John Llewellin Smith [also known as John Llewellin-Smith] was born in Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales in c.1874. He was articled to Arthur Owen Evans (1863-1925) in Pontypridd, Wales from 1891 to 1894 and remained as his assistant until 1899. He commenced independent practice as an architect in Aberdare and Merthyr in c.1899. He was elected a Licentiate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (LRIBA) in 1911. He was President of the South Wales Institute of Architects and Hon. Soc, of the Northern Branch, South Wales Institute of Architects.
His address was given as 7 Victoria Square, Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales in 1911 and 1914; 8 Cardiff Street, Aberdare, Glamorgan in 1923 and 1926; Cwymbach Road Aberdare, South Wales in 1930; The Red House, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1932; and The Royal Gate House, Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1950. He retired as an architect in the early 1930s and died in Tenby on 20 July 1950.
Many large schools for the Merthyr Tydfil Education Authority; library, institute and cottage hospital at Rhymney, Mon.; residences at Aberdare, Pengarn, etc., and chapels
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001