila, Philippines
1867 late March – Lenton & Smith Dragon Troupe start tour of Hong Kong, the Philippines, Java, Singapore, Penang, Calcutta
1867 May – Smith joins with Lenton & Smith troupe in Java and Singapore
1867 December – Lenton & Smith Great Dragon Troupe (11 or 12 – 8 men, 3 women, 10 year old boy) arrive in Melbourne, Australia: Isokichi, Mitarō, Genjirō/Gengero, Chōnosuke, Katsujirō, Chiyokichi, Omato/Tomo, Bungarō/Bunjirō, Ohatsu, Seijirō, Yasuke.
1868 Jan-Oct – Lenton & Smith Great Dragon Troupe tour Australia
1869 February – Lenton & Smith Great Dragon Troupe tour of Australasia ends.
1869 May – meant to leave for England to engage fresh novelties.
1869 September – Isokichi is reported to be helping Phil Kirby arrange a further troupe – meant to be for Lyster & Smith, but ends up being Thomas King’s troupe, touring Asia and Europe. Lyster finds some operatic performers in Italy.
1869 October – “The late company is distributed in all parts of Japan, but our stately old friend, Eso Kitchie, has given Kirby much assistance : he does not do any show business now, and has retired into quiet life. Cuts-who-gero is about still, but will not perform again. Gingero, Metaro, Sagero, and the rest of Eso Kitchie’s troupe, are in Yeddo, performing at the Imperial Theatre there.” Letter of October 1869 addressed to John Smith in Australia. The Herald, Melbourne, 3 December 1869
1870 December – the Osaka Troupe arrive in Auckland from San Francisco
1871 January – Osaka Troupe start tour of Australia under engagement to Mr John Smith. To Jan 1873
1877 died in Victoria, Australia aged 58, having suffered from asthma, and then dropsy (Edema)
Photograph above of unknown date from Margaret Kirby via Alister Hardiman
Ninjin 